Today we’d like to introduce you to Marla Huehmer.
Hi Marla, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Think Ahead Kids grew from my love of children, education, creativity, and the belief that kids are capable of so much more when someone gives them the opportunity to see what they can do.
My background is in psychology and education, and over the years I have always been drawn to helping children build confidence, discover their strengths, and think beyond what they believe is possible. As a mom, I also had the opportunity to watch my own daughters develop their creativity and become young authors, which made the mission even more personal for me.
That eventually grew into Think Ahead Kids, where we help young writers take their ideas seriously and experience the excitement of seeing their creativity become something real. What started as an idea has continued to grow into writing and publishing programs, young-author opportunities, community events, and a growing group of children and families who have become part of our Think Ahead Kids community.
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been watching a child go from saying, “I don’t know what to write,” or not seeing themselves as a writer, to holding a book they helped create and realizing, “I did this.” That confidence often reaches far beyond writing.
We are continuing to grow thoughtfully, build relationships within our community, and create meaningful opportunities for young people to share their voices. For me, Think Ahead Kids has always been about helping children dream bigger, believe in their ideas, and discover just how much they are capable of accomplishing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a perfectly smooth road, but I think that is true of most meaningful things you build.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to grow something from an idea into a real business while continuing to make sure the heart of the mission stays intact. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes when you are building a company- learning the publishing world, creating programs, building community relationships, reaching families, and constantly figuring out what works best.
As a mom and business owner, I have also had to learn how to balance a lot of responsibilities at the same time. There have definitely been moments where I have had to adjust, rethink things, and keep moving forward even when something did not go exactly as planned.
At the same time, many of those challenges have helped shape Think Ahead Kids Publishing into what it is today. They have pushed me to become more creative, more resourceful, and even more committed to creating meaningful opportunities for young people.
The most rewarding part is seeing the impact on the kids and their families. When you see a child become more confident, proud of what they have created, or excited to call themselves an author, it makes all of the challenges behind the scenes worth it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Think Ahead Kids Publishing. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Think Ahead Kids Publishing is a children-focused publishing company dedicated to helping young people discover their voices, build confidence, and experience what it feels like to become a published author.
Through our writing and publishing programs, we work with young writers and help encourage their creativity while supporting them as they develop their own original stories. We also create opportunities for our young authors to celebrate their accomplishments, participate in community events, and share their books with others.
What sets Think Ahead Kids apart is the experience we want children to have. We do not simply want a child to complete a writing project- we want them to walk away feeling proud, capable, and excited about what they accomplished. We want our young authors to feel like their ideas matter.
Brand-wise, I am most proud of the community we are building around our young authors and their families. Seeing children hold their published books, participate in author events, and proudly tell people that they are authors is incredibly rewarding.
Ultimately, Think Ahead Kids Publishing is about encouraging kids to think bigger, believe in their creativity, and realize that something that begins as an idea can become something very real.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There are definitely several people who deserve credit for being part of this journey.
First and foremost are my daughters, Natasha and London. They have been such an important part of Think Ahead Kids from the beginning. In many ways, they pretty much founded the company alongside me. They are both young authors themselves, and they have helped inspire so much of what we do. They participate in our events, share their ideas, encourage other kids, and have truly grown with the company. Building something that my daughters can be part of has made this journey especially meaningful to me.
I have also been very fortunate to receive support from New York Times bestselling children’s author Adam Wallace. Over time, I’ve enjoyed sharing updates with him about Think Ahead Kids and our young authors, and he has always been incredibly kind and encouraging about what we’re building. That support has meant a great deal to me personally.
Illustrator Ronald B. Botts Jr., has also played an important role in helping bring the creativity of our young authors to life visually. Having creative partners who genuinely care about the children and their work makes such a difference.
And, of course, I am incredibly grateful to the parents and families who have trusted us with their children’s stories and to every young author who has taken a chance on their creativity. They are ultimately the reason Think Ahead Kids Publishing continues to grow.
It really has taken a community of supporters, families, creative partners, and some very enthusiastic kids to get us to where we are today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thinkaheadkids.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkaheadkids/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkAheadKids/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkaheadkids
