Parenting with Purpose: How Rose Sprinkle Is Helping Kids Grow Up Kind

From her early dream in high school to becoming an award-winning author and parenting expert, Rose Sprinkle has built The Little Virtues into a transformative force for families. Her mission: to help kids master emotional regulation and positive character traits through joyful storytelling and interactive learning. In this edition of the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Spotlight series, Rose shares how listening to her inner calling—and her young fans—turned a personal passion into a purpose-driven enterprise impacting homes nationwide.

Hi, Rose Sprinkle! Thanks for joining us today. Tell us about your business. Who do you serve, how do you serve them, and what's the impact that your business and work makes?

I'm a parenting expert, speaker, the award-winning author of eight children’s books, and the founder of The Little Virtues, a company dedicated to helping children learn emotional regulation by embodying positive character traits through stories, songs, coloring, and other interactive, playful activities. I serve parents who want to raise strong, confident, and kind kids. By living these virtues, kids can grow into well-adjusted adults who develop healthy relationships and live happy lives.

Tell us about the moment you finally felt like you went from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur.

I felt this way when I saw the impact these books were having on families. We have crazy super fans who send me art of the characters, dress up as them for Halloween, and even eagerly do book reports. It's been amazing to watch kids just gravitate towards the messages these books share. I've had so many parents tell me that their kids want these books read over and over again, so I know that these kids need these uplifting things, and it's making a difference.

Describe the moment or period in your life/career that motivated you to make the entrepreneurial leap.

I told my mom in high school that I was going to publish a children's book one day. So I think it's always been in my blood. I absolutely love business and leadership, and creating a product that you really believe in. It's so fun that I feel like I'm just playing every day. There's always something to learn, and always something to do. But specifically since I started having kids, that's when I transitioned away from full time work into really working on my business and growing it.

Describe a tool, service, or software that has been a game-changer for your business. How does it contribute to your success?

Qwoted has been an amazing PR tool to get published in magazines, journals, and other publications to help spread the word about my business and establish my authority as a thought leader. I would highly recommend it.

We know that success is very often a non-linear path. Tell us about a failure, pivot point, or lesson that changed your course or direction and helped to get you where you are today.

Before I pivoted to the books full-time, I had my hand in many different things. I was teaching online courses, doing interior design, and working as a visual designer at Amazon. I realized I wasn't asking myself what I really wanted. What was the legacy I wanted to leave behind? And once I asked that question, it became very clear that leaving an impact on families, including mine, was where my heart was. 

What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly impacted your business?

I hired interns. Interns are an amazing resource, and it's a very beneficial relationship. They get real-life experience required for graduation, and I get help with all the projects and design. I also absolutely love the mentorship portion of it. I love investing in them and passing on my experiences so they can hopefully learn a thing or two. 

What’s something you wish you knew sooner that you’d give as advice for aspiring or newer entrepreneurs?

Don't feel like you have to know your end game from the beginning. Give yourself permission to explore. All the skills you learn, even your failures, will all teach you something important that you'll need to be successful one day. It's all part of the journey.

Want to dive deeper into Rose's work? Check out the links below!

• Visit The Little Virtues website: thelittlevirtues.com
• Follow The Little Virtues on Instagram: @thelittlevirtuesbooks
• Join the New Curriculum from The Little Virtues: thelittlevirtues.com/curriculum