When we think of successful entrepreneurs, we often picture tech startups in sleek offices or innovative product launches backed by venture capital. But sometimes, the most impactful businesses grow from life's simplest moments, sparked by personal challenges and nurtured through persistence. Meet Keri-Ellen Walcer (Keri-Ellen Walcer), currently an entrepreneurship professor at Durham College and the founder of MusiGo Inc., who transformed everyday moments with her baby into a thriving business that would touch thousands of families. Her journey from a young mom with a health promotion degree to a successful entrepreneur, and now back to innovation with a new venture, demonstrates how solving personal challenges can lead to extraordinary business opportunities.

In this inspiring episode of Startups with Stu, Keri-Ellen shares her remarkable story of building a business while raising five children, and how she's now reimagining her vision for a new generation of families with innovative programs that blend music, movement, and early childhood development.

Finding Business Inspiration in Motherhood

The entrepreneurial journey often begins with an unexpected spark. For Keri-Ellen, that moment came when she found herself at age 23, holding a university degree in one hand and a two-month-old baby in the other. As a new graduate in health promotion and dance, she faced the common dilemma many new mothers encounter: how to balance career aspirations with the desire to be present for her growing family. Unlike many of her university peers who followed traditional career paths, Keri-Ellen found herself searching for a way to reconcile her love for health promotion and her commitment to being present for her daughter.

What started as simple playtime with her baby evolved into something much more significant. Frustrated with recycled nursery rhymes and recognizing the limited options for parent-child activities, Keri-Ellen began experimenting with different songs and movements. Drawing from her background in health promotion, she immersed herself in research about developmental milestones and began incorporating specific movements that would help babies develop their vestibular system and core strength. These weren't just fun activities; they were carefully crafted exercises disguised as play, designed to support early childhood development.

The breakthrough came when she realized the limitations of existing children's music. Rather than settling for traditional nursery rhymes, Keri-Ellen approached her husband about creating original songs that would better serve their purpose. Initially met with a laugh, her husband soon embraced the idea, presenting her with five original songs just a week later. This collaboration would become the foundation of their future business, combining educational value with entertainment in a way that resonated with both parents and children.

Building a Business Through Authentic Connections

The path from concept to viable business began in Keri-Ellen's living room, where she invited friends over to test her program. These informal gatherings served as both market research and proof of concept, showing that parents were eager for structured activities that benefited both them and their children. What started as a simple way to cover her home's rental costs quickly evolved into something much bigger as word spread about the unique program.

Early Marketing Strategies That Worked:

• Hosting free trial sessions in her living room
• Creating choreographed routines for groups
• Conducting summer programs in public parks
• Using a mobile speaker to attract attention
• Collecting contact information from interested parents
• Building relationships with local dance studios
• Leveraging word-of-mouth marketing

Perhaps the most telling story of her early days came from her first marketing campaign. With limited resources and experience, she implemented a simple ballot system across nine local stores, hoping to attract hundreds of interested parents. Though she received only two responses - a result that might have discouraged many entrepreneurs - she treated these potential customers like gold. One of those two respondents would become not just her first customer, but her first licensee and a vital partner who would help bring 25 more business partners into the fold over the next decade. This experience taught her a valuable lesson about the power of nurturing every opportunity, no matter how small it might seem.

The business expanded naturally into local dance studios, utilizing their empty daytime hours for parent-child classes. This strategic move not only provided a professional setting for her programs but also created a win-win situation with studio owners who could generate additional income during typically quiet hours. The transition from home-based classes to professional venues marked a significant milestone in the business's growth, lending credibility to the program while maintaining its intimate, community-focused nature.

Scaling Through Innovation and Adaptability

As demand grew, Keri-Ellen faced several pivotal moments that would shape her business's future. When preparing to move away from her established customer base, rather than letting her business fade, she innovated by creating a licensing program. This decision transformed her local business into a scalable model that would eventually reach 50 licensees across the country. The expansion occurred entirely through word-of-mouth marketing, demonstrating the power of organic growth in an era before social media dominance.

The licensing model underwent several iterations as the business evolved. Initially starting with a combination of upfront fees and monthly payments, Keri-Ellen experimented with different pricing structures to find what worked best for both her business and her licensees. Her approach focused on making the program accessible to other young families while ensuring quality and consistency across all locations. This balanced approach to growth - prioritizing accessibility while maintaining standards - became a hallmark of her business strategy.

Throughout this growth period, Keri-Ellen continued expanding her family, eventually becoming a mother of five. Rather than seeing this as a hindrance to business growth, she integrated her family experiences into the business, using her growing understanding of child development and family dynamics to enhance her programs. This authentic approach to business development, where personal experience informed professional offerings, resonated strongly with her target market.

Evolving for the Next Generation: The Birth of MusiGo

After successfully selling her first company and transitioning into academia, Keri-Ellen discovered that her entrepreneurial journey wasn't over. The arrival of her fifth child, combined with the challenges of COVID-19, sparked a renewed passion for her original mission. This led to the creation of MusiGo Inc., a modern evolution of her original concept adapted for today's families and educational needs.

The new venture offers two distinct programs that showcase the evolution of her business model:

1. GoLearn: A comprehensive curriculum integrating music and movement into academic subjects like math, science, English, and social development, designed for classroom and homeschool settings.
2. GoBop 1: A specialized program focusing on postnatal fitness and early childhood development, helping babies reach developmental milestones while supporting new mothers in their fitness journey.

Today's version of the business reflects both technological advances and market demands, offering self-guided online training and downloadable materials instead of physical curriculum boxes. This adaptation makes the program more accessible while maintaining the personal touch that made the original business successful. The transition to digital delivery has allowed Keri-Ellen to reach more families while keeping the program affordable and flexible for instructors.

Your Story Could Be Next

Keri-Ellen's journey from a mom with a simple idea to a successful entrepreneur proves that impactful businesses can start from life's everyday moments. Her story reminds us that success doesn't always require venture capital or complex business plans – sometimes it just takes recognizing a need and having the courage to address it. The emotional moment during the podcast when she reflected on seeing the first generation of her students graduating from university underscores the lasting impact one can have when building a business focused on helping others.

The evolution of her business from in-home classes to a nationwide network, and now to a digital-first platform, demonstrates how staying true to your core mission while adapting to changing times can lead to sustained success. Her approach to business growth - treating every customer like gold and focusing on creating genuine value - offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs at any stage of their journey.

Connect with Keri-Ellen

Want to learn more about MusiGo and Keri-Ellen's journey? Follow her continuing story: - 

Website: [MusiGo Kids]

Instagram: [@musigo_kids]

LinkedIn: [Keri-Ellen Walcer] 

Facebook: [MusiGoKids] 

YouTube: [MusiGo Kids]

Whether you're a parent looking for enriching activities for your little ones or an entrepreneur interested in the MusiGo program, Keri-Ellen's social channels offer insights into both the business and developmental aspects of her work.

Thank you for joining me this week. Don’t forget to share Startups with Stu with your friends, family, and your favorite founder so they can check out the show!