Turning my dream into reality

Alice Griffin (pictured right) had the working-from-home dream but she actually stopped dreaming and did something about it! Here she helps other mums with a practical guide to getting your business started and combining it with motherhood.

Turning my dream into reality

Being a working-from-home-mum was always my biggest dream; the option
to spend time with my children, yet still retain a bit of the ‘pre-mum’
me and bring in a few pennies. Three years ago when the prospect of a
baby drew closer I decided it was time to stop dreaming and do something
about it.

I work as a freelance writer, copywriter and graphic designer, to my
own rules, in my pyjamas if the fancy takes me and with my coffee breaks
down at the park with my now 18-month-old daughter. By working from home
I get to see all the important ‘firsts’, I’m here to kiss her better when
she falls over and I don’t have to rush around like a headless chicken
every morning sponging milk stains off my pinstripe suit while trying
to hurry my daughter into the car and to nursery. However, I have my own
hurdles and being a working-from-home mum is not for everyone and certainly
not for the faint-hearted. It takes dedication, determination and the
ability to work very early in the morning and late into the night even
when all you want to do is flop in front of the TV once baby has gone
to bed.

Coming up with ideas

If you are keen to go it alone then the first thing you need is a good
solid idea.

  • Think about previous jobs, things you are good at or a hobby that
    you could turn into a business and see where it might fit in the market.
    Are you creative – could you make greeting cards? Can you sew – could
    you make and sell clothes or handbags? Are you a great secretary – maybe
    you could become a Virtual Assistant?
  • Once you find something you are good at, research the market and see
    who is out there doing it and if there is space for you. If the market
    is swamped, do you have a unique selling point that can give you the
    monopoly on the crowd?

When I first set up my business it was brought to my attention that
there were hundreds of agencies out there providing marketing services
for big businesses, but not many focusing on small businesses; the mumpreneurs
like you and I, so I decided this was my unique selling point and ran
with it.

Setting up

Once you’ve made the decision you must crack on with the legal stuff.
Setting up as a sole trader is the most obvious and easiest way to start
but you must be aware that you are personally liable for any debts your
business runs up. If you’re not going to be providing a simple service
from your living room with minimal set-up costs, you might want to look
into setting up as a Limited company.

  • As a sole trader you can trade under any name you wish but you must
    register as self-employed within 3 months of starting up. Forms and
    information are downloadable from HM Revenue & Customs (http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/)
    and they will also inform you of steps to take regarding NI payments.
  • If you’re a one-woman-band you won’t need an expensive accountant;
    find yourself a good bookkeeper in your local paper (someone who works
    out of their living room!) or by word-of-mouth and arrange to meet them
    for a free chat. They will tell you what you need to do to keep your
    incomings/outgoings up-to-date so that when the time comes for your
    tax return, you will be able to hand everything over to them in order.
    This will take them less time and cost you less money.

Market yourself slowly

If you’re not sure how your business idea is going to pan out then the
biggest mistake you might make is to go into it head first and full-throttle.
You could end up getting yourself unnecessarily in debt, stressed out
because you have taken too much on or picking up the pieces of a failed
attempt. Whatever you decide to do, in my opinion the best thing is to
take it slowly.

  • Set aside an hour a day to work on your idea. Plan clear objectives/goals
    so that you have a timeline to work to.
  • Most people will want a website, but don’t pay thousands; even an
    inexpensive static brochure website can give you the presence you need
    to start your venture.
  • If you are already a full-time mum or currently working, think carefully
    about your advertising otherwise you might find yourself inundated with
    requests that you cannot fulfill and a reputation you can’t claw back.
  • Start through word-of-mouth with an eye-catching email newsletter
    linking to your website and gauge reaction.
  • Carry out a few orders/jobs well and ask for feedback that you can
    then use in future marketing material.
  • Work on building these relationships that bring in regular work so
    that you slowly gain the confidence to give up your full-time job or
    gradually ease yourself into doing more work around baby.

For my business I first chose to initially only advertise a small skill-set
so I could gauge response gradually. I then added further services bit-by-bit
to meet requirements.

Top Tips

The dream of being a working-from-home mum is rosy; the reality can sometimes
be more testing and can take alot of planning. Here are my tips:

  • Get your baby into a routine as soon as you can so that you know
    when the most likely time will be for you to make business calls, work
    solidly without interruption and schedule in urgent jobs. If you work
    to a strict timetable, time with your baby can be stress and guilt-free.

NB. Flexibility is a must, though, as it most certainly does not always
go to plan! I’ve had to accept business calls whilst feeding, take my
daughter along with me to drop off artwork at the printers and read Peepo
Baby while making final changes to an urgent job. Our much-documented
skill for multi-tasking comes into its own in these situations!

  • Support is crucial. I have a very hands-on husband who right from
    the start took over fully when he was home so that I could dedicate
    myself to work when necessary. If this isn’t an option for you, think
    about home help for a few hours a day or a willing grandma.
  • Self-motivation is absolutely essential. When you have lots of work
    on you will find yourself up and working at 5 in the morning while the
    rest of the house sleeps and you will often be last to bed.
  • Daytime TV is evil and those Loose Women can easily lure you away
    from your work while baby naps. A room dedicated to your business is
    absolutely necessary to keep you focused.
  • Tell fellow mums when you are most likely to be working so that they
    don’t drop in and distract you with coffee and chocolate digestives
    during crucial times.
  • Join other mumpreneurs in on-line forums for advice, ideas, motivation
    and just plain company – visit
    babyworld’s Working mums forum     to get all this and more!

For me, being a working-from-home mum is something I cannot recommend
enough. As long as your plans are small-scale, at least while any children
are under school age, it enables you to splash around in the paddling
pool and make hedgehogs out of playdough, while also keeping a foot firmly
in the working world.

Websites I find useful:

About
Alice
Alice Griffin is a freelance writer, graphic designer and mum to 18-month-old
Isabella (pictured right on her mum’s lap in front of the webcam!). She
has worked from home running her marketing business, Keramay (www.keramay.co.uk)
for 3 years. She currently lives in Andalusia, Spain.

 

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