#15 Barbara Lax - Creating the childcare of the future

Barbara Lax had one ambition: to have a long-term positive impact on people's lives. 

Some time after the birth of her first daughter, while searching for the best childcare system, the civil engineer found out how she could contribute to a better future: by creating a childcare concept adapted to the modern world.  

Against all odds, despite the reluctance of her surroundings, Barbara left her successful career at Caterpillar and set out on her own.  

In 2012 Little Green House was born. A childcare network adapted to modern families, helping both parents to keep their career, multilingual, close to nature and ecology and following an innovative educational system, according to the discoveries of neurosciences. 

In this discussion, the triathlete and iron woman looks back on the first, particularly difficult years of entrepreneurship and what drove her to persevere in spite of everything. 

We talk about education of course, and in particular about the incredible breakthroughs in neuroscience, directly relevant for the education of young children.

We also discuss about public policies for early childcare and about parental leave. The businesswoman, whose company was rated last year as one of the most dynamic companies in Europe by the Financial Times, explains her decision to create a system of private crèches, and details her wishes of expansion. 

In short, Barbara gives us a real entrepreneurial lesson and makes us realise how crucial the early years are for every child, and how a family policy can help create a modern, open and egalitarian society.  

So plug in your headphones, it's time for another episode of Brillantes ! 

Time codes 

03:47 The Little Green House in Zurich

05:03 Pippi Longstocking, a sparkling young woman 

05:55 The paternity leave in Switzerland 

06:44 The Swiss liberal childcare system, and why should couples decide on the long run 

10:55 A Bavarian childhood, surrounded by nature 

12:25 Travelling and studying across Europe… to settle in a small village next to Geneva 

14:01 Choosing Civil engineering as a way to become independent and to travel 

17:01 Listening and being influenced by external advices 

20:20 Choosing to live in Geneva, and joining Caterpillar 

22:21 How the idea of leaving Caterpillar came 

Little Green House 

25:13 Little Green House, a tangible project with an impact for the future  

28:27 Launching the Little Green House, and giving up a really recognised position in an international company 

30:42 Keeping a 100% job while launching a business 

32:35 Security vs risk, and redefining the notion of success

34:48 Financing such an ambitious project 

37:27 Choosing to found a private education system, and developing public-private partnerships 

40:31 An educational concept based on 4 pillars, and namely Neurosciences 

44:30 Developing languages thanks through neurosciences 

46:05 How the brain develops through life 

48:58 Helping modern families to go through careers and family life at the same time 

50:23 Why business and social worlds should go hand in hand 

52:02 Little Green House: a concept meant to expand 

54:22 Having an impact on people’s lives 

55:21 Bringing different networks together

57:02 What sports brings to her entrepreneurial life 

58:45 Final questions 

Links and references 

To follow Barbara: 

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-lax-925738/

To follow Little Green House 

• Website: www.littlegreenhouse.ch/
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/little-green-house/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/littlegreenhouse_childcare/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlegreenhouse.the.next.generation

People Barbara is mentioning during the episode : 

• The Swiss adventurer Ella Maillart http://www.ellamaillart.ch/bio_fr.php
• The Finance expert Mara Harvey https://smartwaytostart.com/meet-mara-harvey/
• Book: Originals by Adam Grant www.adamgrant.net/book/originals/

Help me grow up Brillantes! 

If you liked the episode, please share it with as many people as possible, rate it with 5 stars and subscribe to the podcast on your listening platform. This help will be extremely precious to me 

Find all the links to listen to the episodes here: www.flow.page/brillantes

Follow Brillantes on social networks:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/brillantes.media/
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/brillantes
• Facebook : www.facebook.com/brillantes.media

And her host and founder, Jeanne du Sartel:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeannedusartel/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeannedusartel/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanneduSartel

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