For Natasha, Aspire Learning was never simply about creating another childcare service. After more than 25 years working across early childhood education – in centres, home-based services, tutoring and lecturing – she had seen the sector from many different angles. But it was home-based care that stayed with her.
“I felt that one-on-one care within the home really fit for our babies,” she says.
When the opportunity came to build something of her own, that experience shaped the kind of service she wanted Aspire Learning to become.
Aspire Learning has now been operating for close to a decade, providing home-based early childhood education and care.
From the outset, Natasha wanted to create a place where families and educators from different backgrounds could feel comfortable bringing their own cultures and experiences into the environment.
Just as importantly, she wanted Aspire to support the wider whānau around each child.
“We become sort of a bridge for the families as well,” she says.
Over time, that has meant becoming a connection point for families who may need support beyond childcare – from linking people with community services to helping connect them with food banks and other resources.
For Natasha, staying true to that original vision is one of the things she is most proud of.
Like any growing business, Aspire has changed over the years. People have come and gone, different ideas have been introduced, and Natasha has had to make decisions about what fits and what doesn’t.
That has made having the right people around the business particularly important.
“The key growth moments have been when we’ve had the right people in the right seats at the right time,” she says.
That alignment has also helped Aspire grow.
Natasha says much of the organisation’s growth has come through word of mouth, with families recommending Aspire and its educators to others.
Eventually, that growth created a practical challenge.
Aspire’s existing licence allowed it to provide care for up to 120 children. With numbers reaching around 110 and more families waiting, the business was getting close to capacity.
Rather than begin another lengthy licensing process from scratch, Natasha saw an opportunity when another early childhood business came onto the market.
The acquisition included two existing licences, each providing additional capacity.
For Aspire, it offered a way to continue growing and accommodate more of the families wanting to join the service.
To make the acquisition possible, Aspire began looking at funding options outside its usual Ministry of Education funding.
That search led Natasha to Line Capital.
The funding helped Aspire acquire the business and its two licences, giving the organisation additional capacity without having to go through another full licensing process.
The transaction happened around 2021, but Natasha’s relationship with Line Capital has continued well beyond the original funding.
What stands out to her is how straightforward that relationship has been.
“Really good. Really, really good and just easy,” she says of her experience with the team.
When Aspire went through a change of CEO, the required changes to the finance arrangement were handled without unnecessary complication. More recently, the business was also able to make a significant lump-sum repayment against its loan without penalties while continuing with its existing repayment structure.
For Natasha, those practical details matter.
Every month, she also needs updated statements showing where the facility stands. Her experience has been simple – send an email and the information comes back.
And that means more time and attention can stay where Natasha wants it – on Aspire, its educators and the families they serve.
Aspire Learning was nearing the capacity of its existing licence when another early childhood business became available for acquisition. The business included two existing licences, providing additional capacity for Aspire to continue growing.
Funding was needed to complete the acquisition and increase capacity without having to begin another full licensing process from scratch.
Line Capital provided funding to support the acquisition of the business and its two licences, allowing Aspire to accommodate more families and continue its growth.
For now, Aspire continues to grow steadily.
Natasha’s focus over the next few years is on where else the organisation may be able to take its model, including exploring other areas of Auckland that Aspire could service.
Whatever that next stage looks like, the foundation remains much the same as it was when Aspire began: a clear vision for the kind of early childhood service Natasha wanted to create, and a determination not to lose sight of it as the business grows.
After almost a decade, that vision is still guiding where Aspire goes next.
If you have a client with a business funding need, talk it through with the Line Capital team. We can help you explore where our funding may fit and what options could be available.
