Today we’d like to introduce you to Liza Wilson.
Hi Liza, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Arkansas and went to Rhodes College in Memphis. After teaching French in a foreign language elementary school for three years, I moved to Austin to pursue a Master’s in Foreign Language Education (French). I started working for Holt, Rinehart, Winston in the French Department, then taught at Austin’s French Montessori School, which became the Lycee Francais, and I became the director. After a few years there, I started working as a consultant for Head Start. I then taught French at the Khabele school before founding Toybrary Austin. I’m in my 8th year as owner of Toybrary Austin now.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Obstacles definitely included that I had no past business experience. At the same time, I was confident in my ability to create something worthwhile for children. I dove into commercial real estate, marketing, software, wholesale buying and more face first. I am very grateful to have an excellent accountant who takes care of the numbers. That is most definitely my weakest area! In the beginning, I also didn’t know what to focus on first. Everything seemed overwhelming and impossible to complete! I am so grateful to my SCORE mentor–Celia Bell–for walking me through all of the steps I needed to get a solid start.
As you know, we’re big fans of Toybrary Austin. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Toybrary Austin is a play space, toy lending library, drop-off child care, and birthday party venue for babies-5 year olds. It was purposely created to be exclusively for this age, as opposed to other play places where older kids are allowed. Parents love that they can relax in our comfy chairs, get some work done, or catch up on life while the kids play. We have tons of fun events like holiday celebrations, music classes, Daddy & Me playdates, gymnastics, piano lessons, gardening classes, and soooo much more.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Kids come first. Many people do not realize how much brain and emotional development is taking place between 0-5 years old. Because babies/toddlers/preschoolers cannot communicate much of what they are thinking and feeling, it’s very tempting to think they are blank slates and that nothing is going on. Nothing is farther from the truth. Children need to be exposed to sensory materials, language, simple math, music, movement, and foreign languages at very young ages. There is no limit to what they can soak up and understand.
Kids do not need tons of loud, flashy toys to learn. They have terrific imaginations and can bloom and develop immensely through playing with dirt, blades of grass and sticks. The crucial element is that their minds are developing at warp speed and they constantly need new sources of stimulation. This is how a toy library can help. It provides a constant source of new items to keep children’s brains challenged.
Rather than calling children “spoiled” because they have too many toys, we need to understand that a stream of new materials is exactly what they need. This helps so much with the “terrible” twos! Using a toy library is a fantastic way to keep a new materials in front of children on a regular basis and it definitely saves families money. This greatly affects children’s behavior: the more new challenges, the more new learning, the better the behavior.
It matters that we all participate in the “sharing economy.” We have more than enough resources and knowledge to share. It matters that kids, and adults, learn that we can share all kinds of materials and learn to respect and take care of them. It matters that people stop spending incredible amounts of money on toys that clutter their homes, then end up in the landfill. It matters that we move away from buying plastic and instead choose sustainable materials that last for generations and are enriching to children’s brains.
Pricing:
- Memberships $40, $45, or $50
- Birthday parties $300 or $350 (private)
- Drop in Play $7 for the whole day
- Punch Cards $35 (includes one free visit)
- Drop off Child Care $12/hr.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@toybraryaustin.com
- Website: www.toybraryaustin.com
- Instagram: @toybraryaustin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToybraryAustin
- Twitter: @toybraryaustin
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFKRqljFTfU
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/toybrary-austin-austin
