Tiny Talkers

What Tiny Talkers does

Tiny Talkers LLC is a privately held, founder-operated education service founded in 2009 by Shira Fogel and based in the Portland/Milwaukie, Oregon metro. The company teaches American Sign Language (ASL) to pre-verbal infants (ages 6 months and up) and preschoolers (ages 2-5) through in-person group classes, online workshops, private home instruction, and birthday/event entertainment. Its thematic curriculum integrates music, movement, and sign-based communication, grounded in NIH-funded UC Davis research by Goodwyn and Acredolo; the program teaches 80-125+ signs and is delivered in cohort-based 5-week Sign, Sing & Play sessions for babies (9 months+) and Music, Movement & Signing classes for preschoolers. Distribution covers in-person venues in Portland/Milwaukie (St. Johns the Evangelist Episcopal Church, Taborspace) plus a global digital channel via the Baby Sign Language 101 Online Workshop.

The business is bootstrapped with no outside investment, structured as a single-member LLC, and operates with essentially one full-time instructor (the founder). Revenue is generated through multiple small-ticket streams: $115 for 5-week in-person group classes, $20 single-drop-in or $250 for a 10-class pack for preschoolers, $49 one-time for the lifetime-access online workshop, $55-$165 for private in-home sessions, $160 per 15 children for birthday party events, and $49-$460 gift certificates. Pricing is public, refunds are limited, and a scholarship program covers $49-$180 of class fees for sponsored families.

Marketing is community-led through word-of-mouth, parent testimonial reviews, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest), Constant Contact newsletters, and earned media in PDX Today and the Happy Valley Newsletter. Awards include the Red Tricycle Totally Awesome Awards 2016 (regional). Customer segments include parents of infants/toddlers, parents of preschoolers, families with special-needs children, daycare/preschool staff seeking certification, and event-hosting families. There is no app, no API, no AI/ML capability, and no disclosed financials; the firm's strategic posture is conservative, scaling relied on the founder's personal capacity and geographic concentration.

Name

Tiny Talkers

Legal name

Tiny Talkers LLC

Website

https://tinytalkersportland.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tiny Talkers is a Portland-based, founder-run education service that teaches American Sign Language to pre-verbal infants and preschoolers through in-person group classes, a $49 online workshop, private in-home instruction, and birthday/event entertainment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Educational Services

NAICS

Language Schools (61163), Educational Services (611), Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.) (EDAMAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drop-In / Flexible Infant & Toddler Care (EDACAGAG), In-Person Language Tutoring & Small-Group Classes (EDAMAFAE)

Keywords

• Baby sign language classes
• Preschool sign instruction
• Early childhood communication
• Parent child education
• ASL instruction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. In-Person Group Classes: 5-week session classes for toddlers (Sign, Sing & Play) at $115 per student. Preschool classes (Music, Movement & Signing) available as single classes ($20) or 10-class packs. Classes held at community venues in Portland/Milwaukie area.
2. Online Workshop Sales: Pre-recorded Baby Sign Language 101 Online Workshop sold as one-time purchase for $49 with instant lifetime access. Revenue from digital product sales to parents worldwide.
3. Private Instruction: In-home private instruction at $55-165 per session depending on format (2-hour private workshop for up to 2 people, 1-hour Sign Sing Play instruction, or group workshops with minimum 5 attendees). Daycare workshops also available.
4. Party and Event Services: Birthday party and preschool/daycare event entertainment services. Birthday parties priced at $160 per 15 kids for hour-long musical entertainment with instruments, movement, and storytime. Preschools and daycares can request visits.
5. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates sold in denominations from $49 (Baby Sign 101 Online) to $460 (Sign, Sing and Play 4-session package). Revenue from gifting occasions like baby showers.
6. Scholarships: Scholarship program allowing community members to sponsor families who need financial assistance to attend classes. Scholarships cover workshop or class fees at $49-180.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tiny Talkers provides American Sign Language (ASL) classes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers along with their parents and caregivers. The service portfolio includes in-person group classes (Sign, Sing & Play for 9+ months and Music, Movement & Signing for ages 2-5), a pre-recorded online workshop (Baby Signing 101), private in-home instruction, and entertainment services for birthday parties and preschool events. Classes are delivered in community venues and homes across the Portland, Oregon area, with the online workshop extending reach globally.

Product overview

Tiny Talkers is a sign language education service for babies and toddlers (and their parents/caregivers) offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include Sign, Sing, & Play in-person classes for babies 9+ months and Music, Movement & Signing classes for preschoolers ages 2-5, both taught at Portland-area venues. These are complemented by the Baby Signing 101 Online Workshop, a pre-recorded self-paced course providing the same foundational content digitally. Additional services include Private Instruction for personalized one-on-one training, Parties & Events entertainment for birthdays and preschools, and Gift Certificates and Scholarships to improve accessibility. The company, founded in 2009 by Shira Fogel, specializes in teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to bridge communication with pre-verbal children.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sign, Sing & Play (9+ Months) Five-week in-person session class for babies and toddlers 9 months and older that combines American Sign Language education with music, movement, and themed lesson plans (Ocean & Nature Play, Together Time, Our Day, Animal Adventures). Designed for parents and caregivers to learn alongside their children in a fun, musical group environment.
• Music, Movement & Signing (2-5 Year Olds) In-person interactive class for preschoolers ages 2-5 combining American Sign Language instruction with music, dance, storytime, instruments, props, crafts, and sensory-motor activities such as egg shakers, rhythm sticks, parachutes, and hula hoops. Designed to expand vocabulary beyond practical signs and support school readiness.
• Baby Signing 101 Online Workshop Pre-recorded 2.5-hour online class teaching over 80 American Sign Language signs for ages 6 months to 5 years. Includes lifetime access to the webcast, supplemental PDF materials (sign language dictionary, activities guide, journal, milestone checklists), brain development information, and personalized email support.
• Private Instruction Personalized one-on-one or small group American Sign Language instruction delivered in the client's home, tailored to the child's age, interests, and learning pace. Available as a 2-hour private workshop for up to 2 people, 1-hour Sign Sing Play instruction, or a group workshop with a minimum of 5 attendees. Also includes daycare staff training with certificates of completion.
• Parties & Events Hour-long on-site entertainment service for children's birthday parties and preschool/daycare events for ages 1-5. Combines instrument exploration, creative movement, storytime, and circle dances around themes such as Jungle/Animals, Trains, and Ocean/Beach, priced at $160 per 15 kids.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available in denominations ranging from $49 (Baby Sign 101 Online) to $460 (Sign, Sing & Play 4-session 20-week package), redeemable across the company's online workshop, private instruction, group class sessions, and punch cards.
• Scholarships Financial assistance program that covers the cost of the Baby Signing 101 group workshop or in-person classes ($49-180 range) for families who need support, with community members able to sponsor families through the online shop.

Quantifiable outcome

• Babies who sign have 10-12 point higher IQ scores according to NIH-funded research by UC Davis (Goodwyn, Acredolo)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WeeHands: WeeHands is a Canadian baby sign-language program that offers instructor-led classes, training for educators, and digital materials. It mirrors Tiny Talkers' mix of in-person group classes, online content, and educator certification pathways.
• Signing Time: Signing Time is a leading baby and toddler sign-language education brand offering DVDs, digital content, and signing dictionaries. It competes head-on with Tiny Talkers' online and curriculum-driven approach, targeting the same parents of pre-verbal children with ASL instruction.

Broad incumbents

• Music Together: Music Together is a national franchise delivering early-childhood music and movement classes for ages 0–5. It competes for the same parent enrichment dollars and preschool venue real estate as Tiny Talkers' Music, Movement & Signing program, with a much broader footprint.
• Kindermusik: Kindermusik is an established early-childhood music education franchise with classes for infants through age 7. While not sign-language focused, it competes for the same parent-and-me class registrations and represents a scalable franchise alternative.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Bright Horizons is a large national child-care and early-education provider offering daycare, preschool, and employer-sponsored back-up care. Tiny Talkers' daycare staff training and group workshops target this segment as institutional buyers of baby-signing curriculum.
• Gymboree Play & Music: Gymboree Play & Music operates parent-and-child enrichment classes for ages 0–5 globally, including music and movement offerings. It competes for the same early-childhood enrichment wallet share as Tiny Talkers' preschool-age programming.

Regional players

• Happity: Happity is a UK-based marketplace and discovery platform for parent-and-baby classes. While geographically distinct from Tiny Talkers' Portland focus, it represents how a digital distribution layer could aggregate demand for niche baby/toddler classes like Tiny Talkers'.

Emerging players

• Lovevery: Lovevery sells stage-based developmental play products and The Educator subscription for parents of 0–5. It addresses the same milestone-driven early-childhood development narrative that Tiny Talkers uses to justify baby signing, with much broader consumer reach.
• Baby Sign Language Dictionary (by Lane Rebelo): BabySignLanguage.com sells popular ASL reference books, flashcard apps, and digital downloads for parents learning to sign with babies. It overlaps with Tiny Talkers' online workshop by serving the same DIY parent segment seeking to teach baby signs at home.

Others

• Class4Kids / Class Manager: Class4Kids / Class Manager is a booking and class-management software platform used by independent children's class providers. While not a competitor, Tiny Talkers' workshop/event registration workflow relies on similar tools to run its class business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCj_4lfZ8ZeKZQJDgyTtbY9g
• Facebookfacebook.com/TinyTalkers
• Instagraminstagram.com/tinytalkers
• Pinterestpinterest.com/tinytalkers/v
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tiny-talkers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tiny Talkers