Tova Vertes helps children build the blocks of literacy and language

What is the origin story of your business? Tell us how and why you started — what inspired you?

I have always worked with kids with different abilities and needs - truly since I was a kid! For many years I worked in paediatric therapies as an occupational therapy, physio and speech therapy assistant. One of my jobs was with a clinic that provided services for children in remote, indigenous communities and I was tasked with teaching fine motor skills for handwriting. I began to notice a pattern - I was able to teach the motor skills of forming letters but there was a missing link - literacy. The symbols that I had taught the children did not ‘mean’ anything to them. I had touched upon literacy in speech pathology training but had never gone in depth with it. I filed this away and took yet another job working on fine motor skills. I found myself wanting to do something different and also looking towards a career change after hitting the glass ceiling in my current roles. A family friend worked as a literacy specialist and my mother had heard both her and me talking about careers and remembered my concern regarding my clients not being literate. She put us in touch and it was magic - exactly what I was looking for! I quit my job, took intensive training in the Orton Gillingham approach to literacy and dyslexia and began my practice - Phenomenal Kids.

What does your business do, and who is your ideal client or customer?

At Phenomenal Kids, I help children build the blocks of literacy and language. I teach children how to read and write with a systematic and explicit approach while combing holistic and play based interventions. I specialize in working with children with dyslexia - teaching literacy, advocating in schools, navigating professional referrals and coaching parents. My ideal clients are early school age children (JK - Grade 2) who are struggling to learn to read and have families who are able to and willing to commit time and resources towards assisting them. A child does not have to be diagnosed with a learning disability to come and see me - I love ‘turning on a literacy lightbulb’ and turning a life around which can truly be done in these early years.

What do you love most about running your business?

I love that I can make a difference and help children on my own terms without all the red tape of working for a large organization.

How can the community best support you?

The community can help me by spreading the word about my services. It is starting to be known that I can help with 1:1 tutoring, but many still do not know that I can assist with assessments, advocacy and educational consulting within the schools and coaching parents. It always helps to reach out via my website and book a call with me to see how I can help your family.

What is the biggest lesson you've learned on your entrepreneurial journey?

Entrepreneurship is a journey - it doesn’t build overnight and it is often not what you expect it to be. Entrepreneurship is much like parenting - you can plan it, suggest things and try things and in the end it will have its own identity.

Has your Jewish identity, values, or community experience influenced your business in any way?

Tikkun Olam - I helping repair the world one child at a time.