Steve Franks - Chief Executive, Water Babies Paul Thompson - Founder, Water Babies  

Not many companies can say their youngest client is one-day-old. Baby swimming lessons provider Water Babies, offers fun and safe classes for young children right down to new-borns. It is a self-described disruptor, with competitors only offering classes from six months onwards.

The business is based off the idea that people can do amazing things, about their own levels of expectation. The business model is people-centric and focuses on the needs of the children, structuring the programme around key moments in a child’s development. The company also offers thought leadership on the benefits of learning to swim early.

ELITE is viewed as the opportunity of a lifetime by the company’s CEO Steve Franks and founder Paul Thompson. The two went into it with an open mind and found they learnt a lot by investing in the process. It made them think about how they might effect positive change, and create the space to build the business in a way that sustains its future growth.