Rooted in kindness: Parv’s journey from corporate to community impact

For Parv Choudhury, building a meaningful career has always mattered. After years in fast-paced corporate environments, life reshaped his priorities and led him towards something with purpose at its heart. Today, as the owner of Monkey Puzzle Bexleyheath and Monkey Puzzle Welling, Parv has created two nurturing settings shaped by compassion, community spirit and a commitment to giving children the very best start in life.

What began as a leap of faith has grown into a mission – one that supports families, uplifts staff and turns kindness into measurable impact every day.

Shop floor to senior leadership

“I studied Sociology at Durham, but when I graduated, none of the roles really appealed to me,” said Parv. “I ended up working in a supermarket, and before long I was managing teams at brands like Tesco, Safeway and Morrisons. It was intense, but it taught me so much about people, leadership and graft.”

After years in retail leadership, Parv moved into the multimedia sector, where he quickly rose to Commercial Director. When the company was sold to a larger media group, redundancy unexpectedly opened a new door.

“My settlement gave me a rare chance to stop and ask myself, ‘What next?’ I knew I wanted to do something with meaning, and that’s how the idea of investing in a franchise started to bear fruit.”

Why franchising – and why Monkey Puzzle?

“I knew straight away that if I was going to start something totally new, I’d need guidance from people who’d been there, done that, and that’s what franchising and, by extension, early years education represented for me.”

Balancing family life made launching an independent nursery less realistic, so Parv sought a stable, supportive model. “I started exploring franchise exhibitions, and Monkey Puzzle were the only ones who fully engaged with me and my brother, who’s disabled,” added Parv. “That told me everything I needed to know. They were values-led, they were human – exactly the environment I wanted.”

From his first conversations with the Monkey Puzzle team, Parv could see an immediate connection. “We clicked with the founders, Mark and Rebecca, right away. There was trust, which is so important, from day one.”

For over 20 years, Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries has been the market leader for nursery franchises. With over 70 locations nationwide, their model ensures they deliver an early years education experience of the highest quality, providing children with opportunities to learn, develop and grow within a safe, secure and caring environment.

Beginning in Bexleyheath

Parv opened his first setting, Monkey Puzzle Bexleyheath, in 2013. “Those early days and weeks were daunting, but Monkey Puzzle were incredibly helpful and hands-on. Policies, procedures, operational setup – you name it – and they walked me through it all, especially the things I didn’t even know I needed to know.”

Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries franchisees are extensively supported through their onboarding process and beyond. This training includes industry-leading support in recruitment, financial management, marketing and property acquisition and maintenance. This method allows their franchisees the infrastructure to produce a growing, successful business.

With the right processes in place, Parv focused on building a strong, loyal team. “Recruiting the right people was everything. Some of the first people we hired are still with me 12 years later! They’ve grown with us from nursery assistants into regional managers and operational leads. That’s something I’m really proud of.”

His success in Bexleyheath paved the way for expansion, and in 2020, Parv opened his second setting, Monkey Puzzle Welling.

Present-day operations

Today Parv remains deeply involved in both nurseries, protecting the culture he has worked so hard to build. “I like being on the ground. It means I know the children, the staff, the families. The nurseries feel like a true community hub – which is exactly what I wanted to create all those years ago.”

Bexleyheath now supports around 160 children – the largest in the Monkey Puzzle network and the largest privately owned nursery in the area. Welling, opened in 2020, welcomes around 90 children. Together, the two settings employ around 60 staff.

Their reputation for community engagement and SEND support is particularly strong. For Parv, “SEND is very close to my heart. Every child deserves to be understood and supported. Families know we’ll always go above and beyond to ensure that’s the case.”

Parv’s passion for people goes beyond the walls of his nursery settings too. This year he launched his own charity, Truly Beloved, which donated more than £80,000 to help families and staff who need vital help.

“Kindness is everything. If someone needs help today, we don’t wait for the paperwork – we just go out and do it.”

Continuing the mission

“We’re not stopping here,” said Parv. “We’re hoping to expand on our portfolio of nurseries over the coming years, and Monkey Puzzle have been brilliant in helping me find the right properties to enable me to continue growing.”

He also has ambitions to launch his own training company to support staff development and strengthen standards across early years education. “My long-term goal is to achieve steady, sustainable growth. Eventually I’ll retire – but not just yet! I still feel like we’ve only just begun!”

Finding purpose in every day

Parv believes running a nursery has been far more meaningful and rewarding than anything he experienced in the corporate world – a transformation he still feels every day. “The biggest reward about being a Monkey Puzzle franchisee is the difference you make to children, especially those with SEND. You see their confidence grow day by day – there’s really nothing else like it.”

Parv also values the culture of early years education. “In this industry, you work with genuinely good people. Compared to corporate life, this is human, meaningful and grounded.”

Being a franchisee allows Parv to stay connected to what matters most. “I love being hands-on. Both settings really reflect my values – warmth, kindness and community. It makes me really proud to be involved in such a meaningful career.”

Parv’s advice for prospective franchisees

“Take the leap! Starting is definitely the hardest part, but honestly, it’s worth every second. It’s also important to stay passionate and resilient. You will make mistakes – that’s normal. But with a great team around you and an open mind, those mistakes will only help you grow.”

Experience of running your own business is also not a requirement. “I believe, if you can help run a business for someone else, you can run one for yourself. Believe in people and in the good you can do. Good things really do happen to good people.”