Igniting children’s passion for reading, with Lulu Skantze

Igniting children’s passion for reading is giving them a powerful gift for life, and that’s what Lulu Skantze does every day, through the  business she founded, Storytime magazine. Since its impactful launch in 2014, it continues to be the UK’s leading and most dynamic children’s magazine. Lulu has extensive expertise in children’s literacy, along with a passion for collaboration and language. She shared her ambitions of growing the digital side of the magazine and of becoming a leader in inclusivity, as well as being a strong presence in education.

In this insightful interview, Lulu:

• Outlines how the magazine was born, its content sources, various formats and subscription models.
• Gives an insight into the differences between the revenue streams, one of these differences being the marketing approaches.
• Highlights the division between print and digital content, talking about scenarios in which children are more likely to choose one over the other.
• Explains the structure of the company and why they have a large team of freelance and contracted contributors.
• Recalls what it felt like when she realised the company was a success.
• Describes the struggles with being a self-funded company, and how she managed cash flow.
• Stresses the importance of being agile; for example being flexible with goals and plans, and how letting go of ego is essential in order to make sensible business decisions.
• Shares her hopes for the future – growing the digital side of the magazine and its licensing partnerships, as well as her wishes to be a leader in inclusivity and a strong presence in education.
• Reveals some of her learnings; focusing on her values of curiosity and engaging with the world.