This month marks one year since we opened the doors to Tyfu, and what a year it has been.
What started as a place for children and their parents to come and play in a nurturing, safe, and bilingual environment has grown into something far bigger than I ever could have imagined.
It feels surreal that in the space of twelve months, my vision has evolved in so many ways. Tyfu has rooted itself in the community as a place that offers connection for families, a village for parents who just need a hot cup of coffee, and a space that supports, uplifts, and empowers female-led business owners.
Of course, it hasn’t been without its ups and downs. Some things have worked, others haven’t, and some of the best ones have been the ones I didn’t even know were coming.
May’s blog is about our first year – what I have learnt, what I have achieved, and my hopes for the year ahead.
Doing things differently
From the beginning, I knew I wanted Tyfu to feel different, and I am delighted to say we have stayed true to that consistently.
We have redefined hospitality for mums, for those who visit us, and for those who work for us. As a mum myself, I knew there was a huge gap for smaller, more intimate bilingual role-play spaces where children can play freely, be creative, and just be kids, while their grown-ups could relax, and feel cared for too.
And doing things differently didn’t stop with our customers. In an industry that has often been difficult for parents to navigate, I have created 10 jobs in the local community, two of whom are mums who have struggled to find a job that fits around family life.
I wanted a working environment that was flexible and understanding, and that supported them in balancing work and family life. But with that, something else came that I never would have expected…these women have become like family, and I know I can leave Tyfu in their hands when I need to, because they treat it as if it were their own.
A community for everyone
This part of Tyfu has truly become an extension of me, and I have poured my heart and soul into it. It has grown into more than just a play café, it has evolved into something that helps people in many ways.
Being bilingual is something that has been so important from the very beginning, with 70% of our staff being Welsh speakers. Tyfu is, and always will be, a place where our customers can feel comfortable speaking as much or as little Welsh as they want. We champion the language, in a way that feels natural and unforced.
At its core, Tyfu is somewhere that brings people together in a season of life where they need a village. Our weekly Tyfu Babis is not just a class, it is somewhere parents and carers can connect and simply be. From seasonal events, like Halloween workshops and visits from Santa to fun-filled Taylor Swift discos, these events bring families together so they can unwind and create memories after the chaos of the week.
Tyfu has made sure there is consideration for the adults too, offering personal development and growth. One of our first evening events was a networking event where female small business owners could connect, share their stories, and help each other grow.
Our ‘set your intentions’ workshop at the beginning of the year proved to be one of our most popular events, and we have been able to support one of our own staff with her newly established book club, which has become a place for like-minded people to share their love of reading.
It is important for local businesses to give each other mutual support, and not only have I created jobs, but I have also built strong relationships with other local businesses, and we now work with some as our suppliers.
We have also collaborated with small female-led businesses to offer workshops and events after hours that support personal growth for adults too.
Expectation vs reality
As much as I wanted them to, my plans for Tyfu haven’t always run smoothly, and I’ve had to learn to let go of some things and know when to pivot.
While our Tyfu Babis class has been a success, our Tyfu toddlers’ class didn’t take off in the same way. We all know toddlers love to explore, and our role-play area is so inviting it was unfair to expect them to sit still for an organised activity. As disappointed as I was, I knew when to pull this back, and it’s something I will revisit in the future.
I also looked at how we delivered our party packages, taking the time to really think about what was available. This process has made me more confident in what we offer, allowing us to expand and provide more bespoke packages.
Running a business is trial and error. It’s important to not get caught up in the things that don’t work out and to know that there is an opportunity in every setback. When one door closes, another one open.
Personal growth
When I started this journey, I thought I would be in Tyfu every day, but I quickly learnt that to run a successful business the way I wanted, I must be comfortable with stepping away from the front of house regularly.
From menu planning, staff schedules, managing suppliers, bookkeeping to content creation, there is so much more that goes into running a business, and I am so blessed to have an amazing team I can trust to keep everything running smoothly so I can focus on these things.
I have also learnt to be clear with my professional decisions. Being open to evolving has been a huge part of my journey.
On a more personal level, I have had to set boundaries with my time and to prioritise my health. In the beginning, I found it hard to balance having a new business and wanting to do everything, with listening to my body and knowing when to rest. This ended up in me burning out, so now I am trying harder to be more mindful of when to rest.
Everything is a choice, and I choose to listen to my internal dialogue through reflection and practicing gratitude, because I am so incredibly grateful to have come this far in just 12 month.
A look to the future
In our first year, we had nothing to benchmark our successes and failures against. Now, as we move into year two, I have a clear path ahead. From more workshops and special events to our parties and baby and toddler groups, I want to expand what we have already built, and offer more.
I see Tyfu becoming our flagship play café with plans to open a second location in South Wales. Saying this out loud matters to me because I have gone further than I ever thought I could with Tyfu by trusting the process and believing in myself.
And my customers have been such a huge part of this journey. So, to those who keep coming back, the ones who share how much you enjoy it, and the ones continuing to believe in what we do and support us…
Diolch am gredu ynof fi.
