“I’ve always liked bringing people together for a common goal, sharing connections and ideas that make a difference,” says Molly Aldridge, Southwest London mum of two and founder of The JJ Club.
Molly says being an entrepreneur was always in the cards for her, starting from when she and her sister would peddle everything from drawings to painted pebbles to supportive family members. This evolved into starting her first communications business within the IPG Group in her late 20s and a second business within M&C Saatchi soon followed whilst she was in her 30s.
“I so enjoyed the journey of building out the right teams around the world, growing out an enviable client list, and creating meaningful campaigns that made a mark,” she shares, saying that she has always valued “will over skill” when it comes to making hiring decisions.
After starting a family, it became evident to Molly that there was a gap in the market, and a new business idea came to fruition: “I felt there weren’t enough local spaces and places that could really help support the modern juggle of work and family life. I was a member of so many different clubs catering for all my family’s needs and craved a space on my local doorstep that offered spaces and activities for the whole family to work, rest, and play—both independently and together as a family unit.” Molly founded The JJ Club in late 2020 and describes it as being ‘her most personal venture yet’, with the pandemic highlighting a need for more opportunities to build connections.
In this Women Who Launch interview, Molly will discuss how she's built The JJ Club's community through strategic brand partnerships, a curated events calendar, exclusive luxury perks, and a coveted little black book of contacts.
What makes The JJ Club so unique?
We’re a luxurious, holistic family members’ club where adults can enjoy the space as much as their children. When we open our physical space, we will also cater to families with children of all ages, from tots to teens. You can’t find youth clubs locally anymore, and I now have both a teenager and a tween in the household, so we’ve ensured we have a creche for 0 to 5-year-olds, a tween lounge for 6-12-year-olds, and teenage spaces for 13 and up. Allowing children of all ages to benefit from club membership is unique to this area, to London, and beyond!
Why do you believe there’s been a rise in private members’ clubs over the past few years?
I believe people are craving those like-minded, in-person connections—a place to feel part of the community, a sense of belonging, a space to work outside of your own home, and generally just a place to enjoy relaxing and engaging with other members.
Could you describe the profile of your typical member?
Busy local parents needing support with the modern juggle of work and family life. Our members to date are predominantly mums aged 30-50, with 1-4 children, looking for local connections, tried and tested JJ Club recommendations, discounts and deals across local offerings and brands, and opportunities to meet other members of the community.
How do you balance your digital and in-person offerings?
We launched our digital offering in September of last year as a way of building out our community and to make a meaningful difference to Southwest London families. The perfect precursor to the cornerstone of this community, our first flagship site, is coming within 12 months. Partnering with over 120 carefully-curated like-minded brands, we offer local families events to attend, both online and in-person. These include local coffee mornings with Millie & Maisie, discounted fitness classes with Reformer Collective and Bourne Fitness, as well as seasonal events such as wreath making in partnership with POM London and Clapham Flowers. Our online workshops include everything from sleep training to tutoring. Members can also benefit from significant discounts across their favourite local brands, a little black book with contacts of tried and tested experts, and in-person events driving connections and conversation. We offer all of this for only £15 per month/£160 per year. Digital members bag a spot on the waiting list for our first physical club too.
Is there a particular business skill you’re currently trying to master?
A better understanding of AI and how it can benefit business growth, marketing communications, and enhance our membership offering overall, without losing the personal, authentic touch.
Talk me through your strategy for acquiring and retaining members
We are currently growing out our social channels and focusing particularly on Instagram as a key driver for membership acquisition, alongside e-mail marketing and focused ads. We are also working closely with local trusted ambassadors since word of mouth has been successful, and nothing beats a personal recommendation! In terms of retaining members, we are increasing our in-person events alongside our local and national brand partnerships on a regular basis, offering members more and more choice in supporting their families with what they need most.
Tell me more about how you’ve built your team and what you look for in a new recruit
In my opinion, building out the right team and culture from the start are critical parts of ensuring strong business foundations. Having a strong JJ Club founding team and a group of experts who are experienced in ops, membership, marketing, finance, design, and development across the leisure, hospitality, and luxury industries was high on my list. The team I’ve built to date has all of that in spades, and more! Passion, high energy, loyalty, and a can-do attitude are also traits that I look for in all new potential recruits.
You’re looking to open a physical club later this year. What are some of the facilities members will be able to enjoy?
We’re essentially offering five clubs in one! Think co-working space, broad health and wellness facilities—including a pool, fitness studio, spa—supervised kids’ areas covering tots to teens, a cinema, and a diverse offering of different food and drink options, all under one roof with one monthly subscription—everything a busy family needs!
What are your favourite local places for: Shopping, dining, culture?
We are spoilt living in London, and in particular Southwest London. I’m a little biased as I was born and bred here, but my favourite shopping haunts include POM London, Iris Fashion and American Vintage for me, Petit Bateau and Roarsome for the kids, and The White Company for stylish home goodies. Dining faves include Chez Bruce, Gazette, Josephine’s for special date nights, and Megan’s, Joe & the Juice, and Five Guys for the boys! And you can’t beat the Tate Modern for a bit of culture, watching a West End show—I last saw the modern version of Oklahoma, a very intriguing and dark take on the classic—or strolling down the South Bank on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
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