We recently connected with Sue Bell and have shared our conversation below.
Sue, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Optimism is a necessity when working in our line of business. A positive attitude helps our children feel safe, comfortable and ready for fun. Luckily for us, it is really easy to feel optimistic when surrounded by our campers. Children tend to come open hearted to us and their unabashed joy is so contagious. Random hugs, yelps of delight and genuine curiosity, act as fuel for us. It is also so much easier to be yourself around kids. They don’t expect you to know all the answers – in fact they love when they can educate adults. One thing we teach at camp is that mistakes are encouraged. I tell them all that my goal is to make 432 mistakes a day – that way I know I’m learning. The kids LOVE to point out whenever I have a misstep or make a mistake and it allows them the freedom to do it as well. This kind of openness allows an environment where you aren’t afraid to fail, and where optimism and curiosity can shine.
When we are faced with challenges, we trust ourselves to persevere. For example, during Covid, we had to be creative and figure out how to stay afloat when in-person summer camps weren’t a possibility. We were able to re-calibrate and created an at home version of our camp, which allowed us to bring the magic of Fairy Camp to kids in isolation. This would not have been possible without our supportive community. With the help, advice and kindness of our customers and friends, our optimism never faltered.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Fairy Camp LA is owned by Melissa Green and Sue Bell. For the last 13 years we have run a multi-faceted business with the goal of celebrating the wonder, imagination, and joy of childhood in a safe, loving, and respectful environment.
Through fairy notes, scavenger hunts, crafts and a whole lot of fun, we bring magic to the hearts of children in the Los Angeles area through our in-person summer Fairy Camps and birthday parties.
Since Covid, Fairy Camp LA is also pleased to bring this same magic to children around the USA through our Fairy Camp at Home activity boxes!
Whether it is at camp, celebrating a birthday, or even in your own backyard, we are excited to introduce you to our Enchanted World!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Believing in Ourselves, Asking for Help and Lifting Others Up
We believe very strongly in our product. Since we have built our business from scratch using only our imaginations and our personal talents (Melissa is a talented musician and Sue is a natural storyteller and we both have a passion for working with youth), we know there is no other company out there doing exactly what we do. Because of this, we can concentrate on how we can better our product while keeping the integrity of what we do because we never compare ourselves to others.
We have learned a lot in the last 13 years of owning a business together, and one advice we would give those starting would be to seek the advice and knowledge of others when you do not have the confidence to do it alone. For the first five years, we did all the bookkeeping, registrations, leadership roles and creative planning ourselves. As the business grew, we were able to hire accountants, business consultants and other leads to help us concentrate on the skills we feel the most confident in. Doing it all ourselves simply wasn’t sustainable as we became a bigger company.
This may seem like a strange quality, but we believe whole heartedly in lifting others around us up. We love to connect people within our community who could benefit from an introduction. We encourage our staff to dream big and let us know how we can help them grow within our business. We like to advertise for others who do similar things as we do. We believe that by lifting others up, we will create a supportive network of people who trust us and know we care for their well being. Plus, it simply feels good to help others shine.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
It’s pretty easy to feel overwhelmed in this day and age. Both Melissa and I are moms and business owners which is always tricky to try and keep a balance. We have developed a pretty good shorthand between the two of us. Being open is important in a business relationship and sometimes we just have to say things like, “this is just one thing I can’t take on right now”, “I have to bring my kid to the doctor today, can you deal with x,y and z?” or “I need a break. How can I make that happen?” There is usually a workaround to allow the other partner to “tag in” and help out when needed. Before kids, I was happy to work all the time, but now there are things I simply refuse to miss, like the first day of school or a parent/teacher interview, and I feel lucky that there is someone to take over and willing to make it work so that I don’t have to miss these important events.
I would encourage others to be confident in what you need to continue having a balance, whether it be personal/work or mental well being, and be clear on how you will achieve that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fairycampla.com
- Instagram: fairycampla
- Facebook: Fairy Camp la
- Youtube: Fairy Camp LA
