Mumpreneur Case Studies – Page 9

March 3, 2011March 7, 2011

I Started a Business With a Baby: Jo Fazel of Best Baby Shower

Hi, I’m Jo Fazel and I run www.bestbabyshower.co.uk, an online company that specialises in baby shower party supplies such as decorations, tableware, games, favours and gifts. I aim to be a totally comprehensive site where you can purchase everything you could possibly want when hosting or attending a baby shower so that you don’t have to spend hours shopping around.

I try to add extra value for my customers by offering a free baby shower guide to newsletter subscribers, giving lots of advice and tips on how to host a baby shower, the etiquette and history of baby showers plus lots of theme, recipe & game ideas. I also have a blog where I encourage ‘crafty’ guest writers to give mini tutorials on making various items that would be appropriate for a baby shower, so that customers can even make some of the things themselves if they wish.

Before I started the business I was an HR Manager for a TV production company in central London. I enjoyed it mostly except that HR always have the horrible tasks such as making redundancies and disciplinaries to carry out. When I got pregnant I fully anticipated taking the year off and then returning to my old job however once my daughter was born I started to see really quickly that it wasn’t a scenario that I was especially comfortable with. Apart from the fact that after huge childcare fees there wouldn’t be that much left over from my salary to make the long hours, cramped tube commute and lack of time with my daughter in any way worthwhile. Luckily the business was going through some change and it was an ideal time to approach them about an amicable exit from the business. So I managed to negotiate not returning and used the exit money to fund the new business. I had decided that if I was to do any work it would need to be something I could do from home and an internet business seemed logical.

…after huge childcare fees there wouldn’t be that much left over from my salary…

I was already so immersed in the world of babies that having a business that was also baby-related in some way made sense as well as I would have a real understanding of what my customers would be looking for. There were so many sites out there already selling baby items but hardly any where you could get baby shower party products, and almost nowhere that you could buy them on the average high street in the UK. I figured this would be a good time to get into a niche that was just starting to get popular and it grew from there.

I spent months and months researching and sorting out a website, suppliers & stock, legal matters and so forth. I incorporated the Limited company just as my year’s maternity leave ended and I started selling to the public about 6 months later. Since then I’ve gone on to have another little girl and my children are now coming up 4 (in March) and 2 (in May). A lot of the research and learning was done through laborious Google searches but I also found a lot of helpful information in places such as business link and invaluable support on forums like mumsclub.co.uk. I also bounced so many ideas off friends and family constantly – in fact it’s something I continue to do today as sometimes when you are surrounded by your business it’s difficult to see the wood for the trees and a fresh pair of eyes can pick up something you’ve overlooked.

Life is too short to regret not taking a chance.

I mostly manage my work around nap times and in the evenings when the children are asleep. When my eldest was 2 ½ she started 3 mornings a week at a local nursery which was great for her confidence and making friends. However I didn’t gain any extra time to run the business as I had also just given birth to my youngest daughter. It was hard at that point continuing to run the business and make orders up whilst looking after a newborn and a boisterous toddler on very little sleep but I never felt overwhelmed by it.

Looking back I’m not sure how I managed to do it but I think if you have enough passion for your business it becomes another ‘baby’ to you and so you just put in the hours because you can see through to the longer term. Now my youngest will be soon going off to the same nursery when she turns 2 although this time it will be for 5 mornings a week. For the first time since I started the business 3 years ago I will have a block of child-free hours each morning to get on with the business! I am very excited about what I can achieve with the extra time I’ll have, although I no doubt will still be working evenings and weekends to get everything done for some time to come!

Along the way there have been so many challenges including learning about websites & retail from scratch, teaching myself about product photography & editing, trying to find the right balance between family & the business and having to continue to run the business straight after giving birth to my second daughter. I don’t doubt that there are numerous challenges still to come but I look forward to them – part of the reason I set up the business in the first place was that I felt I would need the additional challenge that running a business would offer, so that I had something that made me feel like ‘me’ – a person in their own right and not just someone’s mummy.

If I could give any advice to a mum thinking about setting up her own business it would be to thoroughly investigate your idea first – talk to your friends and family and have a clear idea about what you are aiming to achieve and then go for it! Life is too short to regret not taking a chance.

February 16, 2011April 17, 2015

I Started a Business With A Toddler: Baby Signing Mummy Louise Gibbs

(Update….Congratulations to Louise who was married in April 2011 and is now Louise Lloyd!)

Baby Signing Mummy is a company that promotes communication and interaction with your baby using simple hand gestures – baby sign language. These hand gestures can allow a baby to start communicating with you before they are able to talk. This can help reduce frustration and allow a natural special bond between you. I run classes across the South East of England that are full of fun interaction, rhymes, songs and signs! It is a great way for mums and dads to learn something new and have fun with their baby.

I am by back background, a paediatric nurse with over 10 years experience. I have a BSc in Nursing Studies (Child) and am currently half way through my BSc in Advanced Practice. I have worked in a variety of settings including paediatric intensive care and more recently as a clinical nurse specialist in Children’s Allergy.

I went back to work full time when my daughter was only 6 months old. I worked full time for 3 and half years, running a matharon between London and a childminder and always feeling like I had to rush or I would be late. Christmas 2009 and this fully caught up with me, I was diagnosed with pneumonia and was in bed for weeks. My fiancee and I decided it was time to change our priorities and the idea that I had always had of starting my own baby signing business was revisted. I launched the website in February 2010. I worked full time until June 2010 in my nursing job and on Baby Signing Mummy outside of work. With the growth of the business I was able to reduce my hours and by the end of September 2010 I was able to leave my permanent nursing job and concentrate on Baby Signing Mummy full time.

I am now able to run my business completely around my family. Isabella is at preschool in the mornings so I schedule my classes for then, and then I get to spend some quality time with her in the afternoons – something I have never been able to do. I can then work in the evenings if I need too with admin and inquiries.

Having used baby sign language with my daughter three years previously, I had looked into starting my own business then but due to finances I wasn’t able to. When I re looked into the area I saw that there was still a lack of information for parents and I wanted to share my knowledge. This then snowballed and I was approached by parents asking me to teach them so I launched my own local classes and national online classes via Skype. I have now been able to launch the Baby Signing Mummy Method & Qualification and I am teaching others to be teachers of Baby Signing Mummy across the UK!

Training wise, I have been very lucky to have been taught Makaton and BSL during my Nursing degree and training, I knew that I knew the baby sign language, the information I was after however was on how to run a business. Having only ever worked for the NHS, the business part has been a steep learning curve for me. I have used networking groups and mentorship to help drive my business forward in the way that I want.

My advice – To do it. Anyone wondering whether to set up their own business – it is hard work but it is so rewarding – and nothing can beat being able to take and pick my daughter up from pre-school and watch her excited face when she realizes it is mummy collecting her today.

February 9, 2011February 8, 2011

I Started a Business With Toddlers: Michelle Williams of The Craft Ecademy

Tell us a little about your business

I run www.thecraftecademy.co.uk which offers a range of craft workshops aimed at helping other women to start their own craft-Business. My workshops include a growing series of Jewellery making, Life Casting and Ceramics Courses, which are typically held at my studio in Hampshire.

Due to the large number of enquiries I receive from overseas, I now also offer a series of ecourses which allows people to study with me any time, anywhere over the internet! This is proving very popular, even from people within the UK, who want to come on my courses, but can’t travel due to child-care issues.

What was your job before starting your business and what motivated you?

I spent 15 years in IT marketing in a job I had no passion, I was desperate for a change and started my Business initially as sideline.

As a single-parent of two active boys, my life was chaotic and I desperately needed more flexibility. I took the decision to abandon my job in IT to focus on the business full-time and I’ve never looked back. I wouldn’t swap the freedom and flexibility that running your own business offers with anything!

What do you enjoy most about running your own business?

The huge sense of personal satisfaction! Running your own business is a challenge – but an extremely rewarding one! No day is ever the same and you constantly learn new things. Most of all, as my business involves helping other women set up in business, I get a real buzz from helping other women realize their potential.

What were your challenges and how did you overcome them?

The highs are helping other women to fulfill their dreams and the lows are the inevitable problems that any business is likely to face along the way. However, I believe it’s important to learn from any problems that arise. I never view such obstacles as a reason to give up – but a chance to find solutions that will help improve the business and make it stronger.

How have you managed to stay on top of your career with the demands of motherhood while running a business?

Starting a business as a single-parent is not easy! However, I am lucky that I can tailor my working day to ensure I am always there to take my children to school and collect them at the end of each day. I would never want my status as a single-parent or business Woman to compromise these ideals. The downside has been many late nights and early starts to ensure I can fit the demands of the business around my Children.

If you could give one piece of advice to a mum of a baby or toddler starting a business, what would it be?

Everyone’s circumstances are different, but if I can do it as a single parent – then there is hope for everyone! I think it’s really down to attitude and how much you want something to succeed. However, it’s really important to have balance – to separate your home and business life and ensure you make time for your family.

February 4, 2011February 2, 2011

Starting a Social Enterprise: Siobhan Robertson of Trela

Many women starting out in business are motivated by more than just making money or even being able to work around their children. That means that a social enterprise could be a good choice for many mums starting out in business.

Here’s Business Link’s definition of a social enterprise…

A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.

Siobhan Robertson launched her social enterprise, Trela, just a couple of weeks ago on 10th January. Today Siobhan tells us about Trela and why she chose to start a social enterprise.

Tell us a little about Trela

Trela aims to bring creative people together to create, learn, network and source supplies. We also aim to work with the local community advancing the understanding of mental health issues and offering a way of using creativity to relieve stress.

Why did you start a social enterprise rather than a traditional business?

I started business as a graphic designer though have had the idea of Trela in the back of my mind for a long time. The plans have grown over the years and now I am finally at the point where I feel I am ready to go ahead with them. The ideas I have are all based on working with the community and after searching around I found out about social enterprises and realised that my idea fitted in with this business structure. It meant that I could do what I enjoy while making enough money to live on. I have suffered from fibromyalgia from a young age and this has made it very difficult for me to work full time out of the house. Working from home means that I can work when I feel up to it and around my daughter. She goes to nursery 3 days a week at the moment though I find myself working at night as well when she is in bed.

Is it harder to run a social enterprise? Or does it actually bring business benefits as well as social ones?

I would say it does bring business benefits. Having searched social enterprises I came across Firstport. They support social enterprises with free business advice and start up awards. I think being a social enterprise will bring more interest to the business as people will see that it isn’t another money grabbing scheme. It is a business set up that the community can get involved in and can really be a part of.

What would your advice be for a mum thinking of starting a social enterprise?

My advice for other mums looking in to setting up as a social enterprise would be to get in touch with Firstport or Business Link. Research is also a great help when you are making plans, looking at what other similar ideas have to offer and how they go about it. I have lists and lists of ideas that I am slowly working through. Take it a step at a time and you will get there.

If you’re a mum running a social enterprise I’d love to hear from you.

February 2, 2011January 27, 2011

I Started A Business With a Baby: Aimee Rogers of Revitalize Fitness

There aren’t all that many mums featured on Business Plus Baby who started their business when their child was still a baby. Most mums find their baby is a toddler before they get to launch their businesses (for very good reasons!) . Today we hear from Aimee Rogers of Revitalize Fitness who (unlike me!) was organised enough to plan her business while she was pregnant. We wish you loads of success in your new business and as a new mum, Aimee.

Tell us a little about your business

My business is personal training and physical activity provider/consultant.

What was your job before starting your business?

Physical Activity Referral Coordinator for Sheffield City Council (managing an exercise referral scheme to help people who have medical conditions to get more active in an attempt to improve their condition).

How did you go from your old career to your new business?

I am currently on maternity leave and will be made redundant from the council in March as a result of cost cutting.

What were your reasons for starting a business?

I have always wanted to be my own boss and start my own business, being made redundant/finances helped with my decision but also I’m able to manage my own hours to fit in around baby to reduce the cost of childcare in the future.

Did you use any childcare?

My baby is only 8 weeks old but i used the last half of my pregnancy to set up and “develop” the business, getting ideas down, registering etc. Now I work when baby sleeps or when he is having daddy time!

How did you get your business idea?

I have always worked in the fitness industry since leaving university and feel that my business is more of a hobby. I have spent a lot of time and money getting trained and qualified to the high level I am currently at and I didn’t want that to go to waste once i was made redundant. I also wanted to maintain something for me once the baby was here so i didn’t just end up being “mum” (as much as i love it!!!).

What were your challenges and how did you overcome them?

As yet I have haven’t really encountered many challenges. I imagine meetings/networking during the day will be problematic. I have two close friends who are also helping me out with delivering sessions and training clients which has been a great help. Once baby gets older I hope to have more input on the practical side but this will only help to expand the business and develop it further.

What training, information or advice did you need to get started?

I did a lot of research during my pregnancy (chilling out with a coffee and laptop!) and found websites such as business link yorkshire and the government websites a great help.

If you could give one piece of advice to a mum of a baby or toddler starting a business, what would it be?

Don’t feel guilty or let anyone make you feel guilty for starting a business and spending time developing it. I have developed my business to allow me to work from home and spend more time with my baby, however I still get the feeling that some people think less of me for developing my business while my baby is so young.