Mumpreneur the Magazine by Mumpreneur UK

mumpreneur The Magazine

Why Wait for Happiness? Create Your Own!

Claire Young

On Business and Babies

Back To School Summer Special EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR THE PERFECT HOLIDAY

Diary of a Mumpreneur Catch up with the latest installment

Everything You Need To Be Ready For September

Inspirational Stories 11 Parents Share Their Amazing Business Stories

July/August 2012

Digital services provider, Yell, is proud to sponsor the Best Start-Up Business Award at the Mumpreneur Awards 2012

Editor’s letter We’re well and truly heading for the summer (ignoring the weather of course) so we have a bumper issue to help you through those long months with the children at home. We’ve put together our Summer Special feature which is packed full of beach must haves and tips on how to deal with your travel agent to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. To keep you feeling motivated when you’re sun worshiping on a glorious beach somewhere, we’ve compiled the stories of eleven inspirational parents who have built their own successful business. Don’t forget, you can download a printable version of the magazine by visiting our website www.mumpreneuruk.com With shoes being a particular fetish of ours we’ve scoured the web for some of the most beautiful footwear available and they start at just £12! What do you need to go with all of those new shoes you’re about to order? Bags of course! Whilst the kids are all excited about the approaching school summer holidays, most parents will already be thinking about everything they need to buy for their return in September. Worry no more! Our Back to School Feature will help to ease the stress. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all once more for your ever continued support. I hope you enjoy our July/August edition as much as we enjoyed working on it!

Laura

Laura Rigney Editor-in-Chief

Contents 5 Why Wait for Happiness? 6 How to... Create your own scented cup candle 8 Shoes Glorious Shoes 9 A Little Bag of Heaven 11 Diary of a Mumpreneur 12 Interview with Claire Young 14 Want Visibility? Create News! 17 18 19 20 21

Summer Special On the Beach Poolside Chic Beach Essentials Dear Ms. Travel Agent

22 Inspiration Special 24 Kate Wilson: Nosy Crow 26 Vicki Dawson: The Childrens Sleep Charity 27 Melissa MacFarlane: Voluptasse 28 Sue Wybrow: Popdance 29 Cecilia Crossley: From Babies With Love 30 Lady Detective 31 Dean Beaumont: DaddyNatal 32 Harriet Kelsall: HK Jewellery 33 Louise Turner: Your Virtual PR 34 Sara homer: Brackmills Ind Est 35 Hayley Milne: BizyPlay 36 Back to School 38 Competition 40 Stockists

Two Mums - One Big Ambition for UK Schools! Julie Burton and Ruth James are two busy working ‘mumpreneurs’ who after 6 years, are well on their way to their ambitious target of helping UK Schools raise a fabulous £1million for their PTA funds! They use their wealth of experience gained in their previous careers before children, coupled with serving on PTA’s at their own childrens’ Schools, to run their own highly successful Hampshire based business. School Fundraising Com-

pany works as a fundraising partner with hundreds of Schools all over the UK. Julie, Ruth and their carefully selected team of hard-working PTA mums, offer other busy mums on School PTA’s some great, tried and tested ways of generating funds easily, without any financial risk or outlay to the Schools involved. Their fundraising projects are carefully thought out and designed to work well for everyone involved at every stage of the pro-

ject – pupils, teachers, PTA Mums (and Dads!), and the Mums and Dads that purchase the items - which all generate substantial funds for their childrens’ School. A ‘win win’ situation for all involved! Let’s hope that Christmas 2012 brings them continued success and a few steps closer to their ambitious target! Find them at www. SchoolFundraisingCompany.co.uk

Why wait for Happiness? by Kate Tilston, Life Coach www.katetilston.co.uk The mindset of waiting for happiness is a never-ending cycle. You get a better job and then start thinking about what your next promotion will be. You get a nicer house and start looking at how you can improve it. You try to change your spouse or kids, and if that works, you’ll find other things about them that need to be changed. It keeps going and going.. Instead, learn that you can be content now, without any external changes. Here’s how to start: Take a moment to be grateful for something. What in your life is amazing? Even if everything seems rubbish, there must be one good thing? It might simply be that you are alive, or that your kids are healthy. Find something, and give thanks for that. Catch yourself thinking, “This is rubbish, this is unfair” It’s amazing how often people think this. How many times have you heard “My wife/ husband doesn’t understand me - this is unfair” It might be in different words, but if you catch yourself thinking some-

thing like that, pause. Reverse the thinking. Find a way to be thankful for the situation. “My husband is a good & caring person - maybe I should give him a hug.” “My co-worker might be annoying sometimes, but she has a good heart, and maybe I should get to know her better.” “My house might be messy but at least I have a roof over my head.” Find the little things that can give you simple joys. What do you need to be hap-

“Find things about yourself that you can be happy with” py? I love simple things, like walking by the sea, spending time with loved ones, reading a book, drinking tea. These cost very little, and require very little, and can make me very happy. Find the simple things that give you similar happiness, and focus on those rather than what you don’t have.

What is loveable about me?” Make a list. Start to focus on these things rather than what you’re unhappy with. Do the same with others in your life. Instead of criticizing them, ask yourself, “What is good about this person? What do I love about them?” Make a list, and focus on these things above all else. This just scratches the surface of a contented life, but it gives you a picture of what might be. And the truth is, once you learn the simple trick of contentedness, it’s really a picture of what already is. You just need to let go of the fears, and see what is already here. The moment we are living in is not a stepping-stone to something better — it is exactly as it is and can be wonderful.

Find the things about yourself that you’re happy with. We tend to criticize ourselves easily, but what if we turned it around and asked, “What do I do right? What am I good at? 5

How to... ...create your own scented cup candle Courtesy of Bridget Garrett, Inkahoots.co.uk Wash & dry cup then Cut a length of wick. Make sure it’s long enough to reach thebase of your cup from the rim, plus enough to tie a knot. Thread wick through the wick fastener until there’s a small end left on the flat side. Pinch the raised collar on the top side tightly with the pliers to secure the wick

Pour a small amount of wax into the jug and then into the bottom of your cup to fix the wick and it’s fastener in place. Let it solidify Keep the rest of the wax melted in the pan over a really low heat

Balance a wooden skewer across the top of the cup and tie the loose end of the wick to it, so that the wick fastener lies flat on the bottom of the cup with the wick taut. Make sure the wick is central then chop the wax ready for melting

When ready, pour the wax into the jug and add the oil - the more

Melt the chopped wax or beads in a saucepan over a low heat until clear. Pour a small amount of wax into the jug and then into the bottom of your cup to fix the wick and it’s fastener in place. Let it solidify

you use, the stronger the scent! Stir in well

Pour the remaining wax into the cup, keeping the wick central. Don’t fill it to the top - leave room for topping up the wax as it can shrink a little when cool Let it cool and solidify Top up the wax, using the same method as before, if you need to. Again, do not fill the cup to the rim, let it cool and solidify

You’ll need: • Vintage/pretty coffee or teacup • Length of 1” wick • Wick fastener • Small long-nosed pliers • Wooden skewers • Wax (block or beads) • Scented oil • Patterned paper • Ribbon • Small saucepan, plastic jug, scissors To finish, cut a pretty paper topper, poking a hole in the middle for the wick and place on top of the wax. Tie a coordinating ribbon to the handle…

…. and there you have it, a really pretty present for yourself or a friend! You can make so many lovely variations with different scents and styles of cup - I tend to do mine in batches like little cakes. Have fun!

Dune £128

Dune £85

Internacionale £19.99

The Vestry £75

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Get The Label £24.99

Debenhams £45

Shoes

GLORIOUS Shoes The perfect shoes for those perfect sunny days!

La Redoute £49

Primark £12

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Primark £12

The Vestry £40

La Redoute £49

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Primark £12

Get The Label £24.99 La Redoute £75 Mia Tui £39.99

Matching purse just £16.99

Modalu £89

A Little

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of Heaven

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Dune £70

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A-Shu £22.99

laredoute £89

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george @ Asda £10

Diary of a Mumpreneur

DO ol shoes ls O T ho c s leve k y c u b sto ers k c e ch ss ord tant e proc accoun d milk t n mee read a b buy

Amanda Dilworth, Owner of Ruby and Freddies tells us about her journey so far... Well since we last caught up I’ve been a very busy bunny. The Ruby and Freddies clothing range has launched and for those of you who haven’t seen it, all the designs are based on cockney rhyming slang, hence the name Little Londoners! I’ve also potty trained my 2 year old, no 9-5 desk job for me! The last month or so has certainly been more stressful than previous months. We had a glitch with the printing on a couple of garments making them unsuitable to launch with or use for the photo shootI could’ve cried! But this is one of the reasons why I opted for a Made in Britian approach so I can sort any problems easily. I knew there would be highs and lows along the way but when it’s not the industry you trained in, it’s scary not knowing the right thing to do or even where to start! Thanks to a great team at the printers, the issue was swiftly resolved but stressful trying to sort out replacement garments and printing in time for my photo shoot as well as the daily jobs of sorting out the children, washing, cooking, nursery runs etc etc.

stitched in all the clothes labels over a brew (it was like an episode of Coronation Street haha!) My kids were fascinated by the sewing machine so we had to work late into the night to avoid stitching my children to the garments!! The swing tags were made at a local printers who worked fast designing, guillotining and hole punching the tags ready for me to string and attach to the garments. My mother in law also helped me fold every-

thing ready for the show. Without her I’d clearly still be sewing and folding!

the eye. What more could you want from a new baby gift?!?! I signed myself up for the first Harpenden baby show for the mini launch of the clothing range and to showcase some of the other baby gifts I stock. My stall was booked, the Banner was made, the business cards printed and my nerves were kicking in. The show went well and Jack Wilshere (Arsenal and England footballer) now is the proud owner of one of my gift sets, he even posed for a photo! So there we have it, up to date again and a slightly shorter instalment. My PR lady is working her magic so hopefully next time I will have exciting news and Ruby and Freddies will become better known...In the meantime enjoy the rest of your day! Amanda Dilworth is the Owner of Ruby and Freddies, a baby boutique offering new baby gifts, unique baby gifts and baby gifts made in Britain.

Everything was sorted in the nick of time and as you can see on our website we have some delightful babies modelling our clothes-don’t you agree? I’m truly delighted with the garments and the photos. They are just what I had hoped for my Then came the finishing touch- brand. Not only are they made es: Thanks to a very talented in Britain but the baby clothes www.rubyandfreddies.co.uk and patient mother in law, we are fun, unique, and easy on

CLAIRE Young

How would you manage being thrust into the spotlight as a result as being runner up on one of the UK’s top TV shows, running various successful businesses, managing horses and all whilst being heavily pregnant? Claire Young tells all... Since you appeared on The Apprentice you’ve gone from success to success, what is your secret? I work across the UK with students and am often asked the same question! I’m afraid that’s no magic secret, I set myself goals and work very, very hard to achieve them. From a young age I had a high work ethic installed into me by my parents and I’m a grafter. If I want anything to happen I don’t relay on other people to do it for me, I’ll just get on and do it myself! I’m also very impatient and usually work at high speed. Lord Sugar once compared me to a bull in a China shop! There has been much talk recently that The Apprentice is going downhill, what are your thoughts? The Apprentice is still one of the most successful reality TV shows on the box and will continue to do well. The format is reliant on greart characters taking part, we tune in each week whether we love ‘em or loathe ‘em. I think since the format has changed to a business partner versus a job there has been a shift in the type of candidate applying. Many people are already incrediably successful before the show and don’t have the same hunger, passion - or desparation! - as the £100k job offer. No matter what people say I am very loyal to The Apprentice and see the huge impact shows like this have had on the younger generation. It’s opened up their eyes to the world of business and has made being an entrepreneur a sexy career choice. You are expecting your first baby in the next few weeks, how do you expect your work life to change after the arrival? I need to be very careful how I answer this and probably should come back to you in a month or so! My life is already miltary organised and I’m

an early riser - I’m lucky that I don’t need a mountain of sleep. I am control freak though and think I will find it frustrating that I’m no longer boss but Baby Young will have power of the reins. I am avoiding all boring baby chat and am determined to remain sane, interesting and not talk about poo & sick! Can you imagine yourself ever giving up work to become a full time stay-at-home mum? No. I enjoy my work and would not give it up. From a selfish point of view I get a lot from it, intellectually, a sense of achievement, the interesting people I get to meet. Being a mother is going to be a part of my life and I would like to think I can keep my own identity, career and hobbies in tact at the same time. My Mum worked and I think she was a great role model for my brother and I. She is one of the strongest people I know. You are involved with many different initiatives, do you have a favourite? My whole market is working with young people, ages ranging from primary to university students so even though I’m involved on dofferent projects everything all fits together. I’ve enjoyed growing School Speakers from an idea in my study to now 200 speakers visiting schools across the UK. An external speaker can have a huge positive impact on young people, when you see this happen in front of your eyes - or receive excellent feedback - it’s incrediably rewarding. You are lucky enough to work with some really well known business men and women, who has been your favourite and why? I really admire someone who isn’t OTT - off the tele as I call it - but has had huge personal impact on the way I approach business was my Chief Eexcutive at Superdrug (the com-

“Lord Sugar once compared me to a bull in a China shop!”

pany I worked for before The Apprentice). He is called Euan Sutherland and now the Cheif Execustive of the King Fisher Group (they own B&Q). Euan has been compared to Richard Branson and is a very charismatic leader. He has great energy, very approachable and always knew what was happening ‘on the ground’ in his company. I think far too many leaders become disconnected and don’t have a clue what is happening underneath them! He was creative, enjoyed everyone to have ideas, their own autonomy and most importantly, make things happen. Talking all the time doesn’t get you anywhere! Do you consider your success so far to be a result of your hard work or do you think there is an element of luck involved?

Lots of hard work and taking risks. For example, many people were negative about me taking part in The Apprentice, I can rememeber one person saying ‘Do you really think it will help you?’ - and look now, the experience changed my life. I could have easily stayed within my comfort zone in the corporate world but I didn’t. I turned down over 500 jobs after the show to start my first business, again another risk. It’s funny that the harder you work, the luckier you become? We know you love your horses... what else do you do to unwind? Horses are my big passion and I’m at my happiest mucking around with them in my jophurs. No hair & make up done or looking glamorous! I read a lot, enjoy the cinema and I love having a bath - a simple

pleasure but sometimes it literally can bring me back to life after a hard day. I think it’s important to look after yourself, you’re no good to anyone run down and tired, so I’m a big fan of the spa. The Potting Shed in Yorkshire is an escape bolt hole for me! What piece of advice have you been given that really helped you through your career? Don’t be a sheep and follow thecrowd, set your own benchmark and go for it.

Since this interview, Claire has given birth to baby Eva on 20th June weighing 7lbs 3ozs. Congratulations from everyone at Mumpreneur UK!

Want Visibility? Create the News! by Oba Edoja Oma Edoja Business Transformations With 15,000 new UK businesses registering every month,* you definitely want to stand out and be visible to your target audience. One thing you do not want is to belong to the “Broke and Best Kept Secret” crowd! So what’s a savvy woman business owner to do? I say, take charge of your own visibility. Do not wait to be in the news; create the news, just like celebrities do! Now, I’m not talking about feats such as Janet Jackson’s wardrobe mishap or Tom Cruise’s sofa jumping! These are the not-so-tasteful variety of visibility. What you want is to stay top of mind in a positive, inspirational way. You want to draw your target audience to you and give them hope that their aspirations can come true. And then point them to your solutions for this purpose. Please note that I do not write here a b o u t the Hollywood k i n d of visibility. So there is no need to envision being hounded by paparazzi and autograph-seeking mobs! Rather, I am highlighting the need to be seen by those who need our services, to stand out from the competition and be memorable, even if this is just in your local community of prospects. So, if you are looking to ramp up your business visibility, here are 5 sure fire ways to get results:

with/interviewing or being interviewed by a celebrity, industry guru or someone important to your target audience; being patronized by celebrities or VIPs; being the first, youngest, newest, smallest etc. Tie your news to something that is already trending and the public will want to hear it. For instance, a career coach running a workshop showing how you helped three long term unemployed people get a job in a recession. Or chronicling your achievements and mile stones as a woman-owned business around International Women’s Day 2. Build Your Platform, Then Lift Off! Do you have a point of view, unique idea, reaction to current event or a proprietary system for solving a common problem? Are you great at spotting trends? Do your predictions come true? Could these intellectual assets add value to the world? Then start to build your platform as a thought leader and get your message out to the world. Not only will you create buzz and enhance your visibility, you will also be rendering a needed service with your contributions. So, do not fear that you are “self-promoting.” You are simply sowing and reaping!

“get used to collaboration!”

1. Buzz for your Biz! Is something newsworthy happening in your business? Do not keep it to yourself; tell the media! Things to tell include: winning/being nominated for an award; publishing a book; holding free public workshops; reaching mile stones e.g. 10 years in business, 100th customer, second outlet etc; collaborating with/sharing the stage

How could you get started building your platform? Develop a signature talk on your area of expertise and offer to speak to any relevant audiences such as your Chamber of Commerce, at industry events, in public libraries etc. Do not despise the days of small beginnings and work your way up to bigger audiences. While you are at it, write a report on your area of expertise or better still, a book. Then let your local media know about this feat by sending out press releases. This will open up doors to more talks,

speeches and appearances and you will steadily gain visibility. 3. Collaborate with a Celeb! Collaboration is the new competition. If you are interested in making a difference through the work you do, you will realize that you cannot make your difference single-handedly. It will take the help of other like-passioned people to make a significant impact, whatever this may mean for you. So, get used to collaboration! Now, with this established, think, who are the Alisters in your industry and community that you could partner with to deliver great value to your common target audience? Get introduced to them; become acquainted with them; propose collaborations with them; collaborate with them! And by association, you gain credibility and visibility. Just in case your inner critic is starting to call this “self-promotion for selfish gain,” let me remind you that your aims are primarily to add value and to make a difference. And in case you have not noticed, visibility and reward are the natural outcomes of adding great value. You have simply learned to use this to your advantage! 4. Report Real Time Happenings: Have you heard of the service called Help a Reporter Out or HARO? It is a platform where people who have news make themselves available so that those who create the news i.e. journalists and reporters, can access it through them. There are other similar platforms such as networking groups who provide the media access to their members (with consent) for the sake of garnering news from them. If you can build relationships with journalists who cover your area of expertise, you can become an asset to them by reporting real time happenings in your industry. Which then make their way into the news, with a quote from you or in the form of media interviews!

5. Solve a Pressing Problem: Look around you and pick a pressing problem that plagues your target audience. Then offer a solution to a small focus group. If it is feasible, give your solution away for free, such as a public workshop, free demonstration or an advice clinic. Again, keep the media informed of your activities, with testimonials from those you have helped. This tags you as not just an expert but also one who is relevant and actively contributing to the community, the kind of person that people want to do business with! You might by now be wondering, is there room for all of us in the news? Yes, if you operate in a sharply defined niche and build your own unique platform. There is enough space for anyone doing something different, unique or interesting. I know this by the number of media requests crossing my desk every week from my various networks. Journalists are always looking to create news and the public is forever ready to consume it. Just make sure that it is YOUR news your audience is reading and you will not need to worry about the ever growing competition! [*Source: www.business2012.com]

Summer Special Everything you need for your summer holidays including beach style and insider tips for booking last minute getaways!

Shoe Studio £18

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Dear Ms. Travel Agent... We all know the feeling, we arrive at the travel agents excited at the prospect of booking our annual escapes and leave feeling dazed and confused. Here Leighann Kirby of Travel Counsellors tells you what YOU should be asking your travel agents. How long does it take to get there? It can be easy to forget to consider how much time is lost in getting to your destination. Once you factor in flights, a two-week trip suddenly becomes ten days if you’re going to Australia, for example. You may not want to spend a long time getting to your holiday destination if you don’t have adequate time to wind down and enjoy yourself before heading home again. What are the benefits of an airport lounge pass? There can be precious little to do at an airport between checking in and taking off if you have bought all your souvenirs and don’t fancy sitting in crowded departure lounges. In these days of heightened security, you may have hours and hours to while away before you board the airplane. Investing £16-£20 in a couple of hours in an airport lounge could be the answer. They can be a haven of air-conditioned peace and quiet in busy airports, and they have recently opened up to all travellers not just business people bound for that big meeting in Beijing. Which check-in option is right for you? The days of arriving at the airport three hours before your flight leaves to queue up for hours at the check-in desk are numbered. With so many different ways to check-in you don’t always have to spend time in line. However, with so many check-in options, it can be tough choosing the best method. Why not ask your travel agent to advise you on the best option for you.

How do I stay healthy on holiday? Many of us forget that visiting an exotic destination carries with it some health-related risks, and what about jetlag? Most passengers experience some form of jet lag after trips of more than four hours either east or west. Travel agents are some of the most well-travelled people in the

should they book in advance. Especially when you know with most tour operators you can get a free child place as soon as the brochure is launched which in itself can be a huge saving. My honest opinion is if you can you should try to book in advance you have more time to save for your dream destination and you’re more likely you to grab that deal.

“It’s well worth spending £16-20 on a couple of hours in the airport lounge” world and have a wealth of tips for coping with jet lag. My top tip is to change your watch to the local time of your destination immediately after boarding the plane so that you become accustomed to your new time several hours before arrival. Can we take a picnic on the plane? The range of food available on airlines has improved vastly in recent years, but for fussy eaters and those on a budget there is always the option to pack your own lunch. Some airlines offer free drinks and snacks, and your travel agent should be able to advise you on this. Are there still late deals to take advantage of? The days are gone when we could jump on a flight the following morning after paying £99 to go away for a week. Although I know that people still do book later, I don’t know if they are getting a “deal” as if they would

By Leighann Kirby, Travel Counsellors

INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS

Inspiration

INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS

n Central

Including...

Kate Wilson Managing Director Nosy Crow Publishing

Inspirational Business Mum 2011

INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS

After being mad I followed my d

Kate Wilson, Managing director of Nosy Crow business the day after being made redundan preneur UK 2012 Inspirational Business Mum better to start our Inspirational Business Ow support children’s literacy by providing children with books and apps that they really enjoy reading. I also recognised how much I knew about the international children’s book business – how much knowledge I’d built up When did you start your business? Well, I lost my job in corporate publishing in October 2009, and by the (very early!) morning of the day after I’d left my desk with my box of possessions, I’d already said to my husband, Adrian, that I wanted to start my own publishing business, publishing children’s books and apps. It took us a few months to get the business plan, the finance and the first people in place, and then we announced that we were a publishing company at the end of February 2010. I remember talking to the guy who cuts my hair just after that, and he was saying that as soon as he had premises, a pair of scissors and a customer, he was in earning revenue as an entrepreneur… but it takes a long time to make books and apps and to bring them to market, so the launch of our first products was in January 2011. Since then, we’ve published 23 books and 2 apps. Where did the idea come from? I’ve worked in publishing all my working life, starting as a secretary. It took moving to publishing books for adults for me to realise how much I loved publishing children’s books. I discovered how important to me it was to

over 25 years and that I pretty much took for granted – and it seemed silly to waste it. Finally, I acknowledged to myself how much I enjoyed having a really strong role in a creative process – and that is something that is, for all sorts of reasons, part of being a children’s book publisher. I really admire

We are at a very early stage in our journey as a business, and I am really pleased with how things are going. However…. Despite the fact that I’ve always worked hard, I find that the workload is huge. I am doing a lot of detailed things that, in my old corporate life, I used to be able to delegate to others. I also have a great – even greater than I did in corporate life – sense of responsibility for our small but growing staff and our authors and illustrators, many of whom took a brave decision to take a punt on a small scale new company that was finding its feet. But… I love it that little things - small successes - really matter, and are real cause for celebration. If you’re an entrepreneur, every success and failure really, really matters. I’ve loved not having to spend time and energy persuading bosses to do things and being free of big-company bureaucracy.

people who launch a business in an area that is completely new to them, but that wasn’t a route that felt right for me! What problems have you come across, if any?

I’ve loved the way that I can be more flexible in how and when I work. My kids and my husband say I am happier as an entrepreneur than I was when I was a corporate employee. They’re right.

INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL MUMPRENEURS

de redundant, dream

w publishing, started planning her own nt from her full time job. As the Mumm winner, we couldn’t think of anyone wners feature! Where do you see yourself in ten years time? I hope we’re a successful, independent publisher, with a clear sense of what children really want to read and how to deliver that, whether that’s on the printed page or on screen. We’ll publish 23 books and four apps this year. Next year we’ll publish around twice as many of each, so we are growing already. We’ve got terrific partners for our books, and, in the case of Germany and France, our books and our apps, with publishers in Australia/ New Zealand, USA/Canada, France and Germany, and we’ve sold rights in a further 11 countries. I am really keen to grow the international side of our business, as well as further expanding our customer base in the UK (there are a couple of big customers who are, so far The Ones That Got Away…). What one piece of advice would you give to anybody starting a business? I feel that it’s a bit too early on in my

entrepreneurial journey to feel I am qualified to give advice! But if I have to, I would say that the first thing is: Do a business plan in words and numbers Nosy Crow’s covered our first three years, and looked at a range of situations (best case to worst case). Of course, some things haven’t turned out exactly as we’d expected (some things have been better, some have not), but the process forces you to articulate your ideas, look hard at your capital requirements and identify your cash pinch-points. It also gives you a benchmark against which to measure many aspects of what you do. But I’d also say two other things: Try to surround yourself with people who are not like you This was something I learned in my years in corporations, but it’s even more applicable in a small organisation. I think that other people who work for Nosy Crow complement me not just in their skills, but also in their personalities, and that’s a good thing. Make sure that your family really supports you

I couldn’t have done this without the enormous support I get daily from my husband, Adrian, and the understanding of my children. Do you consider entering awards beneficial for your business and if so why? I hadn’t done it before! I’ll be doing it again, though, as this has been so great! I think it’s useful for two reasons: Entering awards like this one really makes you take stock of your business and try to consider it from the perspective of someone outside it. The questions posed when you enter aren’t the ones that you ask yourself every day, but they’re questions that you should be able to answer. The process of entering was beneficial to my thinking about the business. And winning is the most fantastic boost to our confidence and just adds to the buzz we are trying to create around the company. I was absolutely astonished that we won! Anyone who saw me at the conference would, I think, know that I was a bit dazed and confused. It really mattered to me to have this acknowledgement and validation of all our hard work and of what we’ve achieved so far. What tips would you give to someone entering an award? If you are going to do it, do it properly: don’t rush it and get as much as you can from the process. Try to think about your business as an outsider would see it.

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Lack of sleep inspired my charity My inspiration for my work comes directly from being a mum. When my first son was born I started to realise what an exhausting role being a parent can be, particularly if your child doesn’t sleep. I consulted both my Health Visitor and GP for help and was shocked at how little support there was, my GP actually told me, “children don’t sleep, what did you expect?” A few years later I heard about a sleep practitioners course that was being held in Scotland and was very interested. I signed up and as a result managed to resolve my son’s sleep issues in just 2 weeks after applying what I had learned. In 2010 I made the decision to leave my secure job as an advisory teacher to become self-employed offering training around sleep and behaviour management issues. I have worked as a consultant for Scope, the disability charity writing their ‘Sleep Solutions’ workshop. I also have a contract to write a book about sleep which will be published in 2013 and have co-written ‘Insomnia; an Essential Guide’ with Antonia Chitty.

school and that parents should have the opportunity to learn about sleep through parenting classes. Although it is still very early days for the charity I am delighted that I have been approached to offer sleep advice in a national parenting magazine. I have also been approached by several large charitable organisations who I’m currently meeting with in order to develop partnership workings. A film company have kindly agreed to donate their services free of charge and we are making a DVD to highlight awareness around sleep apnoea which can be a serious sleep disorder if not diagnosed. Sheffield Chil-

ment we are a small charity some of the larger organisations have actually said that they are interested in our work but to come back to them at a later date when we become more established. This can be incredibly frustrating as with their backing we could grow. The best part of this role is making a difference to the lives of parents and helping their children to meet their full potential by being well rested. I love getting emails that update me on progress that has been made, parents often talk about how their lives have been transformed thanks to attending a workshop. It is a real privilege to be able to make such an impact and to make a real difference in the lives of others. There is a huge amount of work to be done in this area and I’m passionate about getting the work done because if I don’t then who

“GP told me, children don’t sleep, what did you expect?”

In March of this year I decided to set up ‘The Children’s Sleep Charity’. I believe that getting a good night’s sleep is the foundation for better health and wellbeing for both parent and child. I am keen to promote awareness about the issues that sleep deprivation can create including ill health, depression, weight issues and poor cognitive functioning. I believe that children should be taught about the importance of sleep through the PHSE curriculum in

dren’s Hospital have funded 3 of our sleep workshops and we even have a couple of A list celebrities currently in negotiations with us around becoming our patrons! There are challenges along the way, there is still such a huge lack of awareness regarding how serious sleep problems can be and so therefore finding funding for this work is a challenge. Many trusts and grant making bodies believe that this is a health issue and should be funded via the NHS. The other challenge is that because at the mo-

will? Listen to a group of parents talking and sleep almost always comes up as an issue.

Vicki Dawson www.thechildrenssleepcharity.org.uk

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I hated sex but now I make a living from it! to understand exactly what all of the fuss was about. I was surrounded by a feeling of complete euphoria and it was wonderful. That little silver bullet felt like the best friend that I never had. If I was having trouble sleeping, or had a terrible day at work, or simply felt horny the bullet would come out and all stress would be relieved. Through this new area of ‘self discovery’ I began to learn a lot more about how my body worked and what made me tick. I also found that at times when my body was unable to relax during sex that It helped to sing a song in my head to stop me over thinking everything (one of the best pieces of advice I ever received!). I had a very difficult childhood and grew up as a young woman with a lot of personal issues. I had difficulty with any kind of intimacy and believed that sex was something that you had to do because it was ‘normal’ part of any relationship. I didn’t enjoy it, in fact I hated it. My partner (at the time) and I tried so many things to help me relax but it just didn’t seem possible. After years of struggling with my feelings and suffering with what I now believe to be sexual dysfunction, I attended a home party where they were selling lingerie and sex toys. Some of the guests there were girls that I hadn’t seen for a long time. As we relaxed over drinks I was astounded by their completely relaxed attitudes towards their sex lives. Nothing was off limits, everything was discussed and after some strong recommendations from the other girls (and dutch courage) I found myself investing in a small Bullet vibrator. I had never owned a sex toy before and remember nervously reading up on the internet exactly how this bullet vibrator was supposed to be used. I switched it on and was completely amazed at how powerful it was! It was very quiet and discreet and the results were absolutely brilliant and it delivered in less than 10 seconds! For the first time in my life I began

However, by this point the problems within my marriage had reached a point where intimacy between my husband and I had become scarce. Because I felt more relaxed we did try to bring a spark into the marriage but we were stuck in a rut that we just couldn’t get out of. The marriage had been in serious trouble for a long time for various different reasons, and unfortunately we had reached a point where we just couldn’t save it. I buried myself in dealing with the kids and juggling the household but continued on my ‘journey of self discovery’ until I became quite happy and content with my body. In short, I was relaxed with my sexuality and was enjoying a much needed break from intimacy with another person. I had my first ‘encounter’ a few months after the separation and surprisingly, I found sex to be quite an enjoyable experience. This was a massive difference from the scared, dysfunctional girl from less than 12 months ago. I was interested in the experience and I wanted to learn all those new things that I had spent years shying away from. I still loved my collection of toys BUT I had reached the point where I was ready for something more..

These days I can happily say that I feel 100% more confident and comfortable with myself and I am truly happy for the first time in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that my drastic personality change is solely the work of a Vibrator but I do believe that buying that first small bullet was a catalyst for helping me connect with myself and to help me deal with my emotions. The rest of the pieces of the jigsaw seemed to fall into place by themselves! In 2011, I set up my internet based company www.voluptasse.co.uk which sells sex toys and lingerie both online and through Home Parties. I am passionate about sex toys and love selling them and matching the right toy with the right person. Rather like solving a puzzle, every women is different and I often find myself acting as a kind of agony aunt for some very similar problems to what I had. Some women enjoy clitoral stimulation whereas others prefer a G Spot orgasm. For those who prefer a ‘blended’ orgasm (G-spot and Clitoral together) we look at toys like Rabbits and I advise on the right way to use them and how to get the best out of your toy collection. My parties are fun filled and there is no hard sell, unlike other home selling companies as the products that I sell speak for themselves. The parties are my favourite aspect of my job as I get to meet new people, watch them get drunk and make them do some very daft things all whilst selling my beloved toys and lingerie. I have also rediscovered another passion that I have and that is writing, I used to write a lot during my younger years but had to stop for various reasons and I never seemed to have the time to pick it up again. Through Voluptasse, I discovered Blogging and started to write my own Blog and Erotic Fiction and the response had been fantastic! I really am having the time of my life!

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Lack of choice forced my business hand

I set up ‘Popdance’ in April 2009, after I failed to find a fun dance class for myself. Dancing was something I had wanted to do for some time in my own free time, for pleasure and to keep fit, but I couldn’t find a class that suited my needs. I wanted my Popdance class to enable people of all ages, shapes, sizes and dancing abilities to let their hair down, have fun and get some exercise in a relaxed and friendly environment but from what I could see, there was nothing like it on the market. So naturally I decided to got for it myself! I set up our first class in January 2009 in my home town and quickly started to realise that lots of other people wanted to come to Popdance too – the business just grew from there. The most challenging parts of setting up Popdance were time and money. I had to quit my job in marketing to pursue growing the business and fitting that around two young children was an added pressure. On top of that, with just my husband’s income now coming in and all the extra expenditure associated with setting up a business, finances were also a strain. I essentially went from leaving a wellpaid job to earning no money at all

and it was extremely difficult. As a family we had to start going without things we could afford before, such as a car. It took a good two years for Popdance to become a viable business. There

“I left a well paid job to earn no money” were a lot of learning curves, a lot of trial and error, a hell of a lot of hard work – and it still is – as well as a lot of belief, dedication and passion.

being able to work around my commitments, albeit there being many late nights (although luckily I am a night owl). I’ve been scared, elated, excited, worried, but have always believed that I will make it - that I will reach my goals - that I will make a success of this business and lead the life that I want to lead and have worked so hard for.

Sue Whybrow www.popdance.co.uk

Help was invaluable and it came mostly from friends and family, as well as the support of other business people and essential financial support from family. In all, setting up Popdance and everything that has come with it has been by far the biggest roller coaster ride of my life. There have been tears, frustration, highs, joys, immense pleasure, good fun and immense hard work. It has allowed me to spend more time with my family by

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Baby Fashion Meets Philanthropy We sell beautiful, stylish, organic Chipata Village in Zambia. baby clothes, including brands such as Organics for Kids and Red Urchin. As SOS Children Zambia Director, Florence Phiri, says, “buy baby I began my business plan about a clothes at from babies with love beyear ago. I’ve been so surprised by cause you will have double satisfacthe fantastic communities of entrepre- tion! You buy a great quality, organic neurs that are happy to share advice product, and at the same time you and provide support. I’ve discovered help a child somewhere else – double there are networks for ‘social entre- satisfaction and double benefit!” I am really enjoying being a mumpreneur. Both my baby boy and my brand new business came from the heart. They both involved my blood, sweat and tears! My gorgeous son has great opportunities in life, which I look forward to nurturing. And through selling organic baby clothes and donating all the profit to orphaned and abandoned babies, I hope from babies with love means that other babies will do too. The shop’s open! Come and see!

“We now donate 100% of our profit to an amazing charity” preneurs’ and of course, ‘mumpreneurs’ – both labels I now give myself.

When I had my son, watching children’s charities’ adverts and reading articles about the hardship children face all around the world took on new depth of meaning. The tears in my eyes and the lump in my throat made me feel more determined than ever to do something. I thought to myself: if I could buy a beautiful baby grow, at great value, on an attractive website, and know the profit helps a baby in need, why would I buy anywhere else? The answer is I wouldn’t! So I decided to set up www.frombabieswithlove.org, the first baby clothes retailer to donate 100% of our profit to orphaned and abandoned children.

We have begun by donating 100% of our profit to the amazing charity SOS Children. They build and run children’s villages around the world, where foster mums love and care for orphaned and abandoned children. The first baby we are supporting is a 12-month old boy from Guinea in West Africa. Sadly, his father died, and his mother was not in a position to care for him. But he now has a new, permanent home, where he can grow up safely, loved by his foster family and he will receive an education. As part of the village communities, SOS Children provides nurseries, schools and healthcare. We are also funding the build and running of nursery schools in the villages, our first is in

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My cheating husband inspired me!

I was married (too) young!! I knew i should never have done it and that my partner wasn’t 100% faithful. Sadly I was too young, and didn’t have the strength to call off the wedding. After a couple of months of marriage, and being 7 months pregnant I’d had enough and simply needed to know the truth. I tried to hire private investigators who were very cold, hard and only wanted masses of cash! One thing and another after much trials and drama I didn’t hire an investigator, and roped in friends to help instead. He wasn’t faithful, and lots of my suspicions were confirmed. I was a month away from giving birth and was too daunted by the thought of single life, so I stayed with him and got over the infidelity part. At the time I was working as a property developer, and had everything you could wish for in life. The house in acres of land, the best cars money could buy, a young beautiful and healthy daughter, and a marriage. To the outside world I was settled and happy, but inside I was a mess. My marriage was a farce (and then some!) and the economy had crashed and I was 12 weeks away from being made bankrupt. One night in March of 2009 I decided

enough was enough. My husband had done a vanishing act on me, he went to work one day and didn’t return. He’d gone abroad with his best friend (happened quite a few times!) When he rang to apologise and say he was coming home I told him not to bother. after battling with my demons of being a single divorcee before the age of 25 for so very long, and whilst I was running a bath for my daughter that simple conversation was the end of my marriage.

‘We’ve had some phenomenal success. We’re currently writing a book on behind the scene’s at the agency. Have contracts for TV work backed up to 2014, I personally have been signed to one of the country’s best media agents and we’ve had over 1000 applications to come and work for us last year.

The same week I also lost my job, but thankfully escaped being made bankrupt by finishing my final house.

In 10 years I’ll be in a very similar position, but other people will be running our baby just like we do! (and if you see my other companies blog you’ll find out that my place is on a roof top in New york sipping cocktails!!!) The important thing for me is we never lose sight of why we started...because we care. Every person involved in the agency must have that same passion!

I was on my own, 24 years old, with a daughter and no job... what do I do?! I’ll open a private investigation company, OF COURSE!!!! It was the only thing that had stayed in my head for the past few years. People NEED investigation services, and what they don’t need when their world is collapsing is someone who doesn’t care and just wants their money. I CARE! I care about what they’re all going through, they can come to us and we’ll charge a minimal amount! Mother begged me to get a ‘normal’ job, but that didn’t work! I threw caution to the wind, I had nothing left to lose...and the Lady Detective agency was born! Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

This year we’re set to take the agency through the UK with our franchise plan. We also have the beginnings of taking the agency to the USA. I personally operate the PR & Marketing, and have carefully brand managed the company from a tiny seed to what it now is.

What advice would I give to somebody starting a business? Do whatever it takes and forget your morals. In the beginning when I worked on all our investigation cases my morals were tested every single day. You have to forget that and your pride and get on with your job. Create a resilience in yourself. Basic motto - say yes to everything (with some caution) and do whatever it takes!!! P.s - sleep is for when you’re dead!

Currently we work for people from all over the world throughout the UK, doing the most crazy and wonderful jobs.

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INSPIRATIONAL DADPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL DADPRENEURS INSPIRATIONAL DADPRENEURS

The Birth of my Son Left me With the Desire to Help Other Fathers seen some interesting obstacles placed in my path. In certain areas I have met strong resistance to what we When did you start your business? The business started in April 2010, the first class was run to just 4 dads but word quickly spread and classes now have between 8 and 12 dads on every one. Where did the idea come from? I thought I was well informed as an expectant father having attended antenatal classes and done mountains of reading and research. Unfortunately I was mistaken, which resulted in the memories of the birth of my son being tainted with feelings of guilt. Guilt both in respects of having let Steph down but also guilt at realising I wasn’t really prepared for the birth of my son at all. Reflecting back on his birth made me realise how little information there had been to prepare me for this journey. Then doing further research I came to realise that in fact there really wasn’t any resources or support specifically to prepare expectant fathers. My vision is to create inclusive services which empower men to be able access the learning and support they need to become great birth coaches, great dads and supportive partners. I now pioneers a range of services, products and support targeted for men and empowers them to become the parents which they want to be. What problems have you come across, if any? Being a man daring to move in to the world that, until now, has always been women centred and run, has certainly

do, but slowly we are breaking down barriers and stereotypes. Understanding that a better prepared dad in effect means a better supported family is slowly being accepted, and we receive now some very good support. Where do you see yourself in ten years time? In 10 years I believe that DaddyNatal will be the norm rather than the exception it currently is. We have a fully FEDANT accredited training program and start training more dads to facilitate the course this November. We hope interest will grow and I would love to see at least 50 other teachers in the UK in the next 3 years. We also have interest from Europe and the USA in our work and will hopefully be taking the training there in next year. What we do isn’t just unique in the UK it is unique worldwide. What one piece of advice would you give to anybody starting a business? Starting a new business is bloody hard work, you need the support of those around you but more importantly you need to truly believe in what you are doing. Just starting a new business because you want to is not the answer, you need passion for when times are hard and there will be a lot of those in the early days. Do you consider entering awards ben-

eficial for your business and if so why? The awards are very beneficial to us, winning them or even being a finalist is a great achievement and each time raises awareness of what you are doing just that little bit more. What tips would you give to someone entering an award? Entries need to be concise and well written, you need to understand your business and where you are going. Your passion need to shine through. For us, we are unique, which I do feel gives us an advantage but if you have started a business in an area with a number of competitors you need to put across what makes you stand out. This really is about you as a person, your passion and drive so don’t be afraid to talk about that. Whats the next big thing for you? Blimey, where do I start?! Training the first new intake is probably the immediate next big thing. Although, I will also be speaking on the main stage at the Baby Expo in Brighton in November. We are also over the moon to have just agreed our first (of hopefully many) main sponsors. Baby Bjorn will now be sponsoring DaddyNatal to support and further our work. We are excited to be working with them and are confident this will be a long term partnership.

Dean Beaumont www.DaddyNatal.co.uk

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I started in my garden workshop and I’m now a leading bespoke designer! I’ve had a passion for jewellery since I was a little girl and remember making my first ring at the age of four with my dad, who was a goldsmith and doctor. I never thought I could turn my hobby into a career, so after graduating from University I moved into the computer industry and stayed there for five years. Whenever I had a spare moment you’d find me at my garden workbench and eventually it dawned on me that, since I had a

front and quickly won lots of innovation awards

children and a business that continues to grow and grow.

In my early days I remember the buzz and motivation a simple complement from the National Association of Goldsmiths gave me. It spurred me on to keep to my vision – to produce bespoke, one-off engagement, wedding and eternity rings to suit each customer’s style, personality and budget.

A personal highlight last year was winning the Specsavers Everywoman in Retail Awards. 2011 was also the year my passion for moving the jewellery industry towards better ethical standards took a giant leap. We became one of only 20 jewellers across the world to launch Fairtrade and Fairmined gold and later became the first UK independent jeweller to become certified by the Worldwide Council for Responsible Jewellery.

“I wanted to give our customers a unique experience”

long list of friends of friends wanting commissions, perhaps this could also be a career. Within a few years my spare room was heaving with boxes, beads, silver and gold and commissions were up so I knew it was time to take the next step. I needed to employ staff and move into new premises. It was time to take the business to the next level. It was the advent of the ‘satnav’ that helped me decide on a location. Instead of opting for an easy to find High Street unit I decided to try something a bit different and set up a showroom and studio on a working farm in rural Hertfordshire – something any satnav could find, that would give our customers a unique experience. Over the next few years I started employing designers, goldsmiths and support staff. Two years ago I spend a six figure sum, despite the imminent recession, on the launch of a brand new retail concept in central Cambridge – a walk-in design studio that puts bespoke jewellery at the fore-

Getting an invitation to a Buckingham Palace garden party for my work in revitalising the flagging jewellery industry was the icing on the cake. When I became pregnant with my first child I didn’t slow down, in fact I kept working right up until just before the birth and took only a few weeks of maternity leave. I had a team relying on me so I was back in the studio when Thomas was two weeks only. I was shattered but determined and somehow managed to juggle work with being a new mum. Four years later we decided to have a second child and I took more time off this time and allowed the team to take the reigns. Tim, my husband, now works for me as our Marketing Director and between us we juggle our two young

My philosophy is simple: never give up. When I first mentioned the idea of ethical jewellery to my suppliers in 1998 the response was along the lines of: “Sorry love you’re in the wrong industry for all that hippy stuff”. Today it’s high on customers’ minds. Fairtrade and Fairmined gold is available and I’m proud to have played a part in this. Today we still retain all our manufacturing the UK and, unlike a lot of jewellery designers, we haven’t abandoned traditional hand craftsmanship or turned over completely to CAD. Our workshop is buzzing with work still done by master goldsmiths, not computers! Today we are one of the UK’s most respected bespoke jewellers and I love every moment of it. I am proud to be a woman working in a largely male dominated world and passionate about making a mark.

Harriett Kelsall www.hkjewellery.co.uk

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Who wants to work a 50 hour week for someone else?!

When did you start your business? I started my business in the summer of 2011 when I realised that I wanted to work more, but wasn’t prepared to put in a 50+ hour week for someone else. My daughter was about to start school and my son would be at nursery school the year after, so my career gene seemed to kick back in. I’d been treading water working three days a week for the previous four years and felt that the time was right to do something different. When I came up with the idea I had an 18 month plan to slowly grow the business so that when my son started school I could swap employment for working for myself. Four months on and I had too much work to make continuing in my employment viable, so I handed in my notice at the start of December 2011. Where did the idea come from? I am very lucky to have a good friend who is also a personal effectiveness coach. I was explaining to her the reason why I’d turned down the chance of an interview for a perfectly good job and she stopped me and said, “All I can hear is that you turned down the interview because it’s on a Friday. That makes me think you

don’t want what you say you want.” The conversation continued and I realised that no, I didn’t want to work a full-time week, that I still wanted time with my children, but that I wanted to be more fulfilled by my work. Then she said, “Why can’t you just do more of your freelance work? You could do it from home. It’s like being a virtual assistant, only you’re in PR.” And Your Virtual PR was born. Where do you see yourself in ten years time? I’d like to think I’d have a broader range of services to offer, a reasonable portfolio of clients and perhaps two or three staff. I’d want the clients to be seeing tangible results and to feel like they were getting value for money. I’d also love to have written a book and done some more travelling, including taking the children on safari – which must be like the best zoo ever. What one piece of advice would you give to anybody starting a business? Use your network. Talk to as many people as possible about your idea to test the concept and the price.

In talking to those people you are not only getting vital information about the potential for your business, but you are making connections which could become valuable. I have had a number of introductions to both suppliers and clients through friends. Those people also become your unofficial sales team, talking about you to their contacts and helping your business grow. Just don’t forget to return the favour. Do you have plans to expand the business or the services you offer? I have lots of plans but lately, I’ve been doing a lot of writing of awards entries and getting great success. My clients have recently been named runner-up in the Salford Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year and been shortlisted for various other awards. I had three different clients shortlisted for three different awards in a week!

Louise Turner www.yourvirtualpr.com

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My Career Is A Dream Come True of my pregnancy. After the birth of Morgan I decided to leave my day job and stay at home to bring up the girls – Domino, who is now 21, Brogan who is 14 and 11-year-old Morgan. Sport is the love of my life so being able build a career in fitness has been a dream come true and something that still gives me a buzz. It was in my mid 20s that my husband Neil launched our first gym called Health and Fitness Studio. As our customer base grew so did employee numbers and the reputation of the club. It was an exciting challenge for seven years, but by this time other gyms were starting to launch in the town centre so we wanted to expand and be a bit different.

I enjoyed bringing up the children and this enabled my husband to work long hours at the gym, getting the business into the position that we are in now. I soon craved being back in the working environment though, so it was time to start learning our family business from the bottom up. The challenges mounted. The Manager left and my husband became ill, so it was my time to take the helm … and I’m still loving it. Challenge is something I relish and three years ago companies on our Brackmills Industrial Estate voted ‘yes’ to becoming the town’s first Business Improvement District (BID). This innovative initiative means all resident companies pool a small annual levy and we collectively decide how to use this funding to transform and improve the estate.

“I Craved Being Back In The Working Environment”

We relocated to a nearby industrial estate called Brackmills and spent around £150,000 converting the building into a gym, now to be known as Image and Unique Fitness Centre.

As time progressed the likes of Virgin, Esporta and other chains started to arrive on our doorstep so we needed to compete and took on a neighbouring unit and literally knocked through over the weekend. Everyone thought the chains would finish us but the expansion paid off and we held our own. When I was expecting my third daughter, I was very poorly and was signed off from work for pretty much the whole

A year in and I turned up at the AGM and asked why there weren’t any women on the executive board. I was recruited pretty much on the spot and a few weeks ago I was promoted to Acting Chair, which is a hugely exciting role and something I take very seriously.

estate so I’m proud to be a voice for the estate and to be overseeing a host of projects. In three years crime has dropped by nearly half, we have new litter bins, our green areas are being transformed into wildlife meadows and picnic spots and there is a sense of corporate community that simply never existed before. Earlier this year I played a part in bringing the Northampton Marathon, which stopped taking place around two decades ago, back to the town. The route looped through the estate and we attracted runners from all over the UK. I remember as a little girl watching the competitors in the annual Northampton Marathon run past my house, so it was an ambition of mine to see it return. When I’m not on Brackmills my hobbies take me all over the country. I like anything adrenaline fuelled - martial arts, ice hockey, bungee jumping and parachuting. Anything that gives me a rush. My motto for work and home is the same: “Don’t do failure, it is not on my agenda.”

Sara Homer www.brackmillsindustrialestate.co.uk

There are over 140 companies on the

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Redundancy And Divorce Spurred Me On

feelings of guilt. In the end I chose not to relocate to Poland and was made redundant.

I left school at 16 and gained a distinction in a business and finance diploma, before gaining employment as an account manager in event management, marketing and communications for various firms. I then landed a job at Amway, as a senior project manager, working with 28 affiliates across Europe developing its first online 24/7 ordering facility. I then went on to setup project management offices for the European e-business and infrastructure teams. During this time I became pregnant with my son and then daughter two years later. I was travelling to meetings across Europe, getting up at 4am and being away from my young children for a few days. But I still had to make sure all their clothes were arranged before I went, their meals were ready and clubs and transpsort were also sorted out – all this before I even started thinking about what I had to do at work. My husband’s full time job piled on the pressure at home and as he was also working at weekends we were hardly together. Eventually the stress took its toll and we agreed to separate. During this time I was told that my team within Amway was relocating to Poland and was told that I had to recruit and train new staff but was not able to share these details with my own staff as they to would be losing their jobs. It was horrible knowing this was going to happen but being unable to do anything. There was pressure and

You would have thought this would be the final straw after everything, but at the back of my mind I had always wanted to run my own busines. I saw it as an opportunity to spend time with my kids and sort out what I really wanted to do. I never wanted to be made to feel that way again, it was too emotional. One day I was playing with my daughter and asked the common question, what do you want to do when you grow up? She replied teacher. But when I tried to find suitable clothing and accessories for my daughter to use, I discovered there were no retailers providing what she wanted. That really was my lightbulb moment. I saw there really was nothing out there which provided a really good range of resources for children when it came to role play - nothing which taught them about all the career opportunities which are actually available out in the real world. And what was out there had limited accessories in order to make the role play more realistic. I saw this as a great opportunity to create something new which could make a real difference to young children’s learning. I ran a pilot running up to last Christmas doing fairs and bazaars and launched with my first bizyplay party. I had always done presentations in front of people in my past career, but this time it was nerve wracking, talking to others about the business and products. I really felt passionate about it and wanted it to work. Thankfully it went down well and the feedback was great. This gave me the confidence to really go for it. It was all systems go! Now after school pick up I can spend time with the kids and when they go

to bed I go to my office and can often work til 1.30am. I manage because I’m so motivated –the business drives me and of course I am also doing it for the children. I has just attended a direct selling conference and will be meeting with the Managing Director of The Pampered Chef and President of Usborne books, both of whom have been openly supportive of the development of bizyplay. I am working with two consultants to develop the sales and marketing plan, as well as the comission model - where individuals can earn from parties - and with a specialist dealing with recruitment coaching and training. The last two years have been good and bad in so many ways. Losing the job I loved along with a reliable income, separating from my husband and dealing with all the emotions that brings, along with making sure all the day to day elements of life just kept going to keep the children happy; coupled with starting a new business from scratch and learning and training in new areas previously unknown to me, were daunting to say the very least. However, looking back I feel so proud of my achievements and what I have had to overcome to keep my head afloat - not knowing if I was making the right decisions, whether I was going to make it or not. But I really felt determined and believed in what I was doing, I knew bizyplay could and would be a success and everyday I was looking at my motivation – my kids! I wanted to make them proud too and believe that if you really put your mind to something you can achieve just about anything, I have a long way to go, but know with theirs and the continued love and support I have received from close friends I will achieve our dream company.

Hayley Milne www.bizyplay.com

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Selection of Lunch Bags Becky and Lolo £9.18 ea

Dry Erase Calendar Wall Stickers Becky and Lolo £14.99

These gorgeous diaries are from Letts priced from just £5.99

Selection of labelling products Name It Labels from Quote SUMMER”” for 20% off all orders (valid until 12th July)

Ktwo School Year Calendar August 2012 - August 2013 Gifts From Handpicked £9.99

I Love London Rucksack EllaJames £10.50

Scrabble Pencil Case The Literary Gift Company £7.95

Woodland Mini Rucksack EllaJames £10.50 Lego Pencil Box All Tidied Up & Lit up £9.99

Pencil Sharpener Desk Tidy The Literary Gift Company £15.95

Kids Animal Design Kit Bags Sugarush £6 ea

Vintage inspired lunchboxes Hunkydory Home £12.75

I Love London Lunch Box EllaJames £

Win...

The Ultimate Business Administration Software Package

In one software package you can keep all contacts safe, in categories and create: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Letterheads (Choose Font and colour). Or for letters you can use pre-printed letterheads All sales documents All Purchase documents Stock control (Automatic) Quick Letters Appointments (For any number of users. You can book for all or just your own appointents) Diary (Automatic) Ring Backs (Telephone call reminders) Appointment reminders Mailmerge (Stunningly simple and fast. 8 clicks) One click Statements. Financial Status (Clients built up history of payment regularity) Debtors reports Sales reports (Orders and quotations outstanding, sales values for month, week and between any dates) • CRM or Customer Relationship Management This prize is worth £400 and EasyOffice have also thrown in two hours one to one tuition for the lucky winner!

To enter simply email ‘hello@mumpreneuruk.com’ with the subject line ‘Competition1’ and include your name and contact number. The lucky winner will be drawn on Friday 24th August 2012 at 5pm

See mumpreneuruk.com for terms and conditions

Win...

Your Own Professional Marketing Materials From Avery

It can be costly creating professional looking marketing and branding materials in a small or start-up business. Whether it’s graphic design costs or bulk orders on business cards, it all adds up. Luckily Avery’s new Small Business Solutions range is here to change all that. Whether you want to hand out smart matt-finished business cards and professional brochures at networking events, design stunning shop signage or send out beautifully packaged products from your online store, you can now easily create all this and more from your home computer and printer. The new Small Business Solutions range features a variety of versatile, fully customisable marketing and branding materials including business cards, brochures and compliment slips, as well as merchandising solutions for small shops including window signage, product tags and pricing labels. The range even allows you to create your

own QR code labels - great for linking customers to your website, Facebook or Twitter page from your products and promotional literature. Best of all, every product in the range can be designed online and simply printed off at home as often as you like! All the inspiration you need is just a click away with Avery’s Design and Print Online software, where you can easily personalise your materials with your very own graphics, or choose from Avery’s extensive online gallery of free designs. With thousands of stylish designs to choose from, when it comes to looking professional and making a positive first impression, your business now has the power to measure up to the big brands. Visit www.avery.co.uk/smallbiz to find out more.

We are giving five lucky winners the chance to win a complete set of fully customisable marketing materials for their business – worth over £150! To enter simply email ‘hello@mumpreneuruk.com’ with the subject line ‘Competition2’ and include your name and contact number. All five winners will be drawn on Friday 24th August 2012 at 5pm

See mumpreneuruk.com for terms and conditions

Directory Stockists of

A SHU www.a-shu.co.uk

Gifts From Handpicked www.giftsfromhandpicked.com

Simply Yours www.simplyyours.co.uk

Accessories Direct www.accessoriesdirect.com

Hirst & Hirst Living www.hirstandhirst.co.uk

Sugarush www.sugarushuk.co.uk

Accessorize www.accessorize.co.uk

Hunkydory Home www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk

The Contemporary Home www.tch.net

All Tidied Up & All Lit Up www.alltidiedandlitup.co.uk

Internacionale www.internacionale.co.uk

Astonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of London www.astonsoflondon.co.uk

Isme www.isme.com

The Literary Gift Company www.theliterarygiftcompany. com

Becky and Lolo www.beckyandlolo.co.uk

La Redoute www.laredoute.co.uk

Brantano www.brantano.co.uk

M and Co www.mandco.com

Debenhams www.debenhams.com

Madalu www.modalu.com

Dobbies www.dobbies.com

Matalan www.matalan.co.uk

Dotty Hippo Ltd www.dottyhippo.co.uk

Monsoon www.monsoon.co.uk

Dune www.dune.co.uk

Name It Labels www.nameitlabels.co.uk

EllaJames www.ellajamesliving.co.uk

Pilot www.pilotfashion.com

Fat Face www.fatface.com

Primark www.primark.co.uk

George @ Asda www.george.com

Shoe Studio www.shoestudio.com

Get The Label www.getthelabel.com

ShoeZone www.shoezone.com

The Vestry www.vestryonline.com

Next Issue There will be some exciting news in our September/October edition... The WINNERS of the Mumpreneur Awards 2012! We will also be including all of our usual fabulous stories, news and competitions. Be sure not to miss out!