Beyond the Logo: How Emma Gardener Built Story Rangers Around People, Purpose and Experience
A strong brand is not simply a logo, a colour palette or a polished set of social media graphics. Those things help people recognise a business, but the brand itself is created through every interaction a customer has with it.
For Emma Gardener, founder and co-owner of Story Rangers, that means how families are welcomed, how children are encouraged to take part and how each session brings stories to life through language, drama, music, movement and play.
It also means building a team that genuinely believes in the mission.
Story Rangers began in 2019 and is now a growing franchise with a team of six. Its development has been shaped not only by Emma’s own experience as an English teacher, but by the expertise, lived experiences and ideas of the people who have joined her along the way.
Finding a Different Way to Teach
Before launching Story Rangers, Emma spent around 12 years teaching English. She loved working with children and regularly brought drama and creativity into her classroom, but became increasingly frustrated by constant changes, politics and initiatives that did not always seem to serve the children.
Rather than walking away from education completely, she decided to approach it differently.
Emma began building Story Rangers while continuing to teach three days a week. It offered a safer route into business ownership, particularly when Covid interrupted the company’s early progress, but balancing both roles became increasingly difficult.
As enquiries from schools and nurseries grew, Emma reached the point where she no longer had the capacity to accept the work available.
“I think the demand is there and I’m going to take the risk and go for it.”
After almost three years of building the business part-time, she left teaching and moved fully into Story Rangers.
From Customer to Business Partner
One of the most important relationships in the company’s story began in Emma’s first ever cohort of families.
Lorna attended with her daughter Lily, who was two at the time and initially very shy. She often hid behind her mum and struggled to find her voice, but Emma and Lorna watched her confidence grow through the classes.
When Emma later reached capacity and began thinking seriously about expansion, she approached Lorna.
Lorna had already experienced the programme as a parent and understood the impact it could have on a child. She also brought a complementary professional background as an early years specialist and qualified SENCO.
Emma contributed her expertise in English, drama and literacy, while Lorna brought a deeper understanding of early childhood development and additional needs. Together, they refined the programme and began preparing it for franchising.
Emma had always believed Story Rangers could grow beyond one area, but she knew she did not want to take that journey alone.
Building the Franchise Around the Right People
Story Rangers is now approaching its second year as a franchise. The first location was piloted carefully before three further franchisees joined the network, and Emma believes the people behind the programme have become one of its greatest strengths.
Every member of the team has experience within education, but each brings a different perspective.
The network now includes expertise in:
- English, literacy and primary education
- Early years and special educational needs
- Dyslexia and accessible storytelling
- Drama, performance and character work
- Voice training and musical performance
One franchisee has spoken openly about growing up with dyslexia and the challenges she experienced around reading. That now fuels her commitment to making stories joyful and accessible for children who may not connect with traditional approaches.
Another is a trained opera singer who has helped the team develop their character voices and use vocal techniques more effectively when bringing stories to life.
Rather than asking franchisees to suppress their own strengths, Story Rangers benefits from the knowledge they contribute.
“The magic is really that now, as we grow, we’ve got the right people on the team.”
A Brand Is What Families Experience
Emma is a finalist for Brand Excellence of the Year, but her understanding of branding extends far beyond visual identity.
Story Rangers has playful colours and recognisable imagery that reflect its focus on learning through play, yet Emma believes those assets are only the outer layer.
The real brand is experienced through:
- The first conversation with a parent or setting
- The welcome families receive when they arrive
- The quality and energy of the storytelling
- The confidence given to children who are hesitant
- The care shown to parents and carers
- The consistency across every Story Rangers location
“For me, it’s the whole experience. It isn’t just your logo and your brand colours.”
That consistency matters even more as a franchise grows. Families may attend classes delivered by different people in different communities, but they should still recognise the same warmth, values and commitment to making storytelling memorable.
Impact for Children and Families
The impact of Story Rangers can be seen most clearly in individual children.
Emma describes those who begin a term hiding behind their parent but gradually move closer, join in and eventually sit at the front because they are eager to participate.
The classes can help children build language, imagination and confidence, but the community around them also supports parents. Families form friendships, feel welcomed and sometimes find relief from the loneliness that can accompany early parenthood.
Through partnerships with schools and nurseries, Story Rangers can also reach children who may not otherwise access paid community activities.
For Emma, those individual stories are what make franchising rewarding. She now sees franchisees receiving the same emotional feedback she once experienced only in her own classes.
“That is the magic of the franchise model.”
Growing Carefully
The next stage will involve helping existing franchisees recruit teachers of their own, as several are approaching capacity.
Emma and Lorna are deliberately taking their time. Before local teams expand, the right training, lesson resources and support systems need to be in place.
Story Rangers is also continuing to speak with prospective franchisees in new parts of the UK, but the goal is not growth at any cost. The people joining must share the values behind the programme and understand the responsibility of bringing the brand to life.
The strength of Story Rangers is not that every person delivers in exactly the same way. It is that they share the same purpose while contributing different expertise to it.
Watch the Full Interview
Emma Gardener’s story shows that a recognisable brand is built through far more than design. It lives in the people, the culture and the experience customers receive each time they interact with the business.
By combining educational expertise, recruiting carefully and allowing the team to contribute their own strengths, Story Rangers has created a franchise that feels both consistent and deeply human.
Emma Gardener is a finalist for Brand Excellence of the Year and Community Impact of the Year in The Class Business Awards 2026.
👉 Watch Emma’s full interview here.
Join us on Saturday 10 October 2026 at the National Conference Centre in Solihull for The Class Business Live, followed by The Class Business Awards & Afterparty.
Book your tickets for the Class Business Awards here.
