Book IWD Speaker: Claire O'Connor

babyballet Founder & CEO, 115 locations internationally, mum of four, award-winning speaker on brand building, mindset, mental health & ADHD

Claire O'Connor left ballet at fourteen believing she wasn't good enough. She went on to build a fun and inclusive ballet brand that runs in 115 locations internationally.
She grew up around ballet. Her mother, Barbara Peters, was a Royal Academy of Dance examiner and built her own ballet school. Claire started classes at three and loved it, but she never felt enough. She left with little self-belief, low confidence and a poor body image. It was a feeling she never wanted another child to have.

In 1999, aged 26, she came back to ballet at her mother's school, where they started classes for preschoolers in a local play gym, with a bag of mismatched teddy bears. Claire began to dream up a magical world of ballet where every child was welcome and felt they belonged. She spent six years researching and piloting the idea, and in 2005 she founded babyballet®.

Today babyballet is a purpose-led, award-winning ballet brand that educates, enriches and entertains young children. Its aim is to help every child shine in their own unique way and grow in confidence and self-belief. At its heart is one belief: I Can. I Matter. I Am Enough.

20,000 children take part in its classes every week, and its YouTube channel has over 7.2 million views. The brand has collaborated with Peppa Pig and CBeebies Magazine, and Claire appeared in Channel 4's Big Ballet with Wayne Sleep.

The lack of self-belief and the poor body image stayed with Claire for decades, while she built the business, steered a franchise network through Covid and raised four children. At 48 she reached a point where she could no longer ignore how she felt about herself. What followed was a time of personal discovery, including an ADHD diagnosis at fifty. Today she understands how her mind works, is comfortable in her own skin and backs her own decisions.

On stage she is engaging and down to earth. Passionate about helping women succeed, she shares what she learned so that others don't have to wait as long as she did.

Take Centre Stage in Your Own Way:
For International Women's Day, women's networks, founders and leadership teams. Claire talks about imposter syndrome, overwhelm and leading through a crisis, and why it's not what happens to you, it's how you react. Audiences leave with practical ways to control the controllables, back their own decisions and stop waiting until they feel ready.

Building a Brand with ADHD:
For International Women's Day, Neurodiversity Celebration Week and wellbeing networks. Claire shares what her diagnosis explained, how a fast-reacting brain helped her lead through the pandemic, and the tools she uses to turn ideas into finished work. Audiences leave with a better understanding of how ADHD can show up in women at work, and practical ideas to use themselves or to support colleagues.

Allowing Every Child to Shine in Their Own Way:
For education, early years and parent audiences. What Claire has seen in twenty years of early years ballet classes, and why she believes welcome comes before ability. Audiences leave with practical ways to help every child feel they belong and can take part in their own way.

RECOGNITION:
- Over £1.1 million raised for charity
- EWiF Inspirational Woman of the Year 2026
- EWiF Overall Woman in Franchising 2021
F- inalist, Outstanding Entrepreneur, Northern Power Women Awards 2025

WHAT PEOPLE SAY:
"Claire's raw honesty when she speaks is brilliant. She is a legend."
Pip Wilkins, CEO, British Franchise Association

"One of the best presentations I have ever seen because it was 100% authentic. Claire made every single person in the room believe that, with hard work and passion, they could achieve the same things."
Louise Bruce, PR and Digital Marketing Professional

FORMATS:
Keynote, workshop, panel and virtual. UK based, travels internationally.

---