Bump to Business Owner

Erika Brodnik is a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, angel investor, author and mum of five. She is also super relatable, inspirational and committed to bringing other women and minority founders along on the entrepreneurial journey with her by showing that motherhood and multiple successful businesses are not mutually exclusive. I loved how broad ranging our conversation was, from The Refund Years™, to representation and diversity, parenting hacks to decacorns. But Erika also shared a lot of nuance which is often missing in our soundbite focused world. We talked a lot about what is keeping women, and minority groups, from becoming entrepreneurs: is it childcare, structural difficulties, the risk factor? We agreed that we've made a lot of progress, but still could only think of one British female unicorn (Erika is gunning for decacorn - I had never heard of it either, new ambition unlocked!) We have a choice about how we go about our business, and the impact we're making for those coming up behind us on the journey. Listen to the conversation, Erika is such a role model for founders. This is one of my favourite conversations so far. Resources mentioned HeartMath Breathing: https://www.heartmath.org/articles-of-the-heart/the-math-of-heartmath/heart-focused-breathing/ Takeaways Erica started her first business, Charisma Kids, to engage her children in offline play. The 'refund years' of parenting are particularly challenging as children become more independent. Agile Parenting helped Erica manage her family's dynamics and responsibilities. Empowering children through responsibility fosters teamwork and leadership skills. Erica believes in creating a supportive environment for future generations of women in business. It's important to represent diverse backgrounds in leadership roles. Erica aims to disprove stereotypes about women and minorities in business. Investing in others is a way to create change and opportunity. The journey of entrepreneurship can be lonely, but community support is vital. Erica's experience shows that progress is being made, but there's still work to do. Finding hope is essential for female founders. Childcare and infrastructure significantly impact women's entrepreneurship. Role models are crucial for inspiring future female founders. Navigating privilege can influence funding opportunities. Creating a supportive environment benefits everyone involved. Understanding your purpose is key to entrepreneurial success. Not all founders need to aim for unicorn status. Women should not see themselves as minorities in business. Building a network and strong team is essential for success. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Erica Brodnock 01:41 The Birth of Charisma Kids 06:37 Navigating Motherhood and Business 11:30 The Challenges of the Refund Years 16:11 Agile Parenting: A New Approach 17:22 Empowering Future Generations 22:31 Creating Change Through Investment 22:32 Finding Hope and Paying It Forward 23:29 Barriers for Female Founders 27:43 The Importance of Role Models 31:00 Navigating Privilege in Entrepreneurship 34:54 Creating a Win-Win Environment 39:44 Finding Joy in Motherhood and Entrepreneurship 41:20 Advice for Aspiring Female Founders Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Erika Brodnok Erica Brodnock, MBE is a serial founder and mother of five children. Erika has experienced firsthand the struggles of balancing her career with motherhood. Factor racism, sexism and maternity discrimination into the mix and Erica knows sometimes it can feel impossible. As a co-founder and CEO of KinHub, a people performance platform that upskills employees on subjects such as mental health, neurodiversity and the menopause to increase awareness and team cohesion, Erica believes in creating a fairer workplace for everyone: People who create technology are creating the future. But right now that is leaving people who look like her out of the equation. By improving and supporting diversity in the workplace, we can change how this looks and create a more inclusive and equitable future. KineHub and its founders have been recognised across the media, including Sifted, Forbes and TechCrunch. Erika Brodnok's Links: Website: https://www.kinhub.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikabrodnock/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/er11bee/

I've been spending too much time on Threads. Over there, I'm seeing more and more the narrative that mums can work from home full time AND be full time carers for their kids. And I just don't think it can work. I'm sharing exactly what childcare and support I had while setting up and running my business, because I don't want anyone to think that I was 'doing it all'. I very much wasn't. I can totally see why this narrative is so tempting: childcare is laughably, tragically, expensive in the UK. That's why I think it's so important that we're all honest about exactly what help we're getting (and how we're financing it) so we're not perpetuating unhealthy, idealistic narratives that aren't helping anyone. And definitely aren't aimed at dads. Funny that. Takeaways Childcare challenges are a common struggle for business owners. The narrative of 'doing it all' can be harmful to mothers. Motherhood should be respected as a full-time job. It's important to seek help and build a support system. Not all mothers can work during nap times or evenings. Childcare costs are a significant burden for families. Real success stories in balancing work and motherhood are needed. Building a business requires a clear focus on growth. Mothers should not feel pressured to conform to unrealistic standards. Better childcare options are essential for future generations. Resources David Lloyd Gyms: https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/ Bubble App: https://joinbubble.com/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

Where were Nugget Savings when I was preparing for mat leave?! After launching a year ago, Nugget Savings has become a vital resource for would-be parents as they save and prepare for leave. If that's you, or someone you know, listen in and share! Stay til the end to hear Harriet and Katie's top 3 tips for self-employed maternity leave. This was a really wide ranging conversation, from how Katie and Harriet have created such growth on their social platforms (100k on both IG and TikTok within a year!) to how they handle online trolling and misogyny. From Katie's NICU experience and her changing identity as she became a mother to more wider changes attitudes of and towards women and mums. Katie and Harriet offered their advice on how to negotiate your mat (or paternity) leave deal - I wish I had done this when I was employed, but honestly it never even crossed my mind! Perhaps most importantly, they shared their thoughts on how we can support each other more, as mums and not mums. And of course, we ended with what brings them each joy (and the correct response to a compliment). Resources mentioned bCreator Awards: https://www.bcreator.co.uk/ Turn 2 Us benefits calculator: https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/ Nugget Savings, NugBase: https://www.nuggetsavings.com/submityourpolicy Takeaways How Harriet and Katie met and created Nugget Savings How they grew their social media accounts, Instagram and TikTok to 100k on each platform within a year of launching The lack of education and incorrect assumptions around maternity leave Their advice for financial planning for future parenthood Katie's experience of NICU and motherhood while running 2 businesses Structural inequality that women and mothers face at work and in the home Changing identity as a mother; having a business is a way of holding on to one's sense of self Why more parents should be negotiating their parental leave deal and how Dealing with negative feedback and misogyny online How we can support each other more as mums and not mums (dads need to be talking about this too!) Working for improved policies helps everyone, we shouldn't infight, we should be fighting the system together What brings Katie and Harriet joy (and the correct way to respond to a compliment!) Nugget Savings top 3 tips for self employed maternity leave Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Nugget Savings and Founders' Mission 05:02 The Journey of Building a Community Around Maternity Pay 10:07 The Importance of Transparency in Maternity Policies 14:52 Experiencing Misogyny and the Challenges of Motherhood 19:56 Navigating the Complexities of Maternity Leave 25:09 Negotiating Maternity Pay: Empowering Parents 29:57 Facing Criticism and Misogyny in the Business World 35:00 The Societal Shift Needed for Parental Support 40:10 Finding Joy Amidst the Challenges of Parenthood 45:07 Top Tips for Self-Employed Parents Preparing for Maternity Leave Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Nugget Savings Harriet Morton Liddle and Kate Guild are the founders of Nugget Savings. They are two incredible founders on a mission to completely shake up rental leave pay. Katie, having just navigated maternity leave as a self-employed mum, which as many of you know, comes with its own set of challenges, is now in the thick of it of toddler life with her NICU baby. Harriet, currently single and child free, hopes to start a family someday, but is deeply passionate about this cause. Together they're working to revolutionise maternity and paternity pay, not just in the UK, but globally, ensuring families are educated, financially prepared, and excited for the arrival of their little ones. Nugget Savings' Links: Website: https://www.nuggetsavings.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nugget-savings/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nuggetsavings/

A solo episode this week talking about a question I think all service (and probably product?!) business owners can relate to: Do You Take The Sales Call When You Have Your Kids? Obviously we all hope to have rock solid boundaries. But let's face it, there is always a bit of pressure, whether that's internal or external, that this could be our 'only chance' to make the sale. Listen to the episode for my take on this, and what I now see as a client red flag. There are so many factors at play with these decisions: Parenting stage Business stage Boundaries Mindset Transparency What 'doing a good job' looks and feels like for you I've taken a few different approaches to this over the years, with varying degrees of success. And varying definitions of success. Takeaways It's important to set boundaries when managing client calls. Personal experiences can shape how we handle business decisions. Transparency with clients about personal situations can foster understanding. Childcare challenges are common among business owners, especially mothers. Learning from past experiences can help improve future decision-making. Not every client will understand the challenges of parenting. It's okay to prioritise family time over business calls. Finding a balance between work and home life is an ongoing journey. Support from clients can make a significant difference in stressful situations. Self-kindness is crucial when navigating the complexities of business and parenting. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

This week's conversation is with the wonderful Petra Gatto, personal brand strategist, photographer and cancer survivor. If you know someone going through cancer treatment or in recovery, there's some really helpful advice and insights on how we can better support them. Or if you're in the cancer trenches, Petra has some wisdom on taking up space and communicating your needs. From marketeer, to international wedding planner, to personal brand strategist and photographer; Petra pivoted her career post-cancer as she connected to her teenage passion for photography and her purpose - empowering women and business owners. And of course, we spoke about Petra's experience of cancer, from diagnosis, to treatment, to the expectation that everything 'would go back to normal' when she was cancer free. How we can support loved ones through their cancer journey, and how to communicate your needs if you're going through it yourself. My main takeaway? Getting back to yourself post-trauma, takes time. Petra shares her new definition of self care, how she makes time for it, and of course, what brings her joy. Cancer support mentioned Supporting the Supporters https://supportingthesupporters.org/ Against Breast Cancer https://www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk/ Takeaways Petra's career journey, from marketing to international wedding planner to photographer and brand strategist What personal branding is and why it's so important for founders The challenges common to female founders in personal branding Petra's cancer diagnosis, treatment and the changes it made to her life and her perspectives Going back to what Petra loved as a teenager and her sense of purpose What self-care means post trauma, and why we should schedule it How important it is to give yourself time after trauma The vital role of support networks in Petra's cancer journey, and how we can better support our loved ones as they go through cancer How Petra's work life is structured completely differently post cancer Petra's sources of joy and how she makes time for them Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Petra Gatto's Journey 05:14 From Wedding Planner to Brand Strategist 07:09 Facing Cancer: A Life-Changing Diagnosis 09:13 The Role of Personal Branding 11:55 Building Confidence in Women Entrepreneurs 19:38 Navigating the Cancer Journey 23:29 The Importance of Support Networks 30:26 Communicating Needs During Recovery 35:51 Supporting the Supporters: An Event for Caregivers 38:19 The Impact of Cancer on Life and Career 41:36 Finding Joy and Purpose After Trauma 46:15 Conclusion and Resources for Support Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Petra Gatto Petra Gatto is a brand strategist, photographer and personal brand expert. As a photographer, Petra would see clients afraid to use their beautiful photos because they didn't know what to do with them. So thanks to her decades of experience as an entrepreneur and marketer, previously owning a global wedding agency for over 15 years. She knew why and worked with women to build their brand foundation, as well as gain clarity and confidence to be more visible, share their message and create more impact. We are releasing this podcast in Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Petra is generously sharing her story and experiences as well as highlighting how we can support those in their journey so we can be better colleagues, employers, friends or family members to them. Petra Gatto's Links: Website: https://petragatto.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-gatto/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra_gatto/

A solo episode from me today, talking about something I think (know?!) that we've all experienced at some point in our lives: imposter syndrome. Does it exist? How to recognise it How to manage it My personal experience of it, and how I distinguish imposter syndrome from other feelings of doubt or nerves. I am a firm believer in owning our successes as a way to bolster against imposter syndrome, but it's not foolproof. We've human, we're women, we're mums; imposter syndrome is almost a rite of passage. It's how we deal with it that counts. Takeaways Imposter syndrome is a common experience, especially among women. Studies show a significant percentage of women experience self-doubt. Personal experiences can shape our understanding of imposter syndrome. Over-preparation can be a symptom of imposter syndrome. It's important to differentiate between nerves and imposter syndrome. Owning your success is crucial to overcoming self-doubt. Your inner dialogue can be misleading; challenge negative thoughts. Community support is vital for those experiencing imposter syndrome. Professional help can provide valuable guidance and support. Embracing discomfort is part of personal growth. Chapters 00:00 Understanding Imposter Syndrome 03:02 Personal Reflections on Imposter Syndrome 06:09 Identifying Symptoms and Overcoming Challenges 09:01 The Role of Community and Support 11:49 Strategies for Managing Imposter Syndrome 14:48 Embracing Your Journey and Seeking Help Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

It's World Mental Health Day, and so I'm honoured to be talking with the wonderful Dr. Jo Carlile, a clinical psychologist and trauma specialist. Jo shares her experience of neurodivergency, being a new mum in Covid and her transition from a 15 year NHS career to private practice. As well as letting us in on her new role as Tech Founder with her upcoming mental health support platform, The Norm. Of course, mental health and trauma particularly in relation to motherhood was a huge topic of conversation, and it was great to hear Jo's perspective on the 'well/not well' false dichotomy that so often seems to be the attitude to mental health. As well as how she has 'designed a life that suits the way she's wired'. Which sounds like an absolute luxury, but is also sort of the point of being a business owner, right? We also bonded over being 'Boy Mums', if that's you, listen in for some sympathy, commiseration and tips. It's been a real revelation to me dealing with all the masculine energy in our house, truck fatigue is a real thing. Very comforting to hear I'm not alone and some advice on how Jo manages it herself. Right at the end of the conversation, Jo said the phrase 'it's self FULL not selfish' which I think should be the mantra of all mums/women/everyone everywhere. Takeaways Changing attitudes to neurodivergence and Jo's own journey with it Mums with ND just don't have the same capacity to mask their symptoms in the way they could pre kids Trauma - how we react to it, how it shapes us, and Covid Jo's experience of young motherhood in Covid The dangers of comparison: your story is your story Jo's transition from 15 years in the NHS to self employed after realising full time employment didn't match her new mothering life We're being more proactive with our mental health now Trauma and PTSD for mums Getting to know your 'mothering self' Being a 'Boy Mum' How Jo looks after her brain and what brings her joy Jo's new tech platform to support mental health 'The Norm' Reframing selfish to self FULL Resources Noise cancelling earbuds: https://www.loopearplugs.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Jo Carlisle 02:23 Jo's Journey into Psychology 05:56 Understanding Neurodiversity and Motherhood 10:00 The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health 15:30 Transitioning from NHS to Private Practice 22:30 The Importance of Proactive Mental Health Care 24:01 Exploring EMDR Therapy 29:45 The Need for Comprehensive Support for New Mothers 34:05 Navigating the Challenges of Raising Boys 44:08 Finding Joy in Motherhood 49:01 Introducing the Tech Platform: The Norm 56:33 Final Thoughts on Mental Health Support Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Dr Jo Carlile Dr. Jo Carlile, BPS Chartered Clinical Psychologist, Trauma and Neurodiversity Specialist and Mother of Two. Jo is the woman behind the scenes disrupting the culture of mental health. Previously an NHS Senior Clinical Consultant Specialist in Neurodiversity, Jo was supporting children, families and adults presenting with a variety of issues, or needing to support to improve their mental wellbeing. Jo is now the founder of Carlile Psychology, a service that provides individuals and businesses with specialist psychology support, supporting employees, founders, and businesses championing the ND perspective and supporting companies to create inclusive environments. And on top of all of this, she is soon to be a tech founder. Dr Jo Carlile's Links: Website: https://www.carlilepsychology.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjocarlile/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlilepsychology/ Instagram (The Norm): https://www.instagram.com/welcome_to_the_norm/

Vix Meldrew went from overworked and stressed out teacher to content creator, releasing an online membership and courses before that was even a thing. As a big believer in business mirroring life, Vix took her business next level, while also undergoing IVF. We talk about her experience of IVF, how she planned her business to work around it, and her business planning and content scheduling for maternity leave (Vix gives lots of detail on this, so if this is you, definitely be prepared to make some notes!) We talked about Mum Guilt, the judgement we can feel from the mum community and whether 'work at home' as a full time mum is ever a workable solution; the positives and negatives of the online service world, what makes someone a successful business owner, and whether passive income can ever really be 'a thing'. Listen in for: Vix's career trajectory from teaching to content creation to online courses Her IVF experience and how she worked her business around it Business planning for mat leave Mum judgement, 'Work at home' motherhood Content planning for mat leave Pros and Cons of the online service world What makes someone a good business owner Can passive income ever work? Resources Human Design: https://www.myhumandesign.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Vix Meldrew and Her Journey 03:08 Transitioning from Teaching to Online Business 06:01 The Evolution of Vix's Business Model 08:57 Navigating Motherhood and Business Ownership 12:02 The Impact of IVF on Business and Life 14:57 Planning for Maternity Leave 17:56 Finding Joy in Small Moments 20:56 The Reality of Balancing Work and Parenting 23:59 The Challenges of Online Business 26:56 The Importance of Community and Support 30:00 The Myth of Passive Income 32:59 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Vix Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Vix Meldrew Vix Meldrew is an online educator, coach, and founder of a thriving membership community with a background in influencer marketing and over eight years of teaching experience. Vix has helped more than 7 ,000 students and 350 course creators refine their curriculum to drive real results. Known for her practical approach and expertise in scaling group programs, Vix is on a mission to empower coaches and course creators to build impactful, sustainable solutions. Then, this last year, Vix embarked on her new role of motherhood and finding out what business ownership would be like for her during this season. Vix Meldrew's Links: Website: https://vixmeldrew.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vix-meldrew-59b341123/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vixmeldrew/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@vixmeldrew

Bump to Business Owner is BACK! Caroline opens Season 4 with a solo episode talking about burnout. We all experience it, especially as business owners and mums, and here Caroline unpacks her previous run in with extreme burnout, and how she was able to step back from the brink after a total stranger flagged that she might be in danger of burning out again. Caroline reflects on the signs of burnout she recognised in herself and her team, the importance of taking breaks, and the need to prioritise joy in life to prevent burnout. A theme for this season is joy. Finding our own joy as mums can sometimes be a challenge, we focus so much on our kids and the people around us, so Caroline will be asking guests every week to share their sources of joy. Your homework for this week/season is to explore what brings you joy as a means of self-care and balance. Takeaways Part of being a business owner and podcaster is testing and learning publicly My toxic trait and how it can lead to burnout Burnout is a common issue among business owners and is probably the base state for a lot of mums out there Prioritising rest is essential for mental and physical health How to recognise the signs of burnout to help prevent it Community support is vital for founders Finding joy in daily life is key to combat burnout - Caroline shares some of her joy sources Balancing work and personal life is crucial for your well-being Setting realistic goals can help manage expectations Chapters 00:00 Understanding Burnout: Caroline's Journey 08:39 Recognising the Signs of Burnout 12:41 The Importance of Joy in Preventing Burnout Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

Bump to Business Owner is the go-to podcast for mums who don't want to compromise on their careers but know that traditional full time employment just isn't compatible with family life. It's a space for female entrepreneurs and future founders creating autonomy and a deeper sense of purpose for themselves, their business and their children. Join your host, Caroline Marshall, founder of award winning Virtual Assistant agency Upsource and mum of two boys, in conversation with real women: mothers and entrepreneurs juggling the challenges of growing a successful business whilst raising a family. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

"If I can buy lawn mowers and hedge trimmers, why can't I buy vibrators" Season 3 is going out with a bang! Mikaela Jones went from buyer at Homebase to launching her own sexual wellness brand, Pleasure Gap. Knowing that she wanted to start her own business, Mikaela did an inventory of what she was passionate about, and sexual wellness for women came out on top (pun intended). For Mikaela, her business was a way of finding her way back to herself post kids, not only in terms of career, but as a woman. We're under a lot of pressure and expectation at the best of times as women and mums, but when it comes to sex, it can be a lot. Mikaela is such a joy to speak to; open, positive and realistic. Her message for me is, 'we're all experiencing the same things' so let's talk about them, with our partners, friends, health visitors, doctors, whoever we need to. The way to move through any shame we might have about our sex lives is to share it. But, as she discusses, it's not easy. Marketing, especially on social media is hard when you're talking about sex and especially female pleasure. Even getting a business bank account was difficult, because of the industry Mikaela is in. The whole conversation is really eye opening, I hope you enjoy it! Mikaela has also kindly shared with us a 15% discount code for Pleasure Gap HQ. Just use code bump15 at checkout, enjoy! Listen in for: Mikaela's transition from buying for womenswear and Homebase to buying for her own brand Mikaela's passion for, and purpose behind, Pleasure Gap Why the industry needs updating and modernising Why society's narratives around sex and pleasure need to change The pressure and expectations that women and especially new mums face when it comes to sex Self pleasure is a huge part of our sexual wellness and connecting with ourselves, and advocating for ourselves in partnered sex The challenges Mikaela faces as a business in social media marketing, getting bank accounts etc Censorship of female centred pleasure We're all experiencing the same things when it comes to sex, especially if we're in the same life phases How the business was a way of Mikaela finding herself again post kids Advice for mums to be more open in their communication about sex Resources: Dr Karen Gurney: https://www.instagram.com/thesexdoctor/ Sex with Emily: https://sexwithemily.com/ Gottman Institute: https://www.gottman.com/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Mikaela Jones Mikaela Jones, mother and Founder of Pleasure Gap Pleasure Gap is your bff with all the insider goss on sex, sexual wellness & self-care. They promise to bring you the very best pleasure toys from across the planet and all the tips & tricks to level-up your self-pleasure game. Pleasure Gap's goal is to bring a crew of passionate experts, from sexologists to psychologists to bring you all the need to know info - you're in super safe hands. And if this doesn't draw you in all ready - Mikaela talks about the gap. We've had the career gap, finance/pension gap, health gap and today I am sure we will talk about the O gap. 95% of heterosexual men reported usually or always orgasming when sexually intimate. while 86% of lesbian women and only 65% of heterosexual women said the same. I for one am fascinated by Mikaela's career path from Homebase to sexual wellness. Mikaela Jones's Links: Website: https://pleasuregap.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pleasuregap_hq/ LinkedIn (Mikaela): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikaelajones/ LinkedIn (Pleasure Gap): https://www.linkedin.com/company/pleasuregap/

Gemma Bray started cleaning obsessively as a way to manage her anxiety after the birth of her first child. Some years later, when Gemma was a stay at home mum, he dared her to take her cleaning onto Instagram and The Organised Mum was born! I can really relate to Gemma's need to control something in the early days of motherhood. For me, it was my red lipstick and my business, for her, it was her home. I think we're all victims of the rose tinted spectacles that are applied to pregnancy and motherhood by social media and society, and the reality can be very anxiety-inducing when there's so much change and, let's face it, babies are chaos. Gemma is very self-depreciating; she calls herself 'a bad business person' because she hasn't got a strong strategy, but she bases her decisions and launches on intuition, which shouldn't be underestimated! She's also really honest - building her community took a lot of time, being online can be tough, a 20 second TiKTok can take 2 hours to create, and launching her app was 'a nightmare' but as Gemma says, 'you're either doing it, or you're not'. There's some great, practical advice in this conversation, and a real insight into an independent values led business. We finished on how to create and maintain a cleaning habit, you know I love to talk habits, and Gemma has some amazing insight on this! Listen in for: Why Gemma moved away from being a doula The rose tinted glasses that coloured Gemma's expectations of pregnancy and motherhood and the reality How Gemma channelled her anxiety into cleaning after the birth of her first child Being a stay at home mum Building a community - it's a lot of work and takes a long time! How Gemma monetizes her IG community How Gemma makes business decisions Starting TOM app Learning to separate business from one's identity Developing a thicker skin and the rights of passage of being online How you do it - outsourcing, where Gemma spends her time, leaning into skills Gemma's tip for creating and maintaining a cleaning habit Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Gemma Bray Gemma Bray is a Sunday Times Best Selling author, creator of The Organised Mum Method and, of course, a mother. As an overwhelmed new mum, Gemma found her anxiety manifesting in hours of cleaning each day. This constant battle for control amidst the chaos of family life, led to a breakthrough moment: things just couldn't go on in this way. Sitting at the kitchen table she'd already cleaned twice that morning, Gemma mapped out each and every household task, and devised a plan that would keep her home organised in just thirty minutes each day. No more never-ending to-do lists. No more panic at the sound of an unexpected doorbell. And no more weekend cleaning whatsoever. The Organised Mum Method is beautifully simple. With a best-selling app, and best-selling books, to her name, Gemma, also known as The Organised Mum, is making a real difference to the lives of parents around the world. Freeing you from the overwhelm, one load of washing and sticky placemat at a time. Gemma Bray's Links: Website: https://theorganisedmum.com/ App: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/the-organised-mum/id1427750529 Instagram (TOM): https://www.instagram.com/the_organised_mum/ Instagram (Gemma): https://www.instagram.com/gemma__bray/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theorganisedmum

For Claire Gleave, running was a way of getting some headspace, away from being a full time mum. It also gave her a business idea: activewear for pregnancy and beyond. Having taken voluntary redundancy after her second mat leave, Claire was focused on her family. I think we can all relate to her feeling of 'being sold a lie' when it comes to working and raising a family and 'having it all'. But when her second was preparing to start school, Claire decided it was the right time to work on her business, Natal Active. We spoke about some great and practical details of launching a business: how Claire financed hers without investment rounds; how a partnership with a household name isn't necessarily a great model for an independent business, PR and celebrity endorsements and charity partnerships. But we also spoke about the more emotional side of business, the pressure we can feel as founders to be a huge success, even when that's not necessarily the right thing for us and our families, and how Claire has created a business that suits her and what she wants from her lifestyle. We finish with 3 tips for starting a clothing brand, so if that's you right now, make sure you stay to the end. Listen in for: Claire's career pre-babies and why she took voluntary redundancy after her second mat leave Being a full time mum. Choice is a privilege Keeping something for yourself as a mum We've been sold a lie The idea for Natal Active and the right time for it Making a lot of mistakes and wasting a lot of money on the way! How Claire financed Natal Active The Covid effect Her John Lewis partnership and whether it's the right model for a small business PR and celebrity leverage How Claire makes her business work for her, structure, in-house v outsourcing Being a lifestyle business Charity partnerships 3 tips for starting a clothing brand Resources Dept of International Trade: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-trade Shopify Capital: https://www.shopify.com/lending/capital Kickscount: www.kickscount.org.uk CoppaFeel!: https://coppafeel.org/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Claire Gleave Claire Gleave, Founder of Natal Active and boy mum of three! After three pregnancies wearing her husband's t-shirts on runs, and then breastfeeding three babies while trying to wrestle her boobs out of uncomfortable sports bras, Claire had had enough. She was sick of looking a mess and being uncomfortable, and on realising she couldn't be the only mum out there feeling the same, the Natal Active range became baby number 4… Launching an activewear brand for pre and postnatal mums in the middle of the pandemic, while home-schooling her three boys, was not part of the business plan Claire had embarked on when she realised her dreams in 2020. From winning awards, being stocked in some major retailers like John Lewis, to being the celebrity (and even royal!) mum's workout gear of choice and achieving the huge milestone of 25000 sales earlier this year Claire Gleave's Links: Website: https://www.natalactive.com/ Instagram (Natal Active): https://www.instagram.com/natalactive/ Instagram (Claire): https://www.instagram.com/claire_natalactive/ LinkedIn (Natal Active): https://www.linkedin.com/company/natal-active/ LinkedIn (Claire): https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairesymonds/

How will I feel about this situation in 5 years time? I love this question from Kate Kurdziej, founder of Olivier Consultancy. Whether it was deciding to leave a toxic job in the early days of pregnancy, or leaving behind the lifelong dream of moving to France, it guided her to where she is now. Kate had a difficult birth, and found the transition to motherhood uncomfortable, for a long time, she fought the change in her identity. After some time, and some counselling, Kate was able to reframe her change in priorities but her business was an important part of her 'self'. And as she and the business have grown, she's worked out what is right for her, and put in firm foundations to create a working week that suits her family and her priorities. If you're thinking about moving abroad, Kate has some great tips for you as someone who has moved country twice. Listen in for: Quitting her toxic job when Kate was 3 months pregnant to prioritise her and her baby's health and wellbeing Asking yourself "how will I feel about this situation in 5 years time" as a guiding light Kate's difficult birth experience, her struggle with early mumhood and Covid, and how important it is to talk about these things, especially as a business owner, when people only ever see one side of you Having a baby completely changes your identity, you can fight it, or reframe it How long it took Kate to feel like "herself" again We always need something that is 'just for us' as mums, could be a business, hobbies whatever works for you Rediscovering ourselves as mums and learning about who we are now How your biggest revenue year isn't always positive; restructuring your business to make it work for you What Kate's working week looks like, and the time it has taken to build the foundations to make that possible Kate's move to France to fulfil a lifelong dream, realising that it wasn't for her and what that meant and her move to Spain Kate's tips for people wanting to move abroad Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Kate Kurdziej Kate Kurdziej, mum of one and founder of Olivier Consultancy. One for our service based business owners today! Kate is a seasoned business consultant, on a mission to help service providers to build a freedom-fuelled business that truly gives a work-life balance. Built on her belief businesses should be simple and lean, where you can make the most money and take more time off- life is for living after all. In 2020, at the height of lockdown and with a newborn baby on her hip, Kate took the plunge and founded her own venture, driven by a vision of spending as much time with her family but still earning great money. She succeeded and in 2021, her journey led her to her lifelong dream of moving across the Channel to the picturesque landscapes of south-west France with her family. Continuing to build a fantastic business (of course no business is without its challenges and hers was mixed with learnings of tricky clients, money worries and being the sole income earner for the family!) After 30 years of dreaming of moving to France, Kate realised it wasn't for her and so changed everything again and discovered their new home in Spain. Kate's journey from the corridors of corporate power to the frontiers of entrepreneurship will inspire many on this podcast. Kate Kurdziej's Links: Website: https://olivier-consultancy.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivierconsultancy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-kurdziej/

Trigger warning: this episode discusses endometriosis, fertility, IVF, miscarriage, birth trauma and PTSD, so if it's not the right time for you, please listen to an episode from the archive. Martha Keith founded Martha Brook two years into her fertility journey, having decided a stressful unfulfilling corporate career was perhaps not conducive to starting a family. Her award winning stationery business has gone from strength to strength, but Martha's journey to 2 daughters has been difficult and long. Endometriosis, IVF, a traumatic birth and PTSD all feature, but ultimately, Martha's story is a hopeful one. If she can come through all of this with a sense of humour, a beautiful family and a successful business, we can too. Yesterday was PTSD Awareness Day; 30,000 women a year experience trauma after birth, and yet Martha and I both felt 'silly' for our diagnosis. We didn't think it happened to mums, only to war veterans. Conversations like this one are important, so more mums know that they are not alone in what they are going through and that they can come out the other side. Another thing that Martha and I have in common is how positive an influence we found our businesses. When everything else was a bit of a mess, it was soothing and hopeful to be able to channel our energy into something productive and positive, dare I say, controllable. I think this is true of every mum/business owner; it's important to have something outside family life that connects you with that other side of yourself. Listen in for: How important it is for people to talk more about their experiences, how "silly" Martha felt saying she had PTSD from birth trauma, but if 30k women a year experience birth trauma, we need to recognise and talk about it more Entrepreneurship was never Martha's plan, but having achieved her corporate career ambitions she still wasn't fulfilled Martha's initial struggles to get pregnant and how they contributed to her change in career Martha's business journey, from a bootstrapping bedroom business to crowdfunding £250k The Australian Martha Brook offshoot: 'an experiment' Martha's 18 year journey to an endometriosis diagnosis The reality of IVF The isolation IVF and then PTSD brought Martha's PTSD journey and the healing process of having a second baby The Instamum community and 'doing it all' How positive it is for a business to give a sense of purpose outside family life Resources Martha mentioned: Pandas Foundation: https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/ EMDR Therapy: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22641-emdr-therapy Human Givens Therapy: https://www.humangivens.com/ Fertility Show: https://www.fertilityshow.co.uk/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Martha Keith Martha Keith is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer and business mentor who was awarded Great Britain's Consumer Goods Businesswoman of the Year 2023. In 2013 Martha quit her senior role in healthcare to found the award-winning personalised stationery company Martha Brook. As CEO, She has led the growth of the business into the feel-good global brand it is today, turning over more than £1m ARR. Martha is also a passionate Small business mentor and speaker - alongside her achievements she is also on the Advisory Council for the British Library, inputting into the work they do helping businesses innovate and grow, as well as their custodianship, research, culture and learning programmes. Martha also now helps and advise other businesses at different stages of their own growth journeys. Not only all of her incredible (and I mean incredible - who does not love Martha Brook stationary?! - especially my VA colleagues) career achievements Martha is also a mummy of two. Martha's story to motherhood includes endometriosis diagnosis, IVF and PTSD from birth trauma. Martha Keith's Links: Website: https://www.marthabrook.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marthabrookldn/ https://www.instagram.com/martha_keith/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-keith/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marthabrookldn/

Catherine Ann Reid founded her business, Doqit, because she found herself with a problem, and she wasn't the only one. But it took Covid for Doqit to become a viable business and a full time job. As a single mum, Catherine Ann has an amazing approach to work and fitting it around parenthood: quality over quantity. Balls were dropped, but tomorrow is always a new day. Catherine Ann's daughter has a very rare genetic condition, and her split from her partner when her daughter was 18 months meant that Catherine Ann was navigating complex health needs along with a lengthy divorce. She has some real wisdom and reassurance if you're navigating something similar. We also spoke to the way others perceive our situations, through their own lens rather than as a reflection of our reality; the undue responsibility apportioned to mums when things don't go 'to plan' and my least favourite phrase 'at least'. Catherine Ann shares her biggest business 'failures', her 3 tips for people looking to build a tech business and the importance of timing for founders. Listen in for: How Catherine Ann came to the idea for Doqit, getting to the Beta phase and not being for everyone How Covid changed the landscape for Doqit as a business Catherine Ann's career journey as a single mum with a child with a lot of needs and appointments: "quality over quantity" Dropping balls is inevitable, but tomorrow is a new day Reality v's perception when it comes to parenting and business Communication and finding your support system going through divorce, single parenthood and as a founder The 'blame' conversation and how often responsibility is directed towards mums rather than parents 'At least' - the worst phrase in the world Catherine Ann's biggest failures/learnings Finding your purpose, helping people rather than 'getting a proper job' Catherine Ann's 3 tips for people looking to build a tech solution business Timing and putting ideas 'in the fridge' Resources Catherine Ann mentioned: Emily Perl Kingsley, 'Welcome to Holland': https://www.emilyperlkingsley.com/welcome-to-holland Cohen Syndrome: http://www.cohensyndrome.org/ Canva:https://www.canva.com/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ Catherine Ann Reid's Links: Website: https://www.doqit.io/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doqithq/ LinkedIn (Catherine Ann): https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineannreid/ LinkedIn (Doqit): https://www.linkedin.com/company/doqit/

Like me, and a lot of mums I know, Charlie's transition from 'ambitious career woman' to 'mum' wasn't easy. And for both of us, maybe you too, it meant that we didn't enjoy those early mum days as much as we could have. We were too worried about other people's perceptions about our commitment and drive. Now, Charlie has really leant into motherhood - she says that it was 'owning' motherhood, investing in her relationships (everyone needs a sleepover club!) that made the difference. Charlie has achieved some amazing things, but is really honest about the journey. Partnerships with household names don't happen overnight! But, another mum with a mission, Babbu's purpose is their guiding light. If you're struggling with mum guilt, feeling judged for your parenting decisions, or you're starting a tech business with no tech experience, Charlie has some wisdom that you'll want to hear. Listen in for: Charlie's business journey up to Babbu. How personal it felt to close a business previously The entrepreneurial model set by both Charlie's parents (as I said on the pod, it's rare that we get a guest whose mum was also a business owner!) Why people start businesses, and which category Charlie falls into How pregnancy coloured her experience of being a business owner and vice versa The judgement Charlie felt as a mum for working, even though it was so important for her as an individual The Babbu experience - raising money, the Children in Need partnership How important it is to be honest about the journey when it can sometimes seem like everyone is an overnight success The mission and purpose with Babbu, how this guides partnerships and business decisions Mum guilt, 'balance' finding your tribe as a parent and investing in relationships Tips for launching a tech business with no tech experience Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Charlie Rosier: Charlie Rosier is passionate about advocating for children's mental health, family well-being, early years' education and gender equality. As the founder of Babbu, she is committed to delivering their mission - to connect the world's parents and give them the tools, resources and expertise to thrive. At time of recording this episode the Babbu app has been launched in partnership with Children in need during Mental Health awareness week. With the Babbu app they have unpacked decades of science and their own experiences as early years' teachers, to provide parents and caregivers with weekly personalised content, non-judgmental support and daily play ideas. Making parenting easier and more enjoyable. Prior to this Charlie Founded and led Cuckooz Nest, where she spearheaded innovation in childcare, creating a flexible, affordable alternative for working parents. All of this alongside mumhood. Charlie Rosier's Links: Website: https://babbu.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babbu_hq/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-rosier/

Rachel Carrell is an impressive woman: 3 kids, raised £14 million in funding rounds, and on a world changing mission to change the face of childcare. Something that Rachel has found, which I've heard a lot on the podcast, is the advantage of being a 'newbie' in an industry. I think we can often dismiss ideas because we don't have enough experience in the field, but that could be our strength. Rachel was also kind enough to share her 'ups and downs' in her career, from her time at McKinsey to starting Koru 'in the wrong place' and her subsequent 'embarrassment' at pivoting. If you're going into fundraising rounds, Rachel has some excellent mindset tips which could be invaluable. As well as proof of concept - how much we need good and flexible childcare! Taking your baby (and partner!) to fundraising meetings isn't for everyone, but that was her reality at the time. And now, in a post Covid WFH world, Rachel is no longer willing to make compromises on her family time. Listen in for Rachel's tips on how she manages a demanding business with 3 kids, and some really refreshing pictures of personal and business success. Rachel shares: Her strong mission for Koru Kids and the motivation that gives her; the attraction of tackling a problem no one else is working on The advantage of being naive as a founder, and how common it is in the founder journey Why it's so important to find your peer community How dysfunctional the childcare system is, the challenges that presents for Rachel's business as well as mums in general! Mistakes and career ups and downs The all important founder pivot, don't be embarrassed to change tack Rachel's experience of mat leave (zero!) and taking her partner and newborn to investor meetings The systemic problems and inequity in fundraising, and mindset tips for success Childcare as an industry is always underestimated, people (men!) don't realise how much potential there is in it The tiny details that matter as a business owner How Covid changed the way we all work and why you need to create a 'good' day to day for you, so your business is sustainable What success looks like for Rachel personally and for Koru Kids Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Rachel Carrell: Rachel Carrell is the Founder and CEO of KoruKids, building the world's best childcare service. She has been named 'Best Business Woman in Technology' at the 2017 Best Business Women awards, and also won the 'Inspirational Mother' award at the 2017 Inspiration awards. Previously the CEO of DrThom, a healthcare company which she grew to 1.3 million paying users in 3 countries. But like MANY of us who I am sure listening today who had a similar experience, it was only when Rachel had a baby – and her friends had babies – that she realised how difficult child care was. She also saw lots of female friends unable to go back to work, or making career choices they didn't really want to make, just because they couldn't find the right childcare. Rachel felt deeply that this was unfair, and bad for society - so Rachel made the change happen Quitting her job to found a business to help families find the right childcare so they can flourish. Childcare that creates awesome mini-humans, puts emotional wellbeing first, that's easy to arrange and doesn't cost the earth. Koru kids has raised an incredible £14.1 million and stands at a team of 60 people. Rachel Carrell's Links: Website: https://www.korukids.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellokorukids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/korukids/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachcarrell/

Becoming a mother is the ultimate creative act, and yet, when we become mothers our identities as creators, as individuals is often lost. Louise Webster is on a mission to connect mums, not only to themselves, but to the community and inspiration to drive us. For Louise, parenthood has not just been about raising kids, but about raising herself; uncovering new things and unlocking parts of herself that had been lost. Growth is a part of who we are, becoming a parent doesn't change that, if anything, it's an accelerator. If you're feeling a little lost, like you haven't found your mum or business tribe, like you're not sure what your next move should be, this episode is for you. Louise shares her experiences of navigating the changing demands of motherhood, timing for her business and how it related to her family, accessing her flow and finding her community and inspiration. Listen to the end for Louise's advice on how to find your purpose: take a daily step Listen in for: Starting her own agency in her early 30s as Louise recognised that motherhood and the corporate world weren't compatible Realising that her agency structure wasn't as flexible as she needed to combine with motherhood and deciding to sell it Returning to work after the birth of her daughter and seeing all the barriers that women face, and wanting to make lasting change for her daughter Parenting is not just about raising kids, it's about raising ourselves. Children teach us We need to grow, it's part of who we are, motherhood doesn't change that, it might just change the pace How important it is to access your flow Finding your community and inspiration to keep you going in the tougher times How to find your purpose Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Louise Webster: Louise Webster, mum of two, author of 'A new way for mothers' and Founder of Beyond the school run. Louise launched Beyond The School Run in March 2012 as a place to help parents utilise their skills & talents in the hours available to them and for businesses to connect with this pool of talent. The journey has taken Louise to Downing Street & The Cabinet Office and she is passionate about the positive impact supporting parents beyond the school run will have on families, society & the economy. In 2023, Louise's journey launched Beyond Global, which incorporates beyond the school run work as well as a Communications consultancy specialising in working with female founders. Louise Webster's Links: Website: https://www.beyondtheschoolrun.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheschoolrun/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louwebster/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondtheschoolrun/

Lauren Armes' plan was never to build a wildly successful business and then exit. But motherhood (and Covid!) was a catalyst for change. Not only did Lauren's definition of success change, but how she wanted to build her life did too. So Lauren sold WellToDo to focus on motherhood, yes, but also on building her purpose-led coaching business around her family. A night and day difference between her current and previous businesses. I think for me, the stand out point from our conversation is the 'I get to be both' point, we can be great mums and great business owners at the same time. We just need the right support. I've had so many conversations with mums disappointed in themselves because their business isn't where they want it to be, but they are also main carer for their kids, taking care of ageing parents, looking after a household… the list goes on. Lauren is really clear on where she wants to invest her time as a business owner and as a mum, and is transparent about where she outsources and gets help so she can find fulfilment as both. She doesn't do it all: Lauren is not a domestic goddess, she is an outsourcing queen. As you can imagine, this is music to my ears. Listen in for: Lauren's journey from Australia to London, building and selling WellToDo and scaling her 'side hustle' coaching into a heart led and successful business How pregnancy was the catalyst in changing Lauren's definition of success and what that meant for WellToDo, and how she runs her coaching business now How Lauren finds balance, where we find ROI on your time as a business owner, what our kids will remember and where we find fulfilment as mums and founders Being honest about where you have help, it's not realistic or helpful to think that a mum and business owner is 'doing it all' We get to be both: a great mum and a great business owner What kind of business owner are you? One that can step away from your business and it runs itself, or one whose business relies on its founder Measurements of success, a big team and a lovely office is one version of success, but come with their own problems Men and women all want the same things when it comes to balancing business and family Lauren's advice on how to build authority as a business owner Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Lauren Armes: Lauren Armes is the leading business coach for wellness experts (with ACTUAL real-world CEO experience). In 2014 Lauren founded the global wellness industry media company, Welltodo – which was acquired by Fitt Insider in 2022. Building and scaling a business in the wellness industry, and then exiting, provides her with real-world, in-the-trenches insight that gets results for her clients. She now coaches experts in wellness to create 6 & 7 figure online businesses so they can transform lives (without sacrificing their own) Lauren's clients include some names many of us in the mum community might know including Adrienne Herbert, Zoe Blaskey and our very own former podcast guest Hollie Grant. - just to name a few! Not only this, but Lauren is also a mummy and spent the past few years navigating this new role to her world. If you are in the wellness industry THIS is the podcast for you, Lauren has been featured as an industry authority on the BBC series The Apprentice, as well as by Forbes, The Times, BBC, Evening Standard, Glamour, Grazia, Cosmopolitan and many more. She also hosts EXPERTS, a podcast about building and scaling a successful expert business in the wellness industry and as well as her brand Beyond Seven – THE home for business resources, courses and high-level coaching for health and wellness practitioners, coaches and experts, to create greater impact, money and freedom. Lauren Armes' Links: Website: https://www.laurenarmes.co/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/laurenarmes/ LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/laurenarmes/

TRIGGER WARNING: Discussion of miscarriage Lauralee Whyte had no ambitions to be a business owner; she started her business because once she'd seen the problem, she couldn't unsee it. Spectrum speakers is a business with clear vision and values, launched after Lauralee asked herself, 'am I contributing or am I being complicit'. Having worked in the events industry for many years, Lauralee had felt the side-eye that comes from leaving work on time to make school pick up (by the skin of your teeth). Now she has built her business around her daughter. We can make it work, we just need to make it work. Lauralee is incredibly honest in our conversation about her situation, her decision making process and some big questions that we as business owners, humans and mums have to keep asking. Listen in for: The importance of building a network as a business owner The ceiling that women hit in events and almost every industry & how we can change that Lauralee's biggest shocks after becoming a mum How important it is for women to have financial independence Her biggest career wins and not so wins 3 tips if you want to start a business in the events industry Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ Lauralee Whyte's Links: Website: https://spectrumspeakers.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spectrumspeakersuk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraleewhyte/

This conversation. Just WOW. Siobhan has been so gracious in sharing what can only be described as one hell of a ride with her business. After a lot of careful business planning, bringing in a senior leadership team of 4, Siobhan went on her first ever maternity leave with her fourth and final child. The best laid plans often go awry, and how. Not only was Siobhan in a vulnerable position, coming back from mat leave and being 'out' of the business for a while, but then she found out her business was in trouble, it needed a restructure, and the team member she was putting all her trust in was not what she seemed. Put it this way - if you're into true crime you are going to love this conversation. Siobhan's mat leave rollercoaster is on the extreme end of things, but we also discuss a really important point. What happens where you're a startup founder with a mission-led business that relies on your drive, and you want to step back? How can you make sure the business keeps its momentum? We also raise an interesting question: when your mission led business has to a certain extent, fulfilled its mission, what do you do then? Siobhan herself doesn't have the answers to these questions yet. And she has been on one hell of a journey trying to find them, but this is such an inspiring conversation. What Siobhan has gone through, what she's achieved and still being committed to her mission is truly, truly admirable. Resources: Body Happy Kids: https://www.bodyhappyorg.com/ The Tinder Swindler: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81254340 Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About the Positive Birth Company: Siobhan Millar is the founder and CEO of The Positive Birth Company and bestselling author. Her book, Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better has been translated into five languages and has sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide. Siobhan is the creator behind The Hypnobirthing Pack, the original and award-winning online hypnobirthing course, the Freya app and The Postpartum Pack.She has featured on the BBC's Dragon's Den and been named as one of Management Today's 35 Women Under 35. She also holds the Guinness World Record for most viewers on a hypnobirthing live stream. PBC's mission and reason for being: to make antenatal education and support more accessible for everyone. Siobhan started her business with a newborn, a 1 year old and a 9 year old. She now juggles running The Positive Birth Company alongside being a mum of four, devoting her life to helping empower and support people in their journey to parenthood. The Positive Birth Company Links: Website: https://thepositivebirthcompany.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepositivebirthcompany/ https://www.instagram.com/shivy_miller/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-positive-birth-company/

Rachel Harris aka Accountant She is an impressive woman and business owner. She's taken her company from the dining table to £1.5million turnover in 4 years. And as Rachel says, 'rapidly scaling a business is rapidly scaling yourself'. Which sounds to me a lot like motherhood. Not only does Rachel and her business offer a best in class consultancy service for parental planning, but since going self employed at 26, a family has been in her business plan. AND she has some incredible advice for business owners who want to improve their services and scale their business. While, of course, potentially raising a family. Finances can be scary, and women often have a lot of imposter syndrome around them. But financial wellbeing is a muscle, we just need to build it into our routine to make it strong. Rachel is full of insight about building a wildly successful business, creating a culture that is accessible and inclusive for clients and her team alike and having those difficult conversations about parenthood that move the collective conversation forward. If you're scaling a business, planning parental leave, dealing with a disability, building motherhood into your business plan, or want to know more about your mat leave options, Rachel has some excellent advice for you. This episode is sponsored by Accountant She. Rachel and the team at StriveX are there to support you going from Bump to Business Owner and beyond. Not only do they offer a huge range of business and personal support, but Rachel offers a HUGE amount of valuable and completely FREE financial education via her IG account. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Rachel Harris and Accountant She: Rachel Harris, Accountant She is an award winning content creator, author, a speaker, a business owner of Strive X and most importantly, an accountant! She was named as one to watch on the 35 under 35 list, she recently won the First Intuition Apprenticeship mentor of the year award for 2023 and won breakout star of the year by Accounting Excellence and accounting personality of the year 2023 by PQ Magazine. In addition to the above, She is the director of striveX, which she runs with her husband James which is a much broader, paperless accountancy and tax advisory firm that uses cloud software to provide a digital solution for your everyday accounting. Rachel was awarded with the Apprenticeship Mentor of the Year award in 2023 for her close work with her team to strive towards their professional qualifications. Rachel has also grown her accountant_she community to over 90,000 people which is a portfolio of social media platforms where she creates long and short form content for accountants in training, qualified accountants and small business owners who want to learn more about finance. She wanted to build the community that she didn't have when she decided to become an accountant and become the role model she wished she'd had. She is a role model to aspiring accountants and in 2022 she became the youngest ever director and trustee of AAT. In January of 2023 she launched the first ever corporate bursary scheme which is fully funding a person in financial hardship through AAT level 2, 3 and 4 supported by 1:1 mentoring, study support and full tuition covered. Accountant She Links: Websites: https://www.accountantshe.co.uk/ https://strivex.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accountant_she/ https://www.instagram.com/strivexuk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-harris-a3192372/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/strivexuk/

As someone who had the 'flagship' pregnancy in her last employment role, I wouldn't recommend it. My company at the time had no maternity policy, I was their 'test case': cue a lot of pressure and a lot of mistakes on both sides. To be expected in the startup arena where 80% of founders are men. When you're not a mum, it's just not something that you think about. Unless you are Rachel Harris aka Accountant She, and founder of accountancy firm Strive X. Rachel is in the planning pre-pregnancy phase, and is going above and beyond as a business owner to make her company maternity and motherhood friendly. To protect and promote her future career and her staff's. This minisode is me reflecting on my conversation with Rachel, asking some important questions of us as business owners, and as would-be mums on how we can work together to prepare for motherhood from both sides of the coin. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

I think it's easy from the outside to look at two women building a brand on top of growing families (Laura is on mat leave as we speak!) and working full time for the NHS to think 'Oh wow, these women are unstoppable powerhouses', but I loved Gemma and Laura's honesty. The way they work isn't for everyone; it's full on. It's evenings, weekends, balls are being dropped. A conversation over bad coffee at soft play became a business, simple. But it hasn't been easy for Tired Mums Coffee, they are building a business in a male dominated space that isn't always so welcoming. As a purpose-led business with an outsider lens, there's a lot of soul searching, and as mums with full time jobs, things don't move as quickly as Laura & Gemma might hope. But as they say, they wouldn't have it any other way. Such a beautiful conversation where the mum juggle is 100% real. Listen in for: Their careers in the NHS, how passionate they are about them, and how they balance them with business and family life Going part time - the worst thing somebody can say is 'no' The reality of small business pace. As mums with full time jobs and families, things move slower than big business, we have to take care of ourselves in the process. That means slower growth, but that's OK Working in a male dominated space, 'men buy coffee' the macho/science side of the coffee world and how you manage that and the feeling of 'do we belong here?' The constant soul searching that comes with being a purpose led business, you're always defining who you are and what you do, which can be exhausting Navigating the co-founder relationship; learning not to be too polite and always having someone there to pick up the slack if the other has a lot on How they do it: the way Laura & Gemma work isn't for everyone, and it might not be feasible long term, they're dropping balls along the way, and that's OK Having those honest and vulnerable conversations with the people in your life to make sure they are managing. We've all struggled, no one is there to judge Resources: Business Wales: https://businesswales.gov.wales/starting-up/ Small Business Sunday: https://www.theopaphitissbs.com/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Tired Mums Coffee: Gemma and Laura Peill are two tired Mums on a mission to boost the motherhood experience through creating an inclusive community for all. They are an absolute inspiration for all of us, they are driven to make a change and start a business around full time jobs and the five children they have between them. Gemma and Laura's paths first crossed during their NHS careers and one day, over a conversation in a soft play centre with coffees in hand, the concept of Tired Mums Coffee was born! Both on their second maternity leave at the time and noticing a lack of peer support for Mums. They had also recently learned of a tragic suicide of a mother and decided that they wanted to make things better. Developing a deep love of coffee, especially since becoming increasingly sleep deprived in those years, led them to explore how coffee could be used to make positive change. Tired Mums Coffee Links: Website: https://tiredmumscoffee.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiredmumscoffee/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tired-mums-coffee-limited/

When her contract with Meta ended, Lauren Ingram was too scared to tell anyone she was pregnant in case it jeopardised her job prospects. 106 unsuccessful applications later, Lauren decided to take the leap and turn her interest in Web3 into a business. I think the theme that threads through our conversation is women belonging and taking up space - in tech leadership roles, as consumers, in asking for payment for speaker opportunities, as business owners. And Lauren also shares some advice on how to get to grips with AI, Web3, Blockchain (what they all actually are!) and why it's important for us as women and mums to be part of these conversations. Listen in for: The end of Lauren's contract with Meta coinciding with pregnancy and the effect it had on her job search and how she felt about herself Why Lauren started learning about web3 and why it's important for mums of 'potato' aged babies to have something for themselves What web3 and block chain actually are! Why Lauren founded Women of Web 3, and why it's so important for women to be part of the tech conversation Why we should rip of the AI plaster and get on board with it to make our work and home lives easier How to get the confidence to pivot into the tech industry from a different path The realities of running a business with a toddler and the choices and sacrifices we all need to make Knowing your worth when it comes to 'exposure' opportunities Lauren's favourite part of her founder journey (I LOVED this) 3 places to start learning about web3 Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Lauren Ingram: When Lauren found she was newly unemployed from her role in tech and on maternity leave, she needed a new plan. She decided to upskill by learning about all things Web3, blockchain and the metaverse - and while she discovered a burgeoning area of emerging tech, she was shocked by the lack of women in it. Since launching Women of Web3 in 2022, they have grown into a global community of over 20k women and curious minds to learn about emerging tech together. Women of Web3 have partnered with the biggest names in tech, consulting, luxury and more including Google, Amazon, Cartier, Charlotte Tilbury, and Shiseido in order to educate, and bring equity and accessibility. I encourage you to learn more about her and head over to youtube (once you are done with this episode of course!) to hear Lauren's TEDx talk on 'How to build a better internet'. (Oh and the one only Steven Bartlett counts himself as one of the many fans of what 'Women of Web3' are doing) If there is any podcast you listen to - please make it this one where Lauren will be talking about why we need to be aware of the lack of women in the tech space. Lauren Ingram's Links: Website: https://www.womenofweb3.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenofweb3co LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womenofweb3co/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingramlauren/ Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmn7z1QByNw

Sophie David started Little Happy Learners in 2019 and still feels in the early days of her business; it's taken her 5 years to get clear on her vision for her business. 6 months ago Sophie set herself a deadline - go all in for a year, and if it doesn't work, go back to teaching. In that 6 months, she has seen her Instagram following grow by over 300%. Overnight growth is never overnight. Sophie shares lots of insight into her business, her purpose and some really valuable and practical tidbits if you're going through a tricky patch with your kids (anyone else got a 3yr old they can't cope with?!) Most of all, whatever our choices, we need to find a way that makes it work for us. Listen in for: Why Sophie decided to leave teaching and become a stay at home mum The sadness and 'void' she felt at leaving behind such a huge part of her identity Making a conscious decision to make being at home work for her, and the birth of Little Happy Learners The unhelpful narratives around being a stay at home mum Sophie lost her business mojo and decided to give LHL a year, all in, or go back to teaching. But the work paid off and we discussed what has led to her huge growth in the last 6 months. Why 15 mins of connection with your child can make such a difference to a day Social media v's reality, and 'how you do it all' How important Sophie's purpose is to her, her vision for her business and the guiding principle that it has become Advice for early years specialists who are finding employment isn't a great fit for parenthood Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Sophie David: Little Happy Learners launched in 2019 in a small house just outside London. Sophie is a stay at home mum, an ex primary school teacher and early years specialist. Sophie has created a community of parents, carers, educators and fun seekers. Their purpose is to share the wonderful ways you can play and learn with your little ones at home! LHL is here to share a way of life for all and the young children in your care. By introducing some fun, exciting and simple activities to make each day a success. Especially if it involves recyclables and crafts! Not only has Sophie created a huge community but she is also an author and mum of 3 - I can't wait to talk about Sophie's niche, business growth, career journey AND how this works alongside raising a family Sophie David's Links: Website: https://littlehappylearners.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlehappylearners/

Shim is a natural storyteller and has a really interesting and wide-ranging career behind her, every step of which has been absolutely instrumental in the business she now runs. I think what stood out for me from this conversation is the importance of self-advocacy and knowing yourself and your worth. What would you do if you found out that you didn't receive the bonus you were legally entitled to while you were on mat leave? How can you make sure your voice is heard when it comes to your pregnancy, body and birth? Huge and important questions, and by no means the only things we talked about! Listen in for: Shim's early finance journey, working in a male dominated industry, managing teams of 5 by 22 and being made redundant twice in her 20s The power of mentors to build your confidence and push you when you might not think you're ready Pregnancy, birth and advocating for yourself - these were not easy for her! Her return to work and the legal action Shim instigated when she realised she wasn't receiving what she was entitled to The birth of her business, its pivots and how involved her kids are with it Why an email list is so important What brings Shim her best sales results Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Shim Offor Shimite Offor, Founder of Dragons & Daisies - where you can find Fun, Fresh & Feel Good Essentials for the Whole Family Shim's brand was born when she first entered the crazy world of Parenthood when her daughter was born in June 2010 she started thinking "Surely, it's not just me…" who couldn't see themselves or their kids reflected in the clothes on the high street. She knew little girls had more to aspire to than being a princess, and little boys were interested in more than blue trucks. From this Shim felt compelled to create a clothing line that encourages kids in their limitless potential, that tells them they can be anything they set their minds to. This led her to the land of Dragons and Daisies. Shim's own three little dragons suggest designs, they choose water bottle colours, curate hampers, help with stock counts and inspire the products themselves. Most importantly her kids do all the product testing. No one tests the durability of a T-shirt better than her own! As the business (and her kids!) grow, Shim is on a mission to give parents a non judgemental space to celebrate who they are as an individual as well as a parent. Because sometimes being a parent is bloody hard! Not only this, Shim is a self-taught fully trained accountant, a fully trained ITEC massage therapist and she truly believes strongly in a holistic approach to life. Having the right cohesive mix of people, goals and potential, variety and meaning in your life are the keys to happiness. Shim Offor's Links: Website: https://www.dragons-and-daisies.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dragons.and.daisies/

Wow. Rosie has one hell of a story! When Covid hit, Rosie Davies-Smith's PR agency lost 90% of its revenue overnight. She redeployed all her staff to their 'side-hustle business, PR Dispatch, which started growing exponentially. All with a newborn and a 2 year court case looming. 'It was hard, but I really enjoyed those first few months'. Let's be clear here: Rosie is incredibly honest about how hard it was, the lasting impact so much pressure has had on her. But she made it work. And is transparent on 'how she does it'. TLDR: She doesn't. This is one of my favourite conversations so far, we also spoke on: Rosie's one big recommendation for any business How PR Dispatch moved to a 4 day working week Why people respect boundaries Why you need PR for your business The difference between ego- and business-led PR Whether your brand needs a face 3 things you need if you want to start doing PR Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Rosie Davies-Smith Rosie is a Founder who built her business with a mission to prove PR agencies wrong. PR agencies historically have led clients to believe they're the only ones who can do what they do. After running her own agency for over a decade called LFA, which supported high growth eCommerce & retail businesses to increase awareness through PR. Rosie went on to found PR Dispatch, a platform which powers in-house teams to become the PR experts. Since then, over 2,100 brands have been given the training, expertise and contacts they needed to take control of their PR in-house and secure their own coverage at just 3% the cost of a PR agency. Both LFA & PR Dispatch have been recognised by StartUp100, BBC Apprentice, GBEA, Virgin Start Up, Women of the Future and many more. Not only that but of course Rosie is doing this around her other job Motherhood. Rosie Davis-Smith's Links: Website: https://www.prdispatch.com/ LinkedIn (PR Dispatch): https://www.linkedin.com/company/pr-dispatch/ LinkedIn (Rosie): https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-davies-smith-15191826/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prdispatch/

If you're about to go back to work post mat leave, or have just returned to work, this one is for you. Jess Heagran, Founder of Careers After Babies is on a mission to create a cohort of world class employers for working parents. If you haven't read the Careers After Babies report, I highly recommend it. It is mind blowing. I think we knew, but we didn't 'know', I didn't realise just how widespread the lack of support for parents, and especially mums is. So if you're having a bad experience at the moment: you are not alone, as Jess says 'this is a universal mum thing'. A little bit of support at work goes a long way. I loved Jess' words about becoming a mum - it's like a whole new planet that we didn't know existed. But it has given her incredible and work applicable skills: she's a better line manager, and I agree, I am a better (nicer!) person too since becoming a mum. We talked about identity and what this complete change means for us as individuals but also in work. Jess was really honest about how hard she found it when her first business didn't 'just take off' like all the business stories she was hearing around her. And even now, despite the huge viral success of the Careers After Babies Report, going back to employment is still a real possibility, like it is for any self-employed person. Jess mentioned some really useful resources and had some great advice for mums having a bad mat leave/return to work experience, listen to the end to catch it, resources listed below. Resources Jess mentioned: Pregnant then Screwed: https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/ ACAS: https://www.acas.org.uk/grievance-procedure-step-by-step Working Families: https://workingfamilies.org.uk/advice-information/free-parents-carers-helpline/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Jessica Heagran Jessica Heagran is Founder of Career after babies. Jessica's first business 'that works for me' she founded after a quick and extremely badly handled return to her very senior role in a finance company at five months postpartum which lead her to quit her job 'That works for me', was a platform to help parents find part time and flexible work, which meant she spoke to thousands of other women who had similar experiences to her own. This led to Jess realising she could not understand why this wasn't being spoken about - so Jess interrogated, analysed, and drew many conclusions from 848 women across the UK from all industries and she released the 'career after babies' report in November 2023. It exposed what many of us would expect on this podcast here. The uncomfortable truth. Not only all of this but Jess has four children of her own, three daughters and a son who she wants to work in a different world to the one she did. Jessica Heagran's Links: Website: https://www.careersafterbabies.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/careers-after-babies/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careersafterbabies/ LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jessica-heagren

Nicky Elliot is the embodiment of the lessons of her own podcast: there is no career path. From events business, to children's clothing brand, to podcasting and consultancy, Nicky's path has been winding. Stepping away from her events business after the birth of her second child, Nicky opened a successful clothing brand in 2020, and closed it in 2023. And wow, Nicky is honest about her journey through it: exactly how much she invested in the company (life savings!), the healthy dose of naivety it takes to be a business owner, and why she decided that she just didn't want to do it any more. We had a really interesting discussion that ranged from how do we measure success, why founders need to be able to make head as well as heart decisions and how difficult that can be when your business is (a big) part of your identity. And why there's no shame in saying 'I just don't want it enough'. I loved what Nicky had to say about seasons - a recurring theme on the podcast. Your ambitions can move and so can your resources. Maybe you just don't have it in the tank at the moment, you can come back to it when it feels right. She also was honest about her experiences of mat leave, her first with her daughter was hard: 'I loved her, I didn't love 'it'', and the opportunity that Covid created for her to dedicate herself to starting a business on mat leave with her son. TLDR: It would not have been possible to start a business in her first. We spoke about fundraising, 'the juggle' and Nicky's approach to social media and how it's changed. All favourite topics on the pod and Nicky has some great perspectives. Listen to the end to hear Nicky's tips for mums who are thinking about starting their own business but aren't sure where to start. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Nicky Elliot Nicky is a serial entrepreneur, podcast host, mum of two, speaker and advocate for women in business and their stories. Nicky is an absolute rock star, a mum of two, her motherhood journeys began with iVF and a preemie baby - it was during her maternity leave she launched her first business venture with wilder ones, a unisex kids brand this led her to pivoting to all things women business, their stories and sharing with the world. Nicky Elliot's Links: Website: https://www.wilderones.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicky-elliott-44103418/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilder.ones/

Mimi spent almost 20 years building her international advertising career when she was challenged on her leadership style, 'is it intuition or is it empathy?' Just arrived to a new country with her small daughter in tow, Mimi realised she had been mis-sold a job and faced the challenge of trying to rebuild a failing company. She realised that listening, and most of all empathy, was a superpower and used it to not only turn the business around, but become a best selling author along the way. I learnt so much from my conversation with Mimi and from reading her book, I've already started incorporating some changes into my business. I loved her approach to balance - it doesn't exist, so stop chasing it. Mimi uses her position as CEO to set the tone for her team, 'life first always', which is definitely something I'm encouraging more in my life and for my team. We also spoke about pursuing our passion projects - her empathy research, for me the podcast. People might ask why, question whether the audience is there, whether people even read any more (!?) but we have to make something. And it doesn't have to change the world, or make us loads of money, but why not use our creations as a way of marking our progress? Resources mentioned: Netflix documentary, Blue Zones: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/live-to-100-secrets-of-the-blue-zones-documentary Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Mimi Nicklin Mimi Nicklin is a Bestselling Author, CEO, Empathy Advocate, Podcaster. Building a career around Training Listening Led-Leadership and creating more empathy, everywhere with 12,500 students globally, Mimi had a 18 year career in the advertising industry before founding Empathy Everywhere Academy -the worlds first training platform to use empathy led leadership to drive transformational change in workplaces and our world." Mimi's book Softening The Edge was a bestseller before it even reached the shelves. Her breakfast show, hosted from home during lock down, reached 85,000 people and her social following is growing at 150% month on month. People want to listen to her message, Mimi wants to listen to their stories. Mimi is a mum of one, a global citizen currently in Kuala Lumpur and her career within branding and storytelling agencies led her to become an Empathy advocate - having read her book myself it opened my eyes to the Empathy deficit and how we can play a small part individually in changing thi Mimi Nicklin's Links: Website: https://www.empathyeverywhere.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miminicklin/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/miminicklin

Like so many women with corporate careers, Saasha Celestial-One decided during mat leave that it just wasn't worth the sacrifices it required. Instead, inspired by her mat leave experience, she created London's first pay-as-you-go nursery. Fiercely ambitious, Saasha and her friend and now co-founder Tessa, wanted to create a business that contributed meaningfully to the environment, and Olio was born: a mere 5 months after their initial 'A-ha' moment! As a solo founder, I am fascinated by co-founder relationships, even more so when you're working with your best friend. It was so interesting to hear Saasha's perspective on her relationship with Tessa and the commitment it creates. Olio raised £50 million in fundraising rounds, it's in the top 10 in the UK in terms of capital raised by female founders. It's easy to think it was a straightforward, effortless process, but Saasha makes a really clear distinction between how fundraising felt, and how it appeared. And, the darker side of 'growth, growth, growth'. They bootstrapped Olio, and we hear the details of how, the flyering, the knocking on doors, the magic of Facebook groups and how they created such a beautiful, engaged and supportive community: the lifeblood of the business. It was also really refreshing to hear Saasha talk about her founder peer group, who are now in the young children phase of family and finally 'get it', and leaning into the chaos of parenthood - wearing it like a badge of honour. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Saasha Celestial-One Saasha is the Co-Founder & COO of OLIO, a free app harnessing the power of mobile technology and the sharing economy to provide a revolutionary solution to the problem of waste. OLIO is growing quickly, empowered by 100k+ volunteers. Since 2016,7m OLIOers have successfully shared over 130m portions of food and 10m household items with each other in 62 countries. Before OLIO, Saasha founded London's first pay-as-you-go high street childcare provider, and prior to that she spent 13yrs at Morgan Stanley, McKinsey and American Express. Not only was Saasha was named one of the UK's "Coolest Female Founders" by Business Insider but she also has an MBA from Stanford, is a mum to 11-year-old Nolan, and is the proud daughter of hippy entrepreneurs. Saasha Celestial-One's Links: Website: https://olioapp.com/en/ LinkedIn (Saasha): https://www.linkedin.com/in/saasha-celestial-one-929390/ LinkedIn (OLIO): https://www.linkedin.com/company/olio-share-more-waste-less/ Instagram (Saasha): https://www.instagram.com/saashacone/ Instagram (OLIO): https://www.instagram.com/olio.app/

If you are feeling challenged, by motherhood, by your business, this is the conversation for you. Anna Mathur, psychotherapist, best selling author and mum of 3 shares some of her wisdom on how we can live more restfully, when let's face it, as parents, sleep just isn't an option. Not only does Anna share some of her personal practices and insights into how we can all try to create that space for a breath between a moment of stress and our reaction, but it was also a real comfort just to hear her share and think 'I'm not alone in this'. It is hard, but it will pass. We spoke about social media: not only the stress it unconsciously puts our bodies under, but how Anna's approach to it is changing and what that means for her business. And above all, if things are getting harder, it's not you taking a step backwards, it's you levelling up. This is a really nice companion episode to Season 2, Episode 10 with Kim Hartwell, if you haven't already listened to it, I would recommend it. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Anna Mathur Anna Mathur, a woman I feel I don't REALLY need to introduce to my fellow mums listening to this podcast. The woman who makes us all relieved and feel actually 'normal' with how we feel day to day. Anna is a Psychotherapist, mum of 3, speaker and Sunday Times Best Selling Author. Passionate about taking therapy out of the therapy room Anna Mathur is widely celebrated for her accessible mental health advice and the light- bulb moments which she offers across her platforms. Often told through her own experiences, Anna has a unique approach to mental health, whether it's providing advice on anxiety, coping with overwhelm or encouraging self-worth. Anna's latest book 'Raising a Happier Mother' is out now and is a MUST read for every mum. Anna Mathur's Links: Website: https://www.annamathur.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-mathur-mbacp-accred-63085738/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annamathur

After nearly 20 years as Tom Ford's right hand woman, Whitney Bromberg-Hawkings went on maternity leave with her third child, and knew she was never going back. Mat leave was a now or never moment, Whitney knew that the nascent FLOWERBX, set up 7 months before, was a good idea, but she needed to commit. And she never looked back. There is some real honesty from Whitney in this conversation, what it was like being a young mother working in the fashion industry, 'hide the baby, lose the weight', and how difficult it has been creating a business since 2016 amongst Brexit, Covid, inflation and the cost of living crisis. We spoke about how scary it can be leaving behind a career that has been a defining part of your identity, whether that's to become a mum or to found your own business. There's also a lot of practical tips in there - Tom Ford's #1 piece of advice, how to create the right team at home and in business, what Whitney wished she had learnt sooner and the 3 things that she wants every female founder to know. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Whitney Bromberg-Hawkings Back in 2016, Dallas born Whitney Bromberg-Hawkings quit her job as head of global communications for Tom Ford where she had been for 19 years and started the online floristry company FLOWERBX Whitney, was in search of luxury, single-variety flowers at an accessible price point, but could not find a florist or supplier that made her experience simple, reliable, and premium. And she was not alone, with like-minded flower lovers from London to Manhattan encountering the same inconvenience. Whitney recognised a niche in the market to deliver best-in-show florals to the front doorsteps of customers across the globe. With that, FLOWERBX was born, and their mantra has remained the same ever since. Whitney Bromberg-Hawkings's Links: Website: https://www.flowerbx.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-hawkings-643a3317/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theflowerbx/

We're back! This week, as a little taster for Season 3, coming out next week, I'm talking about the biggest, and most expensive mistake I have made to date in my business. I fully admit - I got sucked into Instagram FOMO, and let my ego take control. I'm sharing my reasons why I made the mistake, the reasons why it was the wrong decision for my business and my biggest 2 learnings from it. I want to normalise making mistakes and owning them - it's part of our growth. DISCLAIMER: I name a service I invested in, but I know that it has worked really well for other businesses, it just was not the right thing for me, my business and my client base. For a full list of software that we actually use in my business and recommend see: https://weareupsource.co.uk/resources/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

After recording the final episode of Season 2 of Bump to Business Owner, Kim Hartwell, Founder of Humum, led us in a 20 minute meditation as a little pre-Christmas gift to remind you to take care of yourself, and prepare you for the festive season. We've made this available as a stand alone episode for you to listen to whenever you need a moment of calm over the festive season. Enjoy!

Kim Hartwell built a business on adventure hosting international retreats and teaching yoga, movement and breathwork face to face. And then Covid happened. Kim's business had to pivot pretty quickly to a new online model, and then she got pregnant. A huge pivot. I really related to Kim's feelings pre birth, the "oh god, am I going to be a person that just does mum stuff now?" feeling, the mindset that nothing really has to change once the baby arrives and the identity struggles that come when you have a baby and everything changes. Thank you to Kim for being so honest about her postnatal depression and how long it took for her to really listen to the signs her mind and body were giving her. I think we can all understand that reluctance to ask for help, that "everyone else can manage fine, so why can't I?" feeling. This was such a beautiful conversation, that I think all mums need to hear, especially in the run up to Christmas. How can you say no, how can you protect your own energy and let go of what motherhood (and Christmas!) "should" look like. Kim kindly led us in a 20 minute meditation, a little pre-Christmas gift to remind you to take care of yourself, and prepare you for the festive season. Resources mentioned: Conscious Connected Breathwork: https://ibfbreathwork.org/conscious-connected-breathwork/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Kim Hartwell and Humum Kim is a mum of one, Founder, mindfulness coach, Yoga teacher and movement coach. Her core mission is to remind mums that we all deserve to feel empowered, confident and strong. To be themselves, With a background in wellbeing and outdoor adventure she guides women to feel powerful in their day to day lives, whether that's surviving another day of motherhood or scaling a mountain! This episode is a very special Christmas one and then Kim will be leading us with a short meditation for all mums this Christmas - do something to heal and support you. Kim Hartwell is a personal trainer and yoga teacher with more than 10 years experience working in the industry. She is also a Breathwork Practitioner offering conscious connected breathwork sessions to help clients take their self development journey to the next level. Mumma to Indie (2) her brand HUMUM is a reflection of her core mission to remind Mums (like herself) new and experienced, that every mum deserves to feel empowered, confident and strong, not only as a mum but in themselves. That they are not "just a Mum" but a human with very real human needs. Having had first hand experience of the mental toll motherhood can take suffering from postnatal depression, Kim knows exactly how hard it can be growing your own human in the current world we live in. Humum puts the often forgotten but VITALLY important aspect of being a Mum - YOU at the forefront. By focusing on a mothers healing journey Kim passionately believes we can make new pathways for happier, healthier Mums and in turn happier and healthier children and generations to come. Pour from an overflowing cup, look after you to look after them. Kim offers online 1:1 yoga and breathwork sessions as well as HUMUM group healing events. Kim Hartwell's Links: Website: https://kimhartwell.com/ Instagram (Kim): https://www.instagram.com/kimhartwell/ Instagram (Humum): https://www.instagram.com/iamhumum/

Co-Founders Alina and Dini met each other at a Founders matchmaking programme, an interesting mix of Love Island and the Apprentice! They pretty quickly started working together, both fired by their mission to stop supply chain food waste. And a lot has changed since then! Alina had a baby 9 months into their business, leaving Dini to head the business as it navigated a change of business model from B2C to B2B SaaS. Now, Dini is about to have her first child, as the Wonki Collective goes out for its first funding rounds. Both really crucial moments in their business and personal lives. And what really shows from our conversation is their absolute trust and faith in one another as Co-Founders, in their gut instincts and their ability to flex and adapt. It's really inspiring to hear that mat leave when you're a start up business is possible, but Alina and Dini are also really honest about the financial pressures of being a start up and having to pay for childcare. This is a really important conversation for start ups navigating those early years of business and family life. I hope it's helpful, and most of all, inspiring. Resources mentioned: Undaunted: https://undaunted-hq.org/ Bubble App for startups: https://joinbubble.com/for-business/ada-ventures-partners-with-bubble-for-startups_15366.html The Amazing If: https://www.amazingif.com/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About The Wonki Collective Alina and Dini were brought together by the ugly truth of the wasteful world we live in. 40% of all food that's produced in the UK never even makes it to a supermarket shelf and gets lost along the supply chain and this duo are on a mission to change this, making it as easy for food manufacturers to buy and sell surplus supply chain ingredients as it is to currently throw them away. Alina by trade is a commercial lawyer who studied sustainability in Cambridge and Dini is a B-corp global brand builder with +8 years working in the food and drinks industry. After seeing first hand how hard it is for even the most sustainable of manufacturers to map, measure and reduce their surplus easily, they set out upon a mission together to support UK food and drinks manufacturers and protect the planet's finite resources. Their solution? The first B2B matchmaking technology for food manufacturers to efficiently identify, sell and redistribute surplus - think Tinder for surplus. Not only this but Alina welcomed her first child earlier this year and Dini is currently pregnant - they are building a business for our planet while growing our future. The Wonki Collective's Links: Website: https://www.thewonkicollective.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wonkicollective/ LinkedIn (Wonki Collective): https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wonki-collective/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alina-sartogo-57513b5b/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dini-mcgrath-323b5b62/

Another mum who found that the corporate world just wasn't for her after having kids, Laura was inspired to create Mama Bamboo when she couldn't find a sustainable nappy that fit in with her lifestyle. Laura waited until her children were at school/nursery before committing to her business idea, and from there in her words, "it's been a real rollercoaster". From 300% growth in her first years of business, to being hamstrung by skyrocketing freighting costs (hello 700% increase!) and considering closure, Laura and her team have been through it. We talked about the pressure on mums to be perfect, whether that's from social media, or just ourselves. We talked about having it all, and whether that's ever really possible. And Laura shared some valuable insights on EIS share equity funding, and how that helped her business. I will personally be applying for a job at Mama Bamboo, as will all the mums in Hertfordshire - their ways of working sounded absolutely utopian, and I loved Laura's "my girls just don't work that way" when it comes to push back from suppliers and partners. Resources that Laura mentioned: Triodos Ethical Bank: https://www.triodos.co.uk/ Professor Lynda Gratton: https://lyndagratton.com/ More information on EIS: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/venture-capital-schemes-apply-for-the-enterprise-investment-scheme Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Laura Crawford and Mama Bamboo: Laura Crawford, mother-of-two from Hertfordshire, is the CEO and Founder of Mama Bamboo Horrified with the impact 3 billion nappies and 11 billion wet wipes a year were having in the UK, Laura Crawford, decided not to return to her previous role as a Management Consultant in the Banking industry after her maternity leave, but to launch her own B-Corp sustainable business. Born from the idea that our babies' should not have to wear cheap plastic and start their early lives negatively impacting their future world, Laura developed a healthier, more natural, sustainable nappy and wet wipe. Laura has grown the company to its present £1m turnover with a strong loyal subscriber base. The company has benefitted from +£1 million of investment and recently expanded the product range and launched a marketing campaign to make the brand more mainstream and available. Laura continues to manage the product range development and certifications, alongside the wider company strategy, sales and marketing activities. Her focus extends beyond the development of greener products, to the global issue of circularity for nappies and wipes; running the #thenappyrevolution campaign and partnering with UCL, Imperial College, Hompost, Envar and Green Bums, Laura aims to implement a nationwide solution to ensure no compostable product goes into the landfill waste stream in future. Laura's Links: Website: www.mamabamboo.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/mamabamboouk Facebook: www.facebook.com/mamabamboouk Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCxfgK1zxlW45txyKwB2L2Og

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of baby loss which may be difficult for those with similar experiences. Kat Fellows is mum of two and founder of the innovative, soon to launch revolutionary nursing bra - Lesh. With over 10 years in the beauty industry, Kat, like a lot of mums, found that the big corporate lifestyle just wasn't working for her, especially once she had children. Thanks so much to Kat who shared so honestly about her struggles throughout pregnancy with all consuming HG (hyperemesis gravidarum - acute morning sickness) and the impact that had on her mental health, perinatal and postnatal depression. I could hard relate to thinking the second pregnancy and birth would be "rinse and repeat" but finding that in reality they were two totally different ball games. Kat and I are alike in that early doors we both realised that as solo business owners, networking was going to be key. For Kat, it's the most important part of her business, not only in terms of making useful business connections and those 6 degrees of separation, but keeping her motivated and preventing that loneliness that can sometimes happen when you're working solo. She also has some really interesting perspectives on ownership and funding. VC funding seems like a silver bullet in many ways, but it can mean a lot of compromise. If you started your business to have more ownership and autonomy, is it right for you? There were some real practical golden nuggets in this conversation - a game changing product platform that Kat recommended, local funding possibilities, where to spend and where to save when it comes to budgeting as a brand, and how to network as a new mum. Resources Kat mentioned: Chinaimportal: https://www.chinaimportal.com/ Female Founders Rise: https://femalefoundersrise.com/ Founders Social: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-social/ Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Kat Fellows and Lesh: Kat is a Surrey based mummy to two and Founder of Lesh. Kat started her business with one goal in mind - to help breastfeeding Mums who experience leaking to breastfeed with dignity, and give them one less thing to think about in the minefield of motherhood. Lesh is soon to launch, you can sign up for the waitlist now, using the link below. Kat's Links: Website: https://wearelesh.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearelesh/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-fellows-69171817/

Self confessed super connector, Susie Lodge is a proud Mum to 3 little ones and founder of 2 businesses - Wiki Places for Kids and the Wiki Mama Network. I think we can all relate to Susie's description of screeching up to the office or to nursery pick ups constantly feeling like we're on the back foot or in the wrong place. And we've all felt the romantic pull of setting up on our own - desperately seeking the freedom to choose how we manage our days and how we make our money. Wiki Places for Kids was established and Susie had taken a place on the NatWest accelerator programme ready to take the business to the next level when Covid happened and business activity basically shut down overnight. Susie was really honest about how hard she found lockdown, homeschooling 2 small children with a baby and the disconnection she felt as an extrovert stuck at home. Which led to her founding her next business - Wiki Mama network, a place for women to celebrate each other, build connections and network when they might not consider themselves natural "networkers". Of course, I loved what Susie had to say about the value of networking: we all have a network whether we use that word to describe it or not and we should never underestimate our value and the value of our connections. We ended the conversation with Susie's beautiful and wise words about boundaries, which really resonated with me - listen out for her jar analogy, I am going to get myself a Susie jar! TLDR: It's essential to ask for help. Links: NatWest accelerator programme: https://www.natwest.com/business/business-services/entrepreneur-accelerator.html More on how I set boundaries with my clients: https://podfollow.com/1695056315 Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Suzie Lodge and Wiki Places for Kids: Susie Lodge is the founder and director of Wikiplacesforkids, The Wiki Mama Network and is ALSO a consultant in Marketing, Events and Social Media. Not only that but Susie is also a radio presenter, days out specialist and content creator on social media. OH and lets not forget mummy to 3 CHILDREN and 2 dogs. Suzie's Links: Website: https://wikiplacesforkids.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewikimama/ www.instagram.com/wikiplacesforkids_official/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susie-lodge-5b98b123/

Maria has moved from the ultimate corporate jobs at Coutts and Harrods to combining her passions and running her own sustainable luxury fashion business. Maria's journey into her business sounds like a really organic process, and shows you the value of sometimes just saying yes to opportunities and working out the finer details later! Like a lot of mums, Maria was looking for a more flexible working life than corporate life afforded her, not least because her eldest, Edie, has autism and other health concerns. Her business became an outlet during lockdowns (hard relate!) and Maria went from being very focused in her corporate roles to being skilled and capable across many areas, which I think will resonate with a lot of other business owners out there! We talked a lot about what we share and how things appear on social media. We might be frustrated with our seeming lack of progress in our business, but only we know the balls that we're dropping. If we do share more "reality", it gives clients and followers an opportunity to connect with us and our challenges, and often, they are going through something similar. It's a tricky balance and something that I'm working out myself at the moment! Listen to the end to hear Maria's 3 tips for tired mums who want to look great, feel comfortable but also make more sustainable choices. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Maria Bettis and Slow Style Mindset: Maria is a mummy of two and business owner leading the way in promoting confidence and conscious style From a career in Finance looking after HNWs individuals at Coutts, to a fashion career at Harrods turned business owner, Maria is blazing the trail for women who want to leave the corporate world roles to follow their creativity & passion. Maria's Links: Website: https://slowstylemindset.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slowstylemindset/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariabettis/

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of baby loss which may be difficult for those with similar experiences. Lucy Legal is someone who knows pressure - a corporate legal job meant she was often working til 2am, then training with her private PT clients first thing before work. Realising that corporate life just wasn't working for her when it came to starting a family, Lucy took the leap and went full time self employed. Everyone thought she was crazy to say goodbye to her company's excellent mat leave and pension but she looked seriously at the financial considerations for her and her partner and made it work. Two businesses and two babies later and Lucy is an incredibly successful founder creating a life with intention for her and her family. Lucy was incredibly generous in sharing her personal and business experiences: Her experience of growing her team and what she could have done to make it work better; where she's choosing to invest now to create more time and how a corporate background can shape your thinking in ways that aren't helpful. One of the best things about being a business owner is that you can create your own ways of working, so why do things the way they have always been done? BONUS: Lucy shares the 3 legal essentials that your business needs NOW

Inspired by my chat with Lucy Legal (coming up next week, don't miss this one!) I'm talking about how I set boundaries with my clients this week. When it came to setting up my business I had very ingrained ideas about what was and wasn't acceptable for clients as a service provider - and I'm happy to admit that I was completely wrong! Listen in for my 2 top tips for communicating changes in ways of working with clients and let me know how you set clear boundaries and expectations in your business.

Maria was 6 years into her business when she fell pregnant with her first child. And I can hard relate when she said "I just didn't think anything would change". Maria didn't take maternity leave until her daughter was 6 months old, and was taking work calls just hours after giving birth! Hear her thoughts on whether it worked for her, and her perspective looking back on it. We talked a lot about how amazing women and mothers are, and how we just don't get the respect we deserve - society still just doesn't get it. And we can see that in the lack of women in senior leadership positions, the ludicrous cost of childcare, and the way that women can be judged for "taking a break" to have a baby. Lastly, Maria shared what she's learnt about leadership from her podcast, Anatomy of a Leader - what makes a good leader, founder and business owner. Listen in and let me know if her description resonates with you. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Maria Hvorostovsky: Maria is an international head headhunter and Founder & CEO of HVO search, whose goal is to help Founders, Investors, CEOs and HR Directors identify and hire the best people with the RIGHT superpowers who are aligned with their MISSION, MINDSET and VALUES. You can find Maria on her podcast 'Anatomy of a leader', which she started in 2020 following her fascination with what makes a great leader: the lessons they learnt, failure and how they overcame it and why some leaders thrive in one environment and not another. All of this alongside becoming a mother and raising her two young children. Maria Hvorostovsky's Links: Website: https://www.hvosearch.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ https://www.instagram.com/hvo_search/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/

We are BACK! We're opening Season 2 with a conversation which genuinely at points gave me goosebumps. Alison and Natalie are serial entrepreneurs - March Muses is their third business together - all while holding down full time jobs and raising families. As you can imagine, the question of "how do you do it" definitely came up. Community came up a lot in our conversation - from calling in favours from everyone they know, family and friends helping pack overwhelming orders, the power of social media to get your business in front of the right people and lastly and most importantly, allyship and how we can all use our privilege to help others. As a small business that increased their turnover by 533% from year one to year two, these ladies know the meaning of the word pressure. Full time jobs, families, the logistics of a fast growing business and that feeling of "what do we do next?". I can't wait for you to hear this. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About March Muses: In December 2018, one of Natalie's Daughters asked if Christmas Angels can be black. After finally finding Christmas ornaments online they had to be shipped from the US at huge costs to the customer, so from that, March Muses was born in 2019 to create a range of festive decorations that represent them. They became the leading brand for Christmas ornaments of colour. Then in 2022, they took the plunge on Dragons Den, with a fantastic response from the dragons and secure investment from Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones. Not only are Natalie & Alison single parents of three children between them but also run this business around their full time jobs. March Muses' Links: Website: https://www.marchmuses.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marchmuses/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-duvall-20672765/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonburton/

This week's conversation, and the season one finale (!) is with Ruth Marsden, founder of The Better Company, a "game-changing" sustainable period products company. Ruth is an incredibly passionate, purpose led founder, and is really refreshingly honest about the mistakes she's made (hello 1000 unusable micro bags!) and how hard it can be as a product business in a post Brexit world. She really is so inspiring. We get to do this, we chose to do this. So manage expectations, accept where sacrifices have to be made, and the benefits that will come from those sacrifices and enjoy it. And most of all Do Not Compare Yourself To Anyone Else. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Ruth Marsden: Ruth is Founder of The Better Company. A business that is on a mission to create sustainable products of exceptional quality. It started with a menstrual cup that for every sale they then gifted one to a person that needs it most and has now expanded to offer a range of sustainable period products. Mother-of-three Ruth, was already on a journey to make her family home more sustainable, changing daily habits and products, when she began to realise the planet-damaging reality of her period each month. She was fed up with endless disposable sanitary products, knowing that they were all ending up in landfill and our oceans. Ruth's Links: Website: https://www.the-bettercompany.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_thebettercompany https://www.instagram.com/ruthmarsden_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-marsden-3aab631a9/

How much have you reflected on your mat leave experience? With 2 wildly different mat leaves under my belt - one employed but only 12 weeks long, and one as a business owner with a NICU baby it's hard to draw parallels. But looking back on my maternity leave as a business owner, there are a few things that I might change. I'm sharing what I would do differently from a practical POV, what I would change about my perspective as a new mum, and what the best best best decision I made was. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

My guest this week is the wonderful Ali McAleavy, founder of Zig + Star, a sustainable children's footwear brand. An idea that Ali had been "just playing" with while on maternity leave with her third child, Zig + Star launched 2 years ago with the intention of making kids footwear healthier for little feet and parents' bank balances. We chatted about how different maternity leave is for each child, and the way each child's experience can be different as you grow into parenthood. You think you'll get more freedom as they get older, but they just have different needs and need you in different ways. Ali was so honest about how isolated she has felt as a business owner, and how important making connections via networking has been to her (preaching to the choir on this!) And the overwhelm we can feel as founders when you have to wear so many hats, most of which we have absolutely no experience in. Ali shared how she makes it work as a business owner - often that means working weekends and after the never ending bed time that comes with having kids across 3 different age groups. She's found a way of making her week work for her and her family, and that might not look how we could expect it to, but it's about finding what works for you. Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Ali McAleavy: Ali McAleavy is Founder of ZIG+STAR. An award winning unisex, kids footwear brand which uses sustainable design to create shoes that grow and adjust with each child. Following a career in Fashion and Buying, Zig and Star was born out of frustration of shoe shopping for Ali's own children. Not only do they provide cool styles that are adjustable, kid-friendly and, importantly, podiatrist approved but they are on a mission to ensure No ZIG+STARs ever end up in landfill through creating products that last longer, can be passed on to brother/sister/friend, and then re-homed through one of the circular initiatives they provide to their customers. Ali's Links: Website: https://zigandstar.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zigandstar/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-mcaleavy-cullen-3a6515a9/