ISSUE 5 • SEPTEMBER 2019
IN CONVERSATION WITH
Ryan Jackson SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR
6 parents share how to overcome setbacks
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TI O ED I DA Y BI RT H
How to build relationships with journalists
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How to go from saying “not right now” to having more quality time with your kids than ever before
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CONTENTS ISSUE 5
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www.parentsinbiz.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2019
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FREE
NEW YEAR
Parents in Business
Business at the start of a new school year.
8 IN CONVERSATION Ryan Jackson, serial entrepreneur.
12 COMMUNITIES The importance of building your community.
16 JOURNALISTS How to build relationships with journalists.
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SPECIAL FEATURE How to overcome setbacks in business.
IN CONVERSATION Nicole Haynes, founder of MoChíc Events
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TIME MANAGEMENT Top ten time management tips.
SPOTLIGHT
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IN CONVERSATION Bhavini Lakhani, graphic designer.
QUALITY TIME More quality time with your kids.
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Don’t forget to follow us on social media, we love getting to know you!
SCHOOL Coping with the first term of school.
magazine is available in digital and print.
Small business spotlight on Andrea Toth Social.
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CONTRIBUTORS SARAH APPLEBY, LIFE COACH AND INTERNATIONAL MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER A mother of three, Sarah co-founded Tribe Within Ltd in 2017 knowing that children are exposed to many pressures and demands. Parents often find mental health services difficult to access, expensive or fall short of being effective. Sarah offers a wide range of mental health programmes - from online courses, to events and keynote speaking, available through Tribe Within. www.tribe-within.com SARA BUSSANDRI , WRITER, AUTHOR & MENTOR Sara Bussandri is a Content Writer and an Author. She helps personal brand entrepreneurs and podcasters with writing or re-purposing blog content. www.sarabussandri.com ADRIENNE KIRK , BACP-REGISTERED PSYCHOTHERAPIST Adrienne is a BACP-registered psychotherapist with a private practice in Enfield. Adrienne previously worked as a health psychologist within a diverse population and environment following degrees in psychology (BSc) and health psychology (MSc). Her work included developing doctors’ consultation skills and supporting students in difficulty. Her interest in this work led to my training as a psychotherapist. www.adriennekirk.london SERENA NALTY-COOMBS, PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT Serena has been running her Project Management Consultancy, SN Management, for over 10 years, helping others to achieve their personal and business goals. In addition to that Serena runs a Mumpreneurs Retreat in the UK encouraging mum’s in business to take time out to relax, rejuvenate and reflect. She is also the co-founder of We Rock, a non-profit organisation promoting positive role models and positive activities. www.snmanagement.co.uk ALISON SHADRACK, FOUNDER AND CEO OF ADIA PR Alison Shadrack is the founder and CEO of Adia PR and the host of the online course How To Do Your Own PR. www.adiapr.co.uk JODIE WEBBER, THE BUSINESSES COMMUNITY Jodie Webber has had a long career gaining valuable experience in Marketing, Print Management and Customer Service. Following a short career break for some family time, she decided to take the plunge and utilise her skills and experiences to help other local businesses. So in 2017, with a newborn daughter in one hand and a laptop in the other, Jodie started Enfield Businesses (now The Businesses Community Enfield – TBC Enfield). They currently have a thriving Facebook group, regular co-working monthly Jellies and are growing a good social audience as a platform to help their members. www.thebusinessescommunity.com BHAVINI LAKHANI , GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bhavini is an independent graphic designer specialising in branding and design for print, and is a mum of 2. She’s based in Milton Keynes, with a client base that spans global brands such as Conti Espresso, Barclaycard and British Gas, as well as local businesses across the UK. www.b81designs.com
Do you like what we do? Why not become a guest contributor. Let’s collaborate contact bridget@parentsinbiz.co.uk Magazine designed by B81 Designs www.b81designs.com Disclaimer views expressed in the articles are those strictly of the authors. Every effort is made to ensure that all information given is correct but Parents in Biz limited accepts no liability for inaccuracies, errors or omissions that may occur or their consequences. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher. Copyright includes (and not limited to) the content syndication of the RSS feed of this publication. The content and images used in any of the articles of this publication. The Parents in Business Magazine logo and any of its derivatives.
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EDITOR’S WELCOME Welcome to the fifth issue of the Parents in Business magazine. Where did the summer holidays go? Well, summer is almost over for this year. But hopefully, you've had a chance to switch off and relax. Did you know? It’s a year since the Parents in Business Magazine launched so in this birthday issue we have three inspirational interviews with Ryan Jackson a serial entrepreneur, Nicole Haynes Founder of Mochíc Events and the incredible lady behind the design of the Parents in Business Magazine Bhavini Lakhani who is a Freelance Graphic Designer. If you feel like you’ve not quite got your mojo back after the summer break Sara Bussandri shares how to get excited about your business at the start of a new school year, on-Page 16, Alison Shadrack shares how to build relationships with journalists. On page 18, we have a special feature where 6 parents share how they’ve overcome challenges while building a business. You’ll find valuable pieces of information on family and business with the turn of each page. Happy reading!
Bridget
Bridget Daley Editor
www.parentsinbiz.co.uk
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Book Recommendation
Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing for Business, Paul Jarvis A refreshing approach to entrepreneurship centred on staying small and avoiding growth - maximising happiness, sustainability and profitability. Mr. Jarvis explains how “being a company of one lets you control your own life, your own job;� how as the leader of a company of one, you and you alone decide how much money it will take to live the life you want and how much time you will need to spend at your business to earn it. This is an excellent book for small business owners who want to stay small. Not only is this the handbook for small business, but an inspiration. Available on Amazon
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DONATE The Parents in Business Magazine is free for everyone, thanks to some small donations. By donating it means we can continue to keep the magazine free therefore making it available to all business owners at different stages of the business journey!
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How to get excited about your business at the start of a new school year Where did the summer holidays go? Well, summer is over for this year. But hopefully, you've had a chance to switch off and relax. With the children off school for six weeks, you've probably found yourself doing a lot more extra juggling. You know, running your own business in between holiday and family time, summer clubs, and the children being hungry every five minutes! But you made it! It's now September, and you've survived all the 'Back to school' madness too. Sure, your eyes are still watery from all the money spent on new uniforms, shoes, and general school equipment. But you can put all that behind now. And with the children back at school or childcare, it's time to focus on yourself and your business again. So where do you start?
Take some time to re-focus For a lot of business owners with children in school, the start of a new school year is a bit like the start of a New Year. And much like you would do in January, here's your chance to take a moment and review where you are before you throw yourself into your business headfirst. You may be feeling refreshed and full of renewed enthusiasm after the holidays - literally rearing to go. Or you may be feeling like you need another holiday to recover! If you feel you could do with a
day (or five) to get your bearings and gather your thoughts before you get started, give yourself permission to take that time. It may feel like you don't have time right now (that to-do list is starting to overflow after all). But you'll benefit from it in the long run. So consider taking a moment to reflect on the summer you had. What went well? What would you like to maybe tweak next year? Congratulate yourself on being a busy parent who also runs a business. Allow yourself to have a moment to take it all
in before you throw yourself into the details of day-to-day work.
Start, stop, continue When our businesses are full-on, and we have a million deadlines to meet and small tasks to complete, it's hard to take time to stop and take stock. So take this opportunity to have a quick review of your business. If it's just you in your business, grab your laptop (or pen and paper), take yourself somewhere different from your usual place of work and have that board meeting with yourself. If you do have a team of people helping you out, get together for the day if they're local or arrange a half-a-day Zoom call where you can all share feedback and ideas. Specifically, look at the last quarter or the last six months of your business and talk about what you'd like to Start, Stop, and Continue. It's a simple but powerful exercise. If you come
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from a corporate background, you'll remember your line manager running through this with you (and you may resist it), but now that you're in the driving seat, you'll get a lot out of it.
Know your numbers Whether you use a calendar year or a financial year, September marks the start of a new quarter. So if you haven't had a chance to keep a close eye on your cash flow over the summer months, now is the time to have a quick financial review of your business. • Have you been meeting your financial goals? If not, is there anything you can do to change this? • Do you know how much you're spending and what on? If not, do a quick audit of your monthly expenses and categorise them. Are these expenses essential or nice-to-haves? Are the investments you're making in your business right now giving you a return? • Also, are you paying yourself a salary and a profit? If so, are these amounts in line with your goals? If not, what do you need to do differently?
Consider hiring a coach or a mentor I hired my Business Coach last October, after settling my youngest son into Reception class at our local Primary School. My youngest son starting school marked an important milestone in my business. And for me, it was the perfect time to hire a Business Coach to get the right foundations in place and start as I meant to go on. While this may not be something you're willing to consider or can afford in your business right now (especially if you looked at those numbers, and you didn't like what you saw), you can still think about your options.
So what else will you do this autumn to make sure you re-start your business with a bang?
Sara Bussandri Writer, Author & Mentor www.sarabussandri.com
What do you need to set yourself up for success for this upcoming season in your business? Perhaps you could do a skill swap with someone or work with a coach or a mentor via a membership, a group programme, or a mastermind? Or, if working with a coach or mentor isn't what you have in mind at the moment, you could think about joining a new membership or networking group. It's always a great chance to meet other entrepreneurs just like you, support each other and get fired up together.
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In Conversation with Ryan Jackson Serial Entrepreneur Ryan Jackson is a father of two. Founder and Director of one of the UK’s foremost car park management companies Gemini Parking Solutions Ryan is a successful serial entrepreneur and a powerful success coach. Ryan also owns a property development company in Thailand, as well as numerous other business interests and an impressive property portfolio.
Can you tell us how you got started in business? I guess I have always possessed a level of business acumen although I haven’t always known it. After working my way up to senior management within a health club, I realised that I was still very much at the bottom of the food chain and had large ambitions but felt restricted at where I was. So, after very little deliberation, I decided to hand in my notice and decided to set up a business of my own. When I think about it, my business choices seem quite random, but, like many entrepreneurs, I’m impulsive and like to act on instinct when I spot an opportunity. My first venture was an online business selling women’s fashion and accessories called PrettyGlam. Unfortunately, I think I was too far ahead of the time and didn’t have the resources and social platforms that are now available that can help elevate your brand in a short period of time. So, after a year with limited funds and unsold stock piling up, I decided to call it a day. Gemini was the next venture and came about simply due to two unconnected friends suggesting the idea
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of parking services within the space of a few days. I did a bit of research and naively thought I could make millions out of this and simply went about taking the necessary steps to make it happen. Fast forward 9 years and I have now built something that I can be proud of.
Your business background is impressive, how did you move into property developing? I have a close friend who has been in property for years, and so I guess property investment was just a natural progression as my business began to yield returns that went beyond what I needed to live. I know many people who live for the now and do very well in business yet lack any assets or investments and should the tide turn they have nothing to fall back on. I’m here for the long term and want to create a legacy for my children, and it’s essential that I seek to build wealth as opposed to a large disposable income. After a trip to Thailand 7 years ago, I decided I wanted to create a lifestyle that complements what I value as being important.
I love to travel and immerse myself in different cultures, so I decided to start property developing in Thailand in order to be able to travel frequently and justify it. Many people raised their concerns as you hear of so many horror stories resulting in foreigners losing their homes or money, but with everything, if you do your due diligence and calculate the risks, you can make an informed decision as to whether its right for you. It was definitely one of the best decisions I ever made. The happiness that me and the family experience having the freedom to travel to such a beautiful location is paramount, and so I feel blessed to be granted such an opportunity. In fact, I owned a home in Thailand before I owned a home in the UK. We can become so fixated on one line of thought and have accepted the notion that it’s imperative that one day we must own our own home. This ideology is now changing year by year as a younger generation are realising the lack of value that owning your own home brings. If you purchase a house for
investment that’s different but to occupy a home that you own isn’t a direct investment in my eyes.
How would you describe your leadership style?
taken the business to a certain point but to move beyond this, it requires you to become more so now I don’t ever see it as a negative just more of an indication that I have to level up.
I would describe myself as a passionate and inspiring leader. My ethos is very much about encouraging my team to become the best versions of themselves, helping them to broaden their perspectives and beliefs on what is possible in life. My journey has been one of growth, and I’m always sharing my philosophies and teachings to inspire others to realise their true power and become more.
What are some challenges you faced in your business journey, and how did you overcome them? One of the biggest challenges that I have faced that many entrepreneurs can probably relate to is hitting a plateau, like an invisible barrier that you just can’t seem to get through. It has happened to me on two occasions, both of which required me to reflect on where the business was at and who I needed to be in order to take it beyond where it currently was. On both occasions, it required me to level up and bring in the experience of others that would force me to up my game and in turn, take the business to new heights. I now see any plateau as a time of evaluation; it’s an indication that you have
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If you could go back, what would you change about how you did things?
How do your values show up in the work that you do?
How do you manage your time between family and business?
If I could go back, I would have probably focused more on my primary business, investing more of the profits back into the company to achieve a faster rate of growth. A common mistake for entrepreneurs is that we are so conditioned to identify opportunities that we see them everywhere, and they can end up distracting us from what should be our sole focus. Being able to focus your efforts on one thing will undoubtedly bring higher gains as opposed to stretching yourself across many projects. One of the key learnings for me was to maintain discipline and be able to say no. You quickly learn that focus is essential and whilst there may be an opportunity in front of you, you have to stay true to your path and your vision.
My values are definitely embedded within the Gemini culture. I’m an advocate for self-education over conventional education, and this is seen within how we encourage learning and personal development within the company. As an entrepreneur, it’s essential that your business reflects who you are as an individual! As a result, I believe once a level of success is achieved that entrepreneurs have a responsibility to give back and so Gemini commits to several worthy causes helping others who are less fortunate and deserve more from life.
Maintaining work-life balance wasn’t always easy in the start, but I’ve learnt that your business should complement your life and not become it. I see so many becoming consumed with work life and trying to chase the £££s, and in turn, they can miss out on so much of what is truly important.
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With everything, I believe it’s about balance, but you have to apply a degree of discipline to maintain that happy medium. For me, that’s no phones in the mornings or evenings, dedicating quality time to compensate for any additional hours spent at the office or if I have a heavy workload, working when everyone else has gone to bed or getting up an hour or two earlier, it can call be achieved.
How do you keep yourself motivated? Personal development has to be one of my biggest motivations. I have my main objective or vision for the future, which I revisit daily, and this really helps me to stay on track. But it’s the personal development that drives me forward. Whether it be reading a new business or self-help book, or watching a motivational video or attending a workshop or course. At the end of each action, I always find that my perspective has been altered, a new learning has been achieved, which generally triggers a whole host of new ideas and gets the creative juices flowing. My motivation is definitely at its highest point when I am creating, and this is the space where I like to be, innovating bringing ideas to life.
As a coach and motivational speaker, what advice would you give to a parent who wants to start a business? My main tip to any parent wanting to start a business is to make sure that they do not get sucked into the prehistoric ideology that you have to work all the hours under the sun in order to make your business a success. Ensure that the business you build compliments the life that you want. Most fail to realise that you have a choice and don’t have to conform to a traditional belief system that binds you to a set of habits that disempower you. Work smarter, not harder and design the life that compliments what you value. Your business should be an extension of this.
Who or what inspires you? The key figures that have inspired me are those who defied the odds and overcame adversity and huge challenges to achieve success and happiness — especially those that I can relate too who may have shared a similar journey to mine. I admire people who display a can-do attitude and refuse to believe in impossibilities. There isn't any one particular individual, but I look to towards figures like Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Jay-z, to name but a few, as they each had their own challenges to overcome and rise above adversity to accomplish beyond what they previously thought was possible. Ryan Jackson www.ryanjackson.org
The importance of building your community Running your own business can be tough, it can be lonely, it can be exciting, it can be challenging, it can be rewarding... it can be soooo many things! Chuck into the mix the fact that you are also juggling the responsibility of bringing up a well-rounded little person (or little people) and there’s one hell of a lot of pressure, plate spinning (sometimes smashing!), juggling, prioritising, feeling amazing, feeling inadequate, feeling. Well, the whole spectrum! In this day and age where we are told by the media we can ‘have it all’, it’s no wonder that many parents are rejecting the return to work and being bold… stepping out into the world of business for themselves. And if that is you – big congratulations and well done! The problem (in my opinion) is,
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our media only seems to report the success stories, and it’s only once you decide to embark on your new journey into the world of running your own business, that you realise it’s not enough to have a fantastic idea and see the gap in the market.
business is utterly fantastic (one of the best feelings in the world!). But in the same way as being a parent, it can also be daunting, exhausting, frustrating, over-whelming, throw you curve balls, and at times you might question what you are doing!
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to scare you! Having your own
There’s an African proverb that says ‘It takes a village to raise a
child’ meaning that a community of people must interact with children for them to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment and the same can be said of starting your business. As parents, we rely on a whole support network of people when we start out (and as we grow) from family members, midwives, friends, neighbours, nursery teachers, baby groups – the list goes on! Why then, when you start your own business do you think that you should be able to take everything on yourself? Networking, building business relationships, and being part of a ‘business community’ is such invaluable support when you are in the early days of business. It’s great to have a community to share, support, advise and celebrate with!
starting out in business or are a relatively young business, I highly recommend looking for a group (or groups) to connect with. Much the same as parenting, we were all new to it once and needed the help and guidance that the ‘village’ can offer – people are more than happy to share their experiences and expertise – you just need to ask! Jodie Webber The Businesses Community www.thebusinessescommunity.com
And once you have a connection with other local businesses, you will find that you not only have a ‘village’ you can turn to for advice, help and support, but also a mini-marketing team, that will shout your praises, offer you referrals, and promote you to others. There are so many networking groups and business forums out there, and you will find one that suits you as a person and your business you just need to find it. If you are thinking about
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How to Build Relationships with Journalists Ever notice how some of your competitors or industry peers are featured in leading newspapers or business publications, over and over again? It's almost like journalists have a shortlist of brands or experts they call any time they have space to fill. What does it take to get on their list? How can you establish a long-term business relationship with the journalists who will want to write about you and your business or expertise? I have some advice for you, and it's going to involve some work for you but think about the potential benefits it will bring in terms of your new positioning, credibility and visibility.
Target only the relevant publications and journalists. A spray and pray approach will not work well when it comes to sending out press releases. The whole world does not need (or frankly want) to know. Only send your news to the publications and journalists that regularly write about your subject matter, i.e. if it’s a release about fitness, avoid sending it to a journalist who writes about food. Understand the type of news each journalist likes to publish before sending
anything to them. Otherwise, a journalist will be able to sense that you haven't read their publication, and your press release will end up in the dust bin.
Respect their time. Journalism is a busy, fast-paced profession, and I have not yet met a journalist who enjoys reading lengthy pitches or searching for supporting information on any subject. Give them exactly what they need when they ask for it (or, preferably before they ask for it), and keep it succinct.
Get comfortable with interacting on social media. Journalists like social media because it's quick, easy, generally not verbose, highly accessible and visible. Interact with them there. I personally believe that Twitter is your best option for most businesses. Instagram is an exception for fashion, food, interiors or anything that is visual/aesthetic. Show them that you're reading what they're publishing. Comment on their posts and blogs. Engage with them to increase the chances of them engaging with you.
Meet in person. It’s always worth asking a journalist if they have time to meet up for a coffee/tea. Let them know what you’d like to talk to them about. They may prefer a phone call if they’re busy. Either way, it’s a positive step to strike up a conversation and introduce yourself. This is how the best relationships are born.
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Avoid negativity. As you know, not all news is good news. And there may be times when you or your business is cast in a not-so-flattering light. Use this as feedback for improvement, rather than an opportunity to criticise the journalist or her/his work. Your specific response to negative press says a lot about your character—and a positive one will greatly increase your chances of being published in the future, as a feature in a more favourable story.
Mind your manners. When dealing with journalists, you are working to establish professional relationships. This means using please and thank you, of course; it also means respecting confidentiality and time constraints, among other expectations. Treat journalists the way you would want to be treated and keep the professional in your professional relationships. Alison Shadrack www.adiapr.co.uk
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How to Overcome Business Setbacks As a business, overcoming setbacks is essential. You have to learn to rise above failings because they will happen eventually. It is not a criticism, but more of a fact - it is very challenging to maintain a business for any period without making a mistake of some description. But it’s how you deal with these setbacks which determine whether your business will succeed in the long run or not. How do you overcome challenges and hurdles and develop strategies to grow?
Stop Assigning Blame When something goes wrong in any business, the first instinct is to stop and point the finger at someone, assigning blame to them. If you are a parent entrepreneur, then the first thing you do may be to blame your partner. However, this cycle of blaming people for problems isn’t going to help you overcome them. Instead, all it is going to do is drive up frustrations and make you more likely to repeat those mistakes or create new ones. You need to stop, calm down, and begin to develop a solution for the setback. Blame is not crucial in the long run; instead, the focus should be on overcoming the delay and continuing to push forward.
Support Your Partner If you are someone who works with a partner, you need to remember that you are a team. You and your significant other are often parents together, and you have to remember that when trying to work past setbacks. It is entirely understandable to be angry at someone when a mistake is made. But instead, try and be supportive. Except that whatever happened has happened, and look to a more positive future
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instead of dwelling in the past. Communicate with your partner, because this fight can translate into other areas of your life, like for example, parenting and your marriage or relationship.
Learn, Adapt, Solve, Move Forward When you are trying to find a solution to a problem, it is often a good idea to take note of four fundamental principles. First of all, you need to learn what the problem is and why it happened. After that, you need to adapt your business or your processes to make sure that the mistake doesn’t happen again. Then you need to fix the setback. Do you whatever you need to do so you undo the problems which have been created. Finally, let it go and move forward. You have figured out what the problem is, and you have resolved it, so you have to now put it behind you. By doing these four things, you will address the majority of setbacks, and at the same time, make sure they don’t happen again. Overcoming setbacks in business is never easy. It can be a massive waste of time and resources to put right a mistake, but at the same time, if you don’t learn from your errors, they won’t stop coming back. You’ll make the same mistakes again and again,
SPECIAL FEATURE which is even more damaging. If you read on, you will get a chance to take a look at some of the stories of six parent business owners who faced setbacks and how they overcame them.
Caroline Pegden Co-founder, TempaGoGo www.tempagogo.com Caroline is the co-founder of TempaGoGo, an award-winning temporary agency recruitment marketplace, which she co-founded with her husband, Phil Pegden. They are the proud parents of two children, aged 3 and 5. Caroline states as glamorous as it's depicted in the press, the life of an entrepreneur is a real roller-coaster, and setbacks are just a normal part of the journey (e.g., a prospective investor doesn't want to take part in a funding round, a marketing experiment ends up being a flop, a customer is unhappy with the service). To manage these setbacks, my top tips are:
When something goes wrong in any business, the first instinct is to stop and point the finger at someone 1. Switch off completely for a few days - 3/4 business owners work every day on holidays - it's actually crucial to get your energy and creativity back to switch off fully, even just for a few days. 2. Focus on the activities that rejuvenate you - for me; it's spending time in my allotment with my family! Having family time is a powerful way to distract yourself from negative thoughts and refocus on the positive. 3. Celebrate every little win along the way - while it's important to focus on delivering your vision and ambition, it can also be daunting at times! We have a poster highlighting all our small achievements on the wall of our office, and keep our business awards well in view, to remind ourselves of what we've already achieved!
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How to Overcome Business Setbacks Abi Ogundipe Fairy Milk Mother and The Quirky Oven www.fairymilkmother.com Abi is a mother of two, and she runs two businesses. “I believe setbacks are part of the journey. When something doesn't go according to my plan or expectation, I usually take a step back and review my actions to see what went wrong and
what I can learn from it. There is something to learn from setbacks in order to advance in your business. I also revisit my goals and vision for the business. The people you surround yourself with is also very important, surrounding yourself with the
Gary Green Key Business Consultants LLP www.keybusinessconsultants.co.uk Gary Green is the principal accountant of Key Business Consultants LLP, chartered accountants. Gary states I started up as a freelancer five years ago and know very well the steps needed to progress while also raising a family of three at the same time. We now have 14 staff in total. Overall I would say that setbacks are many but since you are responsible for your own income that you have a lot more opportunity and reason to work harder and longer to overcome them.
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We are able to help out at home on an emergency but also to work through the night or weekends if required. We also have access to company systems and assets in order to do that while other members of staff possibly cannot. Other setbacks might be financial, but as long as you are earning enough to cover your basic requirement, for us around ÂŁ30k, then you can invest the excess in technology or staff or an office in order to attract more staff and clients.
right people goes a long way, people that will motivate you and cheer you on and don't forget to celebrate all the small wins.
SPECIAL FEATURE Freddie Underwood Stagecoach Trowbridge and Frome www.stagecoach.co.uk/trowbridge Freddie Underwood is 36, married to Chris with their daughter Gigi - they named their daughter after the theatre production they worked on together when they first met! Freddie is the Principal of Stagecoach Performing Arts School in Trowbridge & Frome. She was a full-time actress before teaching part-time with another Stagecoach school and realising this was a business she could run - bring her creativity into a commercial enterprise. She opened her first school in 2009 and second in 2018.
One major setback was opening her second school, and it didn't take off as she'd hoped - she'd done her market research but hadn't got the right combination of day, time and venue. She had to close the second school and re-group. At the time, closing the school, Freddie felt like a failure, but actually, it was an essential learning experience. Adding other elements into her market research, such as focus groups, on top of analysing demographics, means she now has a very successful school in Frome.
Now her husband is an equal partner in the business, and they've had to learn a new work relationship dynamic.
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How to Overcome Business Setbacks Lucy Cameron Business Coach ActionCOACH in Kent www.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/iq4business Lucy Cameron is 49, married to Clive, with 3 children - Thomas 16, Amy 14 and Jamie 10. When she was working with a major commute, they had a nanny, and the kids were bonding with her more than Lucy at one point. So she decided to start a business coaching firm, and it immediately saved her 720 hours a year on commuting time alone. She hadn't had her own business before, so she decided on starting a franchise. That way, she would get systems from the franchisor and support in business start-up. That was in 2012, and now she has grown a business coaching firm in Kent and Sussex.
Initially, Lucy really struggled with sales and marketing because she'd never had to do that before. Another challenge Lucy had was being concerned by what others thought of her – they asked how she could run a business with children, but she wondered how she kept a job going whilst having children – the business gave her much more freedom. Lucy says she overcame this by:
Elaine Amas & TJ Amas
funding. Elaine says life is pretty crazy at the moment. Everything needs to be done at a breakneck speed and really should have been completed yesterday! Everything we do is for the first time, so frequently we are making mistakes and therefore regularly having to overcome them. But that's just it - if you don't make the mistakes, you can't improve. When we fail, we fail fast! We are constantly learning, shaping and improving our processes
Co-Founders of QuoteOnSite https://www.quoteonsite.com Elaine Amas & TJ Amas are co-founders of QuoteOnSite: Quote Management Software for small to medium businesses across all sectors. They are a husband and wife running our own business while raising two primary school-aged children They have just received equity
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jobs but now had more freedom when running their own business. Lucy says “We are only human, and there are only so many hours in the day; I now focus on celebrating wins and only thinking about situations I can control or influence – everything else I let go”.
Speaking to other women who started ActionCOACH businesses – She felt more comfortable once she heard how other mums (and dads too) had struggled to spend quality time with their children when they had and our product, and this ultimately makes QuoteOnSite and us the best it can be.
creative thinking innovative designs
B81 Designs
hello@b81designs.com
www.b81designs.com
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Top ten time management tips for parentpreneurs As a parentpreneur, you’re juggling various personal and business tasks throughout your week. A key skill for any entrepreneur is time management. Not just being on time or meeting deadlines, but managing your time to get the maximum benefit from your working day/week. Here are my top tips to help you use your time more effectively:
#1
Keep a diary or calendar. Keeping a diary of your appointments, both business and personal can help to ensure you don’t miss those important events. Whether you use paper, electronic or both is up to you, but be sure the format works for you, keep it up to date and accessible.
#2
Start every project with a plan. A project plan is a great way to stay on track. What do you want to achieve, when and how? List each action with a deadline and review it regularly. This will help you stay focused. You can adjust the plan as required.
#3
Prioritise. Urgent, important and necessary! What takes priority today, this week, this month? Of course, this may change, but when planning your day, week or project, decide what actions/tasks take priority, highlight and work through them one action/task at a time.
#4
Prepare for each action/task well. Each action will have its own tasks, so allow time for each individual task within each action. Be realistic. Writing a report will require research, data, a template etc. Each element is a task in itself.
#5
Work on real-time.
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If you are attending a meeting at 2pm for 1 hour and you need 40 minutes to travel time there and back. Your meeting isn’t 1 hour, it’s 1 hour and 40 minutes! Add time for updating your notes after the meeting too if needed.
#6
#10
Take a break.
Review and reflect.
Serena Nalty-Coombs
Some actions can be physically/ mentally demanding. Take time out. Do something fun or social for 30 minutes, grab lunch with a friend, watch a quirky video clip or read a gossip magazine.
Take time to review the way you work regularly. What worked well 6 months ago may not be as productive now. You and your business will be evolving all the time. Schedule a review of your business and stay on point.
www.snmanagement.co.uk
#7
Be flexible. Be ready to adjust if something isn’t working out. If you’re not in the mood, you realise you have left something important out, or you are called away, it’s okay to reschedule or change the plan.
#8
Use tools. There are some great software tools out there. Researching and learning may take some time initially, but, once you’ve done it, the time you save is invaluable.
#9
Ask for help. It is not always easy to ask for help. Recognise your strengths and weaknesses. Be aware of where your time could be better spent. You could free up time by outsourcing some of these tasks.
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In Conversation with Bhavini Lakhani, Graphic Designer Ever since she was young, Bhavini always had an interest in creativity and colour. She did an art foundation course, and it was then that she knew she wanted to do graphic design as a career, and she went on to study Visual Communications at university. After several years working at design agencies, and at larger corporates as an in-house designer, Bhavini went freelance 8 years ago something she never thought she would do. Bhavini has two daughters aged 8 and 6, and her working hours are based around them being at school.
Tell us about how you got started as a freelance graphic designer? Let me start by saying I NEVER wanted to be self-employed. I wanted the stability and safety of a job a regular monthly income from a 9-5!! I got started as a freelance graphic designer 8 years ago, and although it’s been a rollercoaster of a journey (still is, to be honest!), it’s definitely one of the best decisions I ever made. In 2010 I was working for a digital marketing agency in London when I went on maternity leave. My eldest daughter was born in October that year, and I loved spending time at home with her during my maternity leave. As the time to return to work got closer, I had a couple of KIT days, and my role as a graphic designer was phased out. I was given two options:
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1. Return to work as a web designer, (working every day 9-2 with an hours commute each way) with all and any training provided
2. Take voluntary redundancy
Web design is a completely different ball game, and something that I have never been interested in and I still feel that way. My passion lies with branding and design for print, it always has done, and I don’t think that will ever change. I made the decision quite easily, to be honest - I didn’t want to miss out on time with my baby for a job I didn’t love. I took the redundancy with the idea that I would start looking for more flexible employment closer to home. Once I’d made that decision, I started job hunting but a week or so later a friend who I worked with previously asked if I would take on some freelance work for the company she was currently working for. My initial reaction was ‘sure, that would be really helpful while I’m still looking for a
job’. I already had a MacBook Pro, and all the software I needed, so taking the freelance work didn’t require any investment as such. The only thing I had to do was find a nursery for my daughter to go to part-time, and that was the hardest part! I thought this project would just be a one-off, a bit of a stop-gap until I found a flexible job I couldn’t have been more wrong!
Through word of mouth, I kept getting asked if I wanted to take on other freelance design projects, and it just worked perfectly for me a job I love and time with my baby, and for me, that was winning! 8 years on, and I think being self-employed is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!
How do your values show up in the work you do? I work with so many different clients, and I really love the variety involved in what I do, every day is really different but what stays constant are the values I have and bring into each and every project I take on. There are so many things
that I value as a person, and those values have naturally become a part of my business and the way that I do things. But there are a few that have become core values, and they show up in every project I take on - not only in the work that I produce but also in the relationships that I have with my clients: Honesty and trust:
creative thinking innovative designs BRANDING
BUSINESS STATIONERY DESIGN
MARKETING DESIGN
ADVERTISING DESIGN
@b81designs
hello@b81designs.com www.b81designs.com
In a client and designer relationship, I think that honesty and trust are vital. I don’t want to work with someone who I feel isn’t being completely honest with me and so I ensure that I’m completely honest with all of my clients and potential clients. If I can’t do something, I’ll say so; if I can’t meet a deadline for any reason I’ll say so, and if I make a mistake I’ll own that mistake and be honest about it. Everyone who works with me knows that I’ll always be honest with them about EVERYTHING! And in return, I expect the same from all of my clients and any suppliers that I work with.
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Quality and creativity:
Client satisfaction:
The quality of work makes a huge difference to any business - I don’t take a half baked approach to any of the work that I take on. My clients choose to work with me because they know the quality of the work I’ll produce for them and I’m not going to let them down. I aim to create unique pieces of work, whether that’s logos, brochures, or advertising.
The client needs to be happy! That’s the number 1 goal for each project I take on. Yes, I’ll listen to them and take on their brief and then create some great designs, and give them my opinion and advice but sometimes the client will go with a concept that wasn’t my first choice! And that’s ok because it means that my client is happy!
How do you spread the word about what you do? There are a few different ways that I spread the word about what I do, as I think using only one method to shout out about what I do won't work for me!! I’m in some really great social media groups, and I join in as many conversations as I can (not by selling my services - I hate that whole pressured selling thing!) but just generally being active on the groups, giving help and advice where I can.
I've also started going to some fantastic networking events in Milton Keynes - I'm typically a bit of an introvert so it took a while to find an event where I felt comfortable and confident. My friends and family, as well as existing or previous clients are always really happy to recommend me to anyone they know who is looking for a graphic designer to work with. I also use my website, and my social media pages to stay visible online - I'm currently focussing my efforts on Facebook and LinkedIn!
What are some of the challenges you have faced? One of the biggest challenges for me as a freelancer is how inconsistent work can sometimes be - I’ve had times where I haven’t got enough work on, and I’ve had times where I’ve got so much on with deadlines at the same time. But I’ve learned to use the quiet times to dedicate to working on my own stuff - things like new website, tax returns, social media content etc. Another challenge is getting people to realise why good design is an investment and shouldn’t be seen as something that won’t help their business. I’m really lucky that the clients who choose to work with me all see the value in what I do for them.
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How do you manage your time between family and business? Finding a good balance initially took a while! I think I’ve got it pretty good now. Both of my girls are at school, so the majority of my work is done while they’re at school. I spend the mornings with them, and once they’re at school, that’s when my work hat goes on. I pick them up at 3pm, and that’s when the work hat comes off, I spend the afternoon with the girls doing homework, sorting out dinner, going to the park etc… anything really! Once they’re asleep, I’m then spending time with my husband if he isn’t away for work. I’ve also made sure that I don’t do any work on the weekends - although it did take a while to get out of that habit!
Do you have a self-care routine? My self-care routine is only about a year old, and I absolutely love it! In July 2018, I signed up to a 6-week group exercise programme - I wanted to shift a bit of weight and just do something for myself. At the end of the 6 weeks, I was hooked my personal trainer had introduced us to weight lifting, and although I NEVER imagined doing something like that, I instantly fell in love with it. I now train with my PT 3 mornings a week, and we focus on weight lifting more than cardio. I love the fact that I have time for myself 3 mornings a week, lifting heavy weights helps relieve any
work stress that I might be feeling and helps me focus on something completely different - I’ve found it a great way to switch off!
What advice would you give to a parent who wants to start freelancing? Take a leap of faith and do it! Otherwise, you’ll always wonder what if…I don’t think there’s ever a perfect time to start freelancing but if it’s what you really want to do it’s worth taking that leap. Make sure you have your branding set up - the way that your business looks visually really matters so work with a designer to set this up, even if you do it as a skill swap! Have a website and social media presence - it’s really important to look professional right from the start.
I’m open to any type of music really, but I mostly listen to R&B, hip hop, soul, Indian/Bollywood music, 80’s and 90’s classics When I’m feeling stuck in a rut, or I need inspiration, I find that going out for a walk does wonders - we live near some beautiful lakes and walking around any of those (doesn’t matter what the weather is like) is really inspiring. Travelling also inspires me - I love exploring new cities in the UK as well as other countries. Design is so different across the globe, and it’s so great seeing what others in the industry create. Bhavini Lakhani Graphic Designer www.b81designs.com
And finally, regardless of the industry you work in, always value your worth and accept nothing less. It’s really easy to start out by undercutting yourself (I know because I did it at the very start of my freelancing journey), but I think this only leads to headaches further on in the business.
Who or what inspires you? Firstly - my girls. Over the last year or so, their creativity has really shone, and I feel inspired watching them paint and draw. They see the world in such a great way that it’s hard not to feel inspired around them! Music - I work so much better with music on in the background.
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Coping with the first term of school I am a psychotherapist who specialises in grief and loss, and loss shows up in many ways in my consulting room. As a bereavement, or a relationship breakdown, or a diagnosis of illness, for instance. At this time of year, however, many parents feel a loss as their child goes to school for the first time. That may be the very first time, so going to nursery or infant school. Or it can be your baby going to ‘big school’, starting secondary school – full of much bigger, more confident kids who know their way around and seem to tower over your little one on the first morning! Children learn how to make sense of and manage their emotions from their parents. It is, of course, usual to be sad that your
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child is going to school, but it can be upsetting and confusing for a child if the parent is very distressed. If you are upset, tell your child that you are very proud of them, that you will miss them during the day, but that you know they will be having a good time learning lots of new things and meeting new friends.
Encourage your child to talk about how they are feeling about going to school, whether that is going to school for the first time, or changing schools for older children. It can be helpful for them to have their anxiety acknowledged, but do also ask them what they are looking forward to. Children often like to be able to picture what is going to happen. It can help to be clear about what will happen at the beginning and end of their first school day – who will be taking them, who will collect them, where they will find the person who is taking them home.
If you are lucky enough to be able to collect your child from school, it can be very tempting to ask lots of questions about their day and what happened. Try to ask open questions and allow them to tell you what was important to them. Remember that they are likely to be tired after the first day, perhaps have a treat for them to eat when they get in.
After all, there are some benefits for you when your child starts school! Adrienne Kirk www.adriennekirk.london
Importantly, you will also have some time for yourself. Rather than sitting fretting about what is happening at the school, do something for yourself, and enjoy some adult time.
School mornings can be very stressful and busy! I would advise being as organised as you can the evening before, get your child involved in laying out their clothes for the morning, putting their school bag together with pens, pencils, a ruler, a calculator and whatever else the school suggest they bring. Not forgetting any games kit they may need. You can also slide a treat in for them to find once they are at school; a funky pen, or little notebook with a message written on the front page, or whatever you think your child might like to find and will find comforting in a new and strange place.
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In Conversation with Nicole Haynes Founder of MoChíc Events Nicole Haynes is a mother of two an 18-year-old and a 4-year-old. She has an HR degree and worked in HR for 14 years. Nicole started her business in September 2015, called MoChíc Events, after deciding to not go back to working in the corporate field, as she wanted a new challenge and wanted to be able to build a business around raising her children.
Tell us about your business how did you come up with the idea of MoChic Events? MoChíc Events is a Wedding and Event Planning business, which provides services to couples who are planning their own Wedding but who need a Wedding professional’s hand to bring all of the elements of their special day together. MoChíc Events also provides event planning and event management services to both private and corporate clients, which range from Engagement celebrations, Birthday celebrations, Team Building days, Office functions, Christmas Parties to name a few.
How do your values show up in the work you do? Customer service is the first priority for me, from the moment I meet with a client and have a consultation, my values show up, as I ensure that the clients knows that everything I do from that point is for them. Every client and event is different, and I always put myself in my client's shoes and think about how I would like that event to be like, putting their
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vision into action. I am a person of principle; this means that my clients know they can rely on me for everything and that my word is my bond. The work that I do always has a little bit of me in it, this is evident from the style, the feel and the look of an event, as I love attention to detail and ensure that the little details are what make the biggest impact.
What are you’re biggest pain points that you have been dealing with in your business these days? One of the biggest pain points for me has been the financial challenges, that have been
unforeseeable at times as well as having to deal with a few health problems along the way.
What have been your proudest moments? Apart from having my two children and graduating, I would say my proudest moments in business, is being able to see an event through from conception to completion and seeing the clients joy on the day of their event, when they have seen their initial vision come through to execution on the day.
How do you manage your time between family and business? I decided to start my business the same year that I had my second child. One of the benefits of doing what I do is that I’m allowed to take my youngest child along to meetings and events with me. I also have the advantage of being able to run my business from home, which allows me to be able to manage my time effectively between family and business, which is a lot greater than when I used to work for a corporate organisation.
What would be your advice to a parent starting out in business? To go for it and to not let your fear of doing it, stop you from doing it. Seek the right advice
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and support in whichever industry area you are looking to start a business in and to speak to other parents who have started their own business too.
Who inspires you? My Grandparents have always been my inspiration, but in particular, my Grandmother. A Woman of faith, determination,
strength and courage, who has shown me that despite any challenges, so long as you have faith, you can achieve anything. Nicole Haynes www.mochicevents.co.uk
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Andrea is a mum of three who lives in London. A Hungarian national, she is married to an Italian, who she met while living in Amsterdam. Andrea is a keen gardener and a cook. She was just 21 when she left Hungary. She moved to the Netherlands as an au-pair to learn English, she was supposed to go back after 3 months, but she never did. As soon as her English was at a good level, she started to look for a job in business. Soon enough, Andrea joined KPMG. She really enjoyed working with an international team, so much so that she stayed there for four years. While she was working full time, she studied International Business and Management at the University of Amsterdam in the evenings. But she transferred to London in 2007 when her first child was born and completed the last year of her Business degree
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What inspired you to start your business? As a mum, it was difficult to progress in the corporate world. By the time I had my second child, my confidence was low, and I felt constantly guilty! Guilty that I was leaving the office early while everyone else was staying on and guilty for not being there for my children. I started to doubt my capabilities. After years in the corporate world and in a search for a more flexible working arrangement, I embarked on Digital Mums Advanced
Diploma in Strategic Social Media Marketing course in September 2017. After graduating in May 2018, I started my freelance social media business, Andrea Toth Social. I found that working as a freelancer suited my lifestyle, but it comes with struggles. I felt that I was online for 24 hours, and I could not switch off.
Tell us about your niche I’ve continued to develop myself, and I’m currently doing a 12 week Facebook advertising coaching programme with globally
renowned facebook ad specialist, Emma Van Heusen. I’m also learning about the importance of having the right mindset to grow my business. My intention was to find one client for the course, but I already have three very different international businesses. Once I graduate on the 12th September I’ll continue to develop my niche working with international businesses or with businesses who think beyond borders about where to go next.
in front of your exact target market and expand into new markets. You can also identify customers around the world who are similar to your best customers. You can hire me to run your ads for you, or you could ask me for 1:1, group and in-house training. I’ll work with you to develop bespoke training based on your current level of knowledge and your business needs. www.andreatothsocial.com
Facebook ads are one of the easiest ways to get your business
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How to go from saying “not right now” to having more quality time with your kids than ever before…! How many of you feel like “in a minute” is one of the things you say to your kid the most? Every parent I speak with says they want more time with their kids. That their child is growing up too fast. We all want more time, cuddles, laughs, kisses, but we all feel so busy! You never feel you have enough time. Being a parent in this culture of ‘busy’ is hell because healthy kids and healthy families NEED TIME! All this BUSY talk leaves us feeling like horrible parents a lot of the time. I decided to concentrate some effort on this issue… I personally wake up at 5 and go to bed at 10. That’s 17 hours a day I have awake. 17 hours? If I have that much time every day… I should surely have enough? I had always put myself down to being an incredible multi-tasker and also very focused individual. But then this happened:
I realised that if I was able to recuperate even half of the time I wasted on checking social media, I would feel a lot less busy. It made me wonder how many other areas of my life had this empty, mindless time. I went all in. I obsessed, tracking my time and for a few days in a notebook to see how I spent my time. Examples: I spent about 15 minutes per day chatting at the school gates. I spent 20 minutes per day, trolling for parking around the school.
THE MOBILE PHONE USAGE TRACKER
I spent a conservative 14 hours per week on food prep!
I was curious as my husband mentioned I looked at social media little but often. I, of course, wanted to prove him wrong but instead, I picked up my phone 64 times per day! I was in shock. And worst of all, my husband was right.
We need to stop letting time-wasting be a full-time job!!!
Before you make that next TO DO LIST, I invite you to make a NOT TO DO LIST. The Sacred Time Technique is a system we developed at Tribe Within where we take these time-wasting areas and automate, delegate or eliminate them. Think of 10 actions that you spend time on. Be honest! I wasn’t overly pleased to find that I was a social media addict, but if you aren’t honest you’ll get nowhere. Automate - for example, using Hootsuite for social media posts or getting the same groceries delivered automatically on the same day every week. Delegate - Maybe get a Robo Sweeper to take care of the dog hair. Perhaps share school runs with a neighbour instead of going every day. Eliminate - I eliminated chatting at the school gates, meeting up with negative people and social media scrolling! Being time-rich starts with this effort right now. Good luck with your “Not to Do List!” Sarah Appleby www.tribe-within.com
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Is this YOU? DO YOU WISH YOU FELT MORE SUPPORTED WHILE RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS? DO YOU FEEL ISOLATED WORKING ON YOUR OWN? The Parents in Biz Hub is an online community of parents who are running a business, it’s a supportive place where you will feel empowered and thrive. When you join as a member, you will benefit from workshops, masterclasses and have access to resources designed by industry experts.
Join here www.parentsinbiz.co.uk/pibhub
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