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IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE MUMTREPRENEURS
By Helen Cook, Women’s Enterprise Manager at SEEDA
Despite living in an age of equality, many women today are still faced with the difficulties of balancing a career and being a mum writes Helen Cook, Women’s Enterprise Manager at SEEDA (South East England Development Agency)
Confronted with squeezing the nine to five into the ten to three to fit in with the school run, it’s no surprise many women never return to their previous full–time jobs Whilst many women struggle to find more flexible ways of working within their current jobs, an increasing number have discovered that running their own company is an alternative way of creating a good work/life balance.
This need for flexibility has created a significant rise in the number of ‘mumtrepreneurs’ – mum’s who have started businesses which can be run from the home. This group of women is now a considerable economic force and according to research conducted by the London School of Economics, mothers who run businesses from home now contribute £4.4 billion to the British economy each year.
In the South East region alone, there are approximately 165,000 female entrepreneurs, many of whom are mothers. However, if women matched the number of male business start-ups in the region there would be 25,000 additional firms in the South East.
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) is responding to this need with a regional women’s enterprise advocates programme involving the recruitment of a number of women entrepreneurs to act as role-models for other women and to promote the benefits of being in business.
One such Women’s Advocate, Alyson Howard, a partner of Meta Corporate Finance and mother of three comments on how she manages to combine motherhood with running a corporate finance business.
Alyson says: “I think that the challenges of being a mum and a business owner are to some extent the same as when you are working as a teacher, an accountant or in a supermarket - only you have more control over the hours you work. The benefits of being your own boss can make life better in many ways so I would like to persuade more mothers that it is an option they should actively consider.”
Alyson appreciates that it can be difficult to juggle working life with motherhood but as her own boss she finds it a lot easier to get the right balance. “I am like any typical working mum. If I work late and cannot get home until after 6.30pm, I feel guilty. But as my own boss I have the ability to make sure that I make time to pick up and talk to my son after school at least a couple of times each week. I also try to ensure that we have breakfast together each day, a luxury I would be unlikely to have if I was working for someone else. With broadband and blackberries we really can work anywhere. As a result, I now work more from home than I ever did.”
Setting up a business requires a lot of hard work, particularly in the early stages to get the business off the ground and ‘mumtrepreneurs’ have to learn how to compartmentalise their different roles as mother, wife, entrepreneur and housekeeper. However the rewards of creating a good work/life balance and achieving the flexibility to interchange between roles throughout the day makes it all worthwhile.
Clearly being a mother and running a business doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. With women’s well renowned skills for multi-tasking, the flexibility that running a business offers can provide women with a way of having a career without missing out on playing an important part in their children’s upbringing. Of course, setting up a business is hard work initially but the most rewarding things in life usually need effort and determination to succeed.
If you’re interested in setting up your own company, why not attend one of the events being run as part of the ‘What’s Stopping You’ programme which is especially designed to help women who are thinking of setting up businesses.
To find out more about these free events call 01732 878007 or visit www.whatsstoppingyouevents.co.uk. Alternatively contact your local Business Link to get tailored business advice and support.
Tatty Bumpkin is National Award winner.
Sam Petter Founder of Tatty Bumpkin, yesterday won an award for offering the Best National physical activity class for kids’,
This award rewards the hard work and dedication as she defeated many competitors, including the national franchise, Tumble Tots, that Sam has put in over the last four years creating a natural lifestyle brand for children, with the largest organic clothing range for children 1-11 yrs, an education programme, and an accredited multi-sensory Yoga inspired movement and music programme.
Founded in 2004, Tatty Bumpkin has gone from strength to strength – winning awards, gaining CACHE* accreditation and training more than 200 teachers to date. But this National award for the classes is the company’s greatest endorsement to date.
Sam explained: “Working with paediatric physiotherapists, musicians and educationalists, we have devised a programme which is aimed at ages 18 months to seven years, the critical stages of learning development. Tatty Bumpkin appeals to children, grabs their attention and instils them with a positive learning experience that will last a lifetime.”
Sam explains: “Our teaching training materials are second to none, as demonstrated by the awards we have received. In 2007 we received the UnLtd Social Enterprise Award, for our contribution to aiding Mothers who wish to return to the workplace and have been listed as one of the UK’s top 100 ethical companies by New Consumer Magazine.”
This award is timely as is corresponds to the launch of a national franchise opportunity, and underlines how popular the demand for this type of product is likely to be.
Sam confirms: "We believe we have developed a truly unique and exciting offer for parents and children and are very excited at the prospect of Kids nationwide being able to enjoy the adventure of Tatty Bumpkin."
Visit their website http://www.tattybumpkin.co.uk
New mums across Britain are terrified at the thought of breastfeeding in public, according to a new survey.
In fact, 38 per cent of doting mothers can be found hiding in public
lavatories - preferring to feed there than face disapproving glares from
strangers.
A fifth of mums are so worried about other people's opinions they have
opted to leave the baby screaming for milk rather than breastfeed.
In fact, the natural bonding experience is ruined for many by negative
reactions, inappropriate comments and blatant stares.
A staggering 54 per cent of breastfeeding mothers say they have been
subjected to unwanted attention.
Twelve per cent have actually been asked to stop feeding their baby in
public, and 14 per cent have been reduced to a full scale argument with
someone who objected to them feeding the baby.
The poll of 3,500 mums across the nation was conducted by Kamillosan
Chamomile Ointment and reveals that women are most worried about being
discreet in public.
Twenty four per cent of mums say they have a fear of accidentally showing
their breasts to all and sundry, whilst 11 per cent worry they can't feed
the baby properly and might attract attention to themselves.
A third of mums have felt forced to bottle feed - either with expressed
milk or formula - in public simply to avoid any trouble.
Lucy Symons, spokeswoman for Kamillosan said: "It is absolutely ludicrous
that in this modern day and age a mother cannot do one of the most natural
acts and feed her child without comments and stares from strangers.
"Breastfeeding is hard enough for new mums without the added pressure of
performing discreetly in front of others.
"This survey shows that mothers primarily choose to breastfeed believing it
is the healthiest option for their child.
"Nineteen per cent quite rightly say that breastfeeding is easier than
bottle feeding as it is quicker, cleaner and immediate. It is a shame the
general public don't seem to agree."
Lucy Symons, spokeswoman for Kamillosan continued: "Breastfeeding is a
complex and sensitive issue - many women assume they will be able to feed
their baby effortlessly and are then so disappointed when they realise
things are harder than they first thought.
"On top of the stigma attached to feeding in public, there is also the
issue of feeling sore and finding feeding uncomfortable as women adjust to
the regular feeding patterns of their baby. Kamillosan ointment might not
be able to help with the negative attitudes of others, but at least it can
making feeding a more pleasurable and less painless experience."
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