We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marina Awerbuch. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marina below.

Marina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear how you think where to draw the line in terms of asking friends and family to support your business – what’s okay and what’s over the line?

As a mom, I often invited friends with children to come to my programs. Starting your own small business always requires a leap of faith. I knew and believed that my programs would bring the participants value. However, it feels amazing to have my friends and family be my biggest cheerleaders.

My friends have also been my active promoters. They have helped me spread the word, invited friends, and volunteered as professional photographers for social media. I attribute my success to my close knit community.

Although my friends are my biggest supporters, I have a rule to never reach out more than once about a single event and more than three times overall. I never want a friend to feel pressured to attend. I want individuals to come to enjoy my programs not because of obligation.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

My name is Marina, I am a mom of 2 littles and have worked in the child welfare field since earning my masters in infant family psychology in 2011.

As the pandemic hit in 2020, I felt the parenting support and community I once enjoyed as a young mother rapidly disappearing. I searched for outdoor, safe, and social options for my children, and quickly realized that there were no outdoor meetups for young children in our area. I did not want my second child, born in August 2019, to miss out on those experiences. I thus felt the need to create a community for my kids and I saw a perfect landscape in sunny Arizona, where outdoor events could thrive despite Covid.

My background is in program development and child and family therapy. I began to utilize my work experience in creating story times at the park. Originally, the attendees were my friends, but in summer 2020 as families were ready to expand their circles, more moms saw my playgroup in the park and asked to join. That was the origin of Playdates by Design. I started with outdoor story time, I tried to recreate the activities my older son once enjoyed, pre-pandemic, in the safest way possible: outdoors and in small groups. We would read books, sing songs and play with a parachute.

I organized these playgroups because I wanted to offer children, including my own, a social, educational and fun experience. As a result of the Covid closures, they were missing out on experiences that help develop their physicial, emotional, and social skills. After starting the programming, word spread organically and I started partnering with organizations such as Modern Milk, Musicology, Motherhood Company, Jordan’s Corner and PJ Library, who all looking to create partnerships in bringing literacy-based events and sensory play to their consumers.

What began as story times outdoors developed into a business concept to provide parents with resources that enhance their children’s social- emotional development.

Playdates offers educational and fun programming to the community. We offer sensory rich experiences through arts and crafts, stories and dancing. Playdates partners with schools, business, and is available for private parties. We offer children’s programing, as well as consulting services to other organizations in program management, parent education and teacher training.

We are proud to be mom owned. Playdates hires other exceptional moms who have a passion for working with children with a need for flexibility in spending time with their own families. We aim to support and partner with other small women owned businesses.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Getting families to trust my programming is a main goal for Playdates. We aim to be consistent in offering educational and fun events to the community. I have found that consistency and communication is key, families like to know what to expect when they attend an in person event with their child.

The most effective strategy in getting new clients is building a personal connection with parents and caregivers. I try to get to know my attendees beyond the scope of Playdates, and become friends. If they enjoy my events and trust me, they tell their social circles about my website, social media, and events.

When a family has fun at one event they often come back and we encourage them to bring a friend.

Social media has also been helpful in creating buzz around the fun we have at Playdates, by allowing others see what they missed out on and want to join the next time.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Playdates by Design has been a bumpy road. I remember one of my first playdates that I shared with the public, and no one showed up. I was all ready with my eight month old daughter and a giant parachute waiting at the park. I felt embarrassed and defeated.

I never thought I was entrepreneurial in nature and I am naturally risk averse. Every time I create a new event or manage a new partnership, I enter with caution.

My greatest cheerleaders are fellow moms, who like me were looking to normalize life during a pandemic and create a community for their littles.

I decided to try again the next week and the same program drew a crowd of 15 toddlers and their parents

I learned to not take attendance personally. Some programs will sell out and others may struggle- my goal is to create business opportunities that do not rely on the success of a single playdate.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.playdatesbydesign.com/
• Instagram: @playdatesbydesign
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playdatesbydesign
• Linkedin: Marina Awerbuch

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