True North x Change Makers: Northern Star — Oonagh Simms
Oonagh Simms, Founder of The Marshmallowist, shares how a love of food became a business and why marshmallows deserve the same respect as fine chocolate.
Kids have more content available to them than any generation in history. Streaming platforms serve up an endless queue of the next thing to watch, apps compete for every spare second of attention and somewhere in the middle of all of it, something valuable is getting lost.
Childhood should be full of play, adventure and discovery — but for many kids today, that’s becoming harder to find. Anita Frost, Founder of Green Bean Studios, is working to bring that back for under‑fives using storytelling, eco‑friendly products and innovation to create meaningful social impact at a time when it’s increasingly challenging.
True North recently partnered with the Change Makers podcast for a special series featuring a number of the network’s Northern Stars. These inspiring business leaders are driving impact in their communities, nurturing skills for the future and driving bold ideas that make the difference.
Anita joined the podcast to share the story of Green Bean Studios, her journey during the pandemic and why backing children’s IP is really about investing in the future workforce.
Creating joyous ‘edutainment’ for early years
Green Bean is our main IP character and we help children to play, learn go on fun adventures, really setting the tone for under-fives. We know the power of characters like Peppa Pig and Bluey — they create a lot of joy for families. Times have changed, however, and kids face new challenges with technology. Green Bean helps children to explore, learn and be curious in a way that’s both fun and meaningful.
Our business is a 360-degree world — books, eco-friendly toys, games, TV content and licensing — all created to build a brand that supports children and families while being commercially sustainable.
The power of resilience & creativity
I have over 20 years of experience in child development and understand different educational needs as someone with dyslexia. Also, growing up in a family rich in creativity gave me the drive to be bold and disruptive.
I got made redundant in the voluntary sector and then went into self-employment. I'd go into rooms networking as a self-employed person with business owners. They'd come to me with questions or challenges and I always knew how to unlock the next step for their businesses.
Building in Manchester’s creative ecosystem
Manchester is the core of where we are. I wanted MediaCity to be our ecosystem. Winning the KPMG Black Entrepreneurs Award for Most Promising Medium Business changed everything. It was no longer me and my lane — it was all of us in the North in our lane together.
Challenging risk & breaking barriers
We need more support for female founders of colour in the North. I want to see us go right the way through. People love the mission but sometimes hesitate because they don’t know me or the business well enough. The investor networks aren’t always sure how to back a creative entrepreneur.
But risk is part of the game. Look at Danger Mouse and Peppa Pig — brands that took chances and succeeded. We need more investors willing to back founders who have overcome so much like the pandemic and policy changes and are still growing social impact. We just need the capital to scale.
A circular economy brand for kids, community & the earth
Our core foundation at Green Bean Studios is kids, community and earth. We innovate. We're going to continue to do that and we're going to continue to do it greatly — to be disruptive, invent and continue to lead forward as a circular economy brand.
Reflections for purpose-driven leaders
- Lead with resilience and grace — entrepreneurship means learning through uncertainty. Be kind to yourself.
- Champion the unfamiliar — innovation comes from backing diverse founders with fresh ideas.
- Build ecosystems, not silos — communities and sectors working together create lasting impact.
Think circular and long term — true success balances social, environmental and economic sustainability.
Shape what’s next for the North
Anita is just one of the members of True North who want to build something better — together.
If you’re committed to supporting the future of the North, join our growing collaborative network of purpose‑driven leaders.
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