Sister act: from educators to entrepreneurs

Sisters Davinder Dhaliwal and Sharon Chawal wanted more flexibility in their busy lives as teachers and mothers. Using their combined experience in education, they decided investing in their own nursery franchise was a natural – and exciting – next step. After exploring their options, one franchise stood out: Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries.

Almost a decade on, Davinder and Sharon are now proud multi-unit franchisees operating two thriving settings – Monkey Puzzle Sidcup and Monkey Puzzle Charlton. It’s been a journey that’s not only given them the flexibility they craved but also the joy of making a real difference in the communities they serve.

Franchise flexibility

“As teachers, we loved working with children,” said Davinder, a former secondary school science teacher. “But the reality is, teaching isn’t very flexible – you’re tied to the school day and term times. With young children of our own too, there wasn’t much room to manoeuvre. We wanted something that would allow us to be there for them while still providing a good income – but something that would also provide flexibility.”

Sharon, who previously taught in primary school and reception classes, was in agreement. “We knew we didn’t want to step away from working with children altogether, but we needed more balance. Running a nursery felt like the perfect fit – we’d still be doing something we’re passionate about, but on our terms.”

However, the prospect of setting up a nursery from scratch in London was a daunting one. “There’s so much to think about – regulations, premises, staffing, policies – it’s a huge undertaking,” said Davinder. “That’s when we realised franchising was the best route for us. Having the backing of an established, successful business meant we weren’t starting from zero. We’d have the support of a proven model, and access to expert guidance every step of the way.”

Sharon added, “It just made sense. We could focus on what we love – creating a nurturing environment for children – without having to navigate everything alone. And most importantly, it’d give us the flexibility we wanted in our personal lives.”

Monkey Puzzle: it was meant to be

“We did have a look at a few nursery franchises,” said Sharon. “One had sites that were just a little too far away to make commuting realistic, and another had only just started franchising. We wanted to look for somewhere we knew we’d be happy to send our children, so that was our guiding light when we were searching for the right fit.”

Then they found Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries. “From the first meeting we could tell everyone was so friendly and open,” Davinder recalled. “They really took the time to explain their model, were transparent about the finances and the sites they had available. It was clear to Sharon and me that they had a lot of experience, which was a real confidence boost for us.”

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 year’s education experience of the highest quality, providing children with opportunities to learn, develop and grow within a safe, secure and caring environment.

For Sharon, it was the established reputation of Monkey Puzzle that stood out. “You could tell they knew what they were doing. We wanted the security of working with a brand that been through it all before, and Monkey Puzzle gave us that safety net. It’s easier to say with hindsight, but looking back, it really felt like the right choice from the start.”

Starting out with Sidcup

“We acquired our licence in late 2015 and opened Monkey Puzzle Sidcup in early 2016,” explained Davinder. “It was such an exciting time for the two of us – a big step, of course, but we felt really well supported throughout the process.”

“From securing the right location to making sure we were fully prepared for opening, they were always on hand to help,” added Sharon. “It felt like a real partnership, and they genuinely wanted us to succeed!”

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.

As Monkey Puzzle has grown, so has the support network. “They’ve continuously evolved, introducing new resources and expertise to help every franchisee flourish,” added Davinder. “It’s brilliant to see how the brand has grown while staying true to its values and commitment to quality.”

Multi-unit franchisees

“By 2021, after the success we had at Sidcup, we knew we were ready to take on another setting,” recalled Sharon. “We’d learned so much from our first nursery, and with everything running smoothly, it felt like the right time to grow.”

This time around, the process was even more streamlined for Davinder. “Monkey Puzzle’s head office had grown significantly since 2015, which meant we had access to even more expertise. At every stage – whether it was finding our next property, handling compliance, or being ready for launch – there was a dedicated team guiding us through. It was a really well organised process and having specialists for each part made things even more seamless.”

Davinder added, “It was great to see how Monkey Puzzle had evolved. The extra support meant we could focus on getting everything just right for our new nursery, knowing we had a strong team behind us. It made expanding feel like a natural step rather than a challenge.”

Taking learning beyond the classroom

On the potential of opening their third setting, Davinder said, “We never say never, but we have plenty of children and staff to look after now!

“We always want to be offering something new, though – standing still is going backwards. We both do a lot of research to uncover new trends, teaching methods and best practices to support the development of all the children we look after.”

“We’re also big believers in taking the children out into the local community,” added Sharon. “There’s a lot of learning to be done outside the classroom, so we organise regular trips across both sites for the children to get out and about, whether that’s learning local history, seeing how businesses work or simply just for some fresh air and exercise. Our Charlton setting is in an urban area, so lots of our children don’t have big gardens at home, so getting them outside is really crucial to their development.”

In terms of their goals for 2025, Davinder explained, “We want to sustain our staff and occupancy numbers at Sidcup, but at Charlton we believe there’s still room for growth as it is still a relatively new business.”

Sharon’s advice for anyone thinking of joining the Monkey Puzzle network is to utilise the support on offer. “Head office are amazing, especially when you’re starting out. They really do go above and beyond for you, so it’s important to take full advantage of all their resources and guidance – they’re there to help you succeed!”

For Davinder, the best thing about being a franchisee is the opportunity to make a positive impact on children’s lives. “It’s certainly a labour of love. Running your own nursery can certainly be time consuming, but the work you’re doing is so rewarding and beneficial for the futures of so many children; it is a really great feeling!”

If you’re interested in the franchise opportunities Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries provides, you can find out more here: https://monkeypuzzlenurseryfranchise.com/