Balancing Business & Mission
Starting a company based on a mission isn’t for the faint of heart (despite how happy and unburdened I appear here).
While I stay true to Greenwich Play’s mission — to design playrooms that support kids’ development and help families find balance, making home life smoother — I’m also running a business. Margins, marketing, vendors, team management, legal, and accounting.
Every day, I am reminded that the business must run efficiently to continue our mission. Greenwich Play was never just about designing beautiful playrooms. It was about building something that helped make home life smoother for parents and gave children spaces to create, explore, and be themselves.
My years in the classroom gave me insight into designing spaces that foster creativity, independence, and learning. I understood how to set up an environment where children could explore, fail, succeed, and be challenged. I knew how organization and presentation influenced responsibility and engagement.
But, the fundamental shift came when I had my children. Every single day, my boys remind me why this mission matters. I mean this deeply. When I see them disappear into their own worlds, deeply engaged in pretend play, focused on a project, collaborating, moving freely, and problem-solving without needing me to intervene, I know why I do this work.
I see how an intentional space sets the stage for those moments, how the right balance of structure and openness invites creativity, and how my choices in designing their environment shape their play in fundamental, tangible ways.
Just as importantly, I see how it shapes the entire house. When my kids are engaged, the energy in our home shifts. The chaos quiets, the overstimulation dials down, and the constant need for me to be the cruise director of their day fades away.
That’s why I stay true to this mission no matter how complicated running a business gets. It would be easy to get caught up in trends, chase what’s flashy or what sells fastest, and sacrifice purpose for convenience. But I won’t. Because I know—deeply, personally—that this isn’t just about designing playrooms. It’s about creating spaces that change the way families function.
