Business & IP Centre Devon

December Spotlight On

Rebecca Rees Founder of Devon Aqua Natal

This month we wanted to put a Spotlight On one of our very own Bedroom to Business participants, Rebecca Rees of Devon Aquanatal

If you had told Rebbecca Rees ten years ago that she would be a self-employed business owner, and founder of award-winning groups with an ‘entrepreneur of the year’ award under her belt she  “Would have had a really good laugh.”. 

Yet, after the challenges she faced when having her first-born  Elliot, Rebecca decided that she “Wanted to ensure other Mum’s weren’t going through this themselves. That actually if you had a group of other Mums with new babies around you, the power of being together – talking- feeling empowered and most of all supported by those who were also going through similar, was exactly what we needed.”  Rebecca’s journey of turning her passion into a profitable business had begun!

Rebecca first launched 6 Week Social in 2013- a six-week post-natal course for mother and baby that offers friendship and community along with tailored specialist advice and support to help you through the fourth trimester. 

Rebecca initially launched the course “not as a business (that would have made me run for the hills at the time) but as a passion project”. However this passion project soon became the ‘must-do course’ for new mums and their babies, and quickly went on to become a finalist in the Hertfordshire Entrepreneurship of the year awards. 

After 7 years of building 6 Week Social, having ran 35 courses, meeting over 260 Mums, and facilitating some incredible friendships. In 2020 Rebecca decided that it was time to start her next chapter with her two young boys, by the seaside in Devon. 

Rebecca says;

“I’m a Devon girl and have craved to live and be back by the beach. After living in Hertfordshire for 7 years I realised how much I needed Vitamin Sea and now that we’re back I couldn’t be happier.”

Moving and re-starting a business all in the middle of the pandemic was by no means easy, it meant re-structuring her business model, finding new clients and much more. Although admitting the challenge, Rebecca never maintained that it was the fundamental ‘why’ behind the business that has kept her going, Rebecca says

 “Mums need Mums and that’s what I’m here for!… It is and will remain to be my number one reason to keep powering forwards, in offering my time, energy, heart and soul to those who come my way, and my driving force n these considerations and planning I put into my courses/classes and free coffee meet-ups.”.

Rebecca now offers a range of Antenatal and Post Natal courses, classes, and services in the East Devon area. In addition, she has recently just launched Devon Aqua Natal, a water-based aerobics/toning/ stretching class that supports fitness/health and mental well-being during pregnancy. 

Rebecca says

“These classes are specifically designed for expecting mums during pregnancy and take place in swimming pools in and around East Devon. Our classes include warm-up, cardio, strength, core, balance, and pelvic floor exercises and end with a lovely relaxation and birth preparation section. Aqua natal is a fun sociable and safe way for you to exercise/ prepare your body and mind as you progress through your pregnancy and prepare for the birth of your baby.”

Inspired by Rebecca’s story? You can get the same training, support and small business advice, all for free in our 10-week Bedroom to Business program here!

By Isabel Flynn

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