ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER 2018
IN CONVERSATION WITH
Shona Chambers OWNER OF SPACE@61
Flexible child-friendly co-working spaces
3 ways to avoid getting stressed as a busy parentpreneur
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creative thinking innovative designs
B81 Designs
hello@b81designs.com
www.b81designs.com 2
CONTENTS ISSUE 1
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SEPTEMBER 2018
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USING PR Brand visibility and Chrismas sales
RELATIONSHIPS
12 IN CONVERSATION Shona Chambers owner of Space@61
14 NETWORKING Questions and answers for great networking
16 SPECIAL FEATURE 5 Child-friendly co-working spaces
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FOOD
ADAPT TO SURVIVE
Quick and tasty family food recipe
How to make family and business work
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FINANCE How to choose the right accountant
IN CONVERSATION Hina Zaman founder of WellVine
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IN CONVERSATION Rob Hartley co-founder of Dinghy
FIRST AID
42 HEALTH Workouts to enjoy at home with your kids
FREE
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Parents in Business magazine is available in digital and print.
WELL BEING
IN CONVERSATION David Willians of Being Dads
Don’t forget to follow us on social media we love getting to know you!
3 Ways to avoid getting stressed www.parentsinbiz.co.uk
Top tips to stay safe this autumn
Is your business over taking your relationship?
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CONTRIBUTOR’S CHERYL PRICE, CERTIFIED CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT Cheryl founded CH Accountancy in January 2014, providing essential accountancy and taxation services to individuals, owner-managed businesses and small/medium sized companies, with a particular focus on being family-friendly. www.chaccountancy.co.uk FIONA MINETT, CONSUMER PR EXPERT Fiona Minett is a Consumer PR Expert and long-time supporter of small business. She spent six years running Peachy PR, an agency specialising in working with small businesses and start-ups and helped her clients make their mark through canny PR. Now, she wants to help you do the same. www.bossyourpr.com FRANCESCA TORTORA , GRAPHIC DESIGNER & FOUNDER OF DOING IT FOR THE KIDS Frankie is a freelance graphic designer, mum of two and founder of Doing It For The Kids - a community by and for self-employed parents. Through the blog, Instagram, Facebook group, meetups and free downloadable resources, DIFTK is proving that all sorts of good stuff happen when freelance parents are given the opportunity to connect. www.francescatortora.com | www.doingitforthekids.net HILARY HUMPHREY, DIRECTOR AT SEOFON BUSINESS SERVICES Hilary is passionate about providing excellent customer service and also working as efficiently as possible, and is always reviewing ways of working. She has helped businesses review their ways of working, and processes, and in doing so has reduced their costs and enabled them to work more efficiently. www.seofon.co.uk LOUISE WORSLEY, FIRST AID TRAINER Worsley Training is owned and run by Louise Worsley, a professional teacher with an instinctive ability to make learning First Aid enjoyable. Louise Worsley is an ex-geography teacher who has been delivering First Aid courses since 2007. She is qualified through and regulated by Remote Emergency Care and Nuco Training and is, therefore, part of a global network of professional first aid trainers. www.worsleytraining.co.uk MILENA ZANETTI, QUALIFIED NATUROPATH, KIDS’ YOGA TEACHER The Orange Pantry is the creation of Milena Zanetti - a qualified naturopath, kids’ yoga teacher, lover of good food and wellness advocate. She offers inspiration in the kitchen and tips for improving health and wellbeing with a library of recipes, e-books, a blog and a newsletter. Her signature products are specially formulated homoeopathy drops that offer a safe and gentle way to address anxiety and restlessness in kids, and she has recently added new formulas for adults and teenagers. www.theorangepantry.com PAOLA LANGELLA, CERTIFIED PILATES INSTRUCTOR Paola Langella is a certified Pilate’s instructor she operates in West London including Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Holland Park, Mayfair and Kensington. www.langella.co.uk SARA BUSSANDRI , WRITER, AUTHOR & MENTOR Sara is a writer and author she runs the popular blog Mind your Mamma, where she shares mindset and lifestyle tips for busy mums. She helps and mentors business owners with content creation, optimisation, and re-purposing. www.mindyourmamma.com BHAVINI LAKHANI , GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bhavini is anindependent graphic designer specialising in branding and design for print, and is a mum of 2. She’s based in Milton Keynes, with a client base that spans global brands such as Conti Espresso, Barclaycard and British Gas, as well as local business across the UK. www.b81designs.com
Do you like what we do? Why not become a guest contributor. Let’s collaborate contact bridget@parentsinbiz.co.uk Magazine designed by B81 Designs www.b81designs.com Disclaimer views expressed in the articles are those strictly of the authors. Every effort is made to ensure that all information given is correct but Parents in Biz limited accepts no liability for inaccuracies, errors or omissions that may occur or their consequences. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher. Copyright includes (and not limited to) the content syndication of the RSS feed of this publication. The content and images used in any of the articles of this publication. The Parents in Business Magazine logo and any of its derivatives.
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EDITOR’S WELCOME Welcome to the first issue of the Parents in Business magazine. To say the last few months have been a whirlwind is an understatement, putting together this magazine has had its setbacks and challenges. You’ll find valuable pieces of business wisdom with the turn of each page with articles written by contributors they will give you a revitalising boost, or simply an increase of extra knowledge, that you need to run your business to the best of your ability. We have a special feature on five amazing flexible child-friendly co-working spaces based in London; it’s evident that this is a gap in the market and parents are flocking to these new locations keen to take advantage of the facilities on offer (page 16). As a parent running a business, it can sometimes feel that you are alone. That you are the only person finding it a struggle. In this issue, we interview parents from a variety of business backgrounds Shona Chambers, Rob Hartley, Hina Zaman and David Willans a big thank you for sharing your challenges, wins and advice. Happy Reading
Bridget
Bridget Daley Editor
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Take Five
Mind Body Miracle: Holistic healthy habits and daily disciplines to miraculously transform your mind and body. Jaclyn Dunne was a speaker at the Mum to Millionaire mumpreneur and female entrepreneur networking event in July where she shared her journey of loss and illness. This book is easy to read with interesting facts backed by references. At the end of each chapter, Jaclyn has given easy to follow action steps that are achievable. Jaclyn Dunne speaks from a professional educated and personal viewpoint and highlights so many vital points on the importance of educating oneself to ensure optimal health. Its available on Amazon.
ING M O C P U S EVENTUR O FOR Y RY DIA
Thursday 27th September 2018 Mum to Millionaire Mumpreneur & Female Entrepreneur Networking Tickets available on EventBrite Sunday 30th September 2018 The Dartford Family Expo You can find more information about this event here https://www.facebook.com/events/162316617825925/ Saturday 13th October 2018 UK Black Business Show Tickets available on www.ukblackbusinessshow.co.uk Friday 1st February 2019 & Saturday 2nd February 2019 Mums Enterprise Roadshow Tickets available on www.mumsenterprise.events
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FAVOURITE APP Trello is a collaboration tool that organises your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process. Imagine a whiteboard, filled with lists of sticky notes, with each note as a task for you and your team. Now imagine that each of those sticky notes has photos, attachments from other data sources you can take that whiteboard anywhere you go on your smartphone and can access it from any computer through the web. We use Trello for business and personal! You can get Trello here: www.trello.com/bridgetdaley/recommend
Frustrated with the state of the children’s rooms? Need help getting them in order? Child Wellness Experts; MK Kids Interiors designs amazing spaces for children, that have a positive impact on their development and wellbeing. Call us now to book a consultation. 02032873722 | www.mkkidsinteriors.com | info@mkkidsinteriors.com
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Use PR to get your brand visible and boost sales amongst the Christmas retail chaos Christmas, the undisputed high point of the retail calendar for many product-based businesses, so how can you stand out in a crowded market? How do you tap into the hunger for gift ideas and inspiration and position your products as part of this conversation? Christmas Gift Guides saturate the media landscape from November, across print, online and social media. Hundreds of ideas for the ‘gardener in your life,’ ‘the interior lover,’ ‘the little creative,’ ‘the one who has everything,’ the list goes on, but the format is familiar to us all. They may not land until later in the year, but the hard work is happening now, and there is no reason for you to not be right in the mix of this process.
into is an invaluable promotion in the run-up to Christmas. Not only is it a factor in the decision making of the readers of the magazine, but those who visit your website to see your product listing read as ‘seen in ….’ or ‘recommended by ….’. You want to be able to capture any additional advantage you can create or maximise that will set you apart from competitors during this festive shopping season.
Having your product sitting front and centre as a suggested purchase option for the magazine’s readership to buy
So, how do you make this happen? With some general media knowledge and key principles to stick to, it is
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possible to achieve placements in your target media, in turn enhancing sales and maximising the potential of the Christmas sales period for your brand.
Lead Times: Monthly magazines, known as long lead media, will typically work three to six months in advance, so that boat is ready to set sail any day now, so get in there quick. Weekly magazines and newspaper supplement media, or short lead as we call it, gives us a little bit more room to breathe, starting to compile their Christmas content around October and into November. Online is much more ‘of the moment’ and can be almost immediate in its turnaround. Still classed as short lead, online outlets, including bloggers and influencers, will probably start compiling gift guides through November and into early December. Knowing this rough timeline will allow you to pitch into your target media at the right time for the opportunities and also eases your mind by showing that you don’t need to hit every opportunity all at once, there is a natural staggering of your PR activity in the run up to Christmas.
Images:
your product sitting in blank space. Images like this are what gets layered up to create the ‘shopping page’ visuals that make up editorial magazine content.
Content: What is/are your product(s)? What is the USP? What makes them great as a Christmas gift option? What type of person is the best recipient for your key products? Each media outlet will have their own way of sharing their gift guides and shopping tips. Some will be very straightforward ‘For Him’ and ‘For Her’ but others will be more creative. Think, ‘for the animal lover,’ ‘for the style maven’ or ‘for his man cave.’ Why not get creative like the media? Create your own headlines and tags for your gift guide pitches. Phone accessories for the ‘Social Media Queen’ or pet accessories for the ‘Pampered Pooch.’ Stand out from the other pitches, and gift guide releases that the journalists will be receiving and show them how your products serve a purpose, fill a niche or are simply a great option!
Clear, and high resolution images are crucial for success when it comes to the media, print or otherwise. Cut out images are the rule of thumb when it comes to Christmas gift guides, and by this, I mean images of
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Use PR to get your brand visible and boost sales amongst the Christmas retail chaos How To: Reach Out. There is no quick answer to how you get your brand and your products out there. It starts with social media research, target media research, conversations, email pitches, social media interaction and much more. Fit new habits into your working day. Read a target magazine, find out who is the curator or writer of the key product pages and reach out to them to find out if they are putting the gift guides together. Use Twitter and LinkedIn to find contacts and make connections. Follow the hashtag #JournoRequest on Twitter to scout for media opportunities. It is a tool that journalists use to seek content, images, and interviews and allows you to follow up on live requests from all sectors of the media. This will only get busier in the run up to Christmas so make the most of it. Take time to check hashtags such as #GiftGuideRequest or #XmasGiftGuide etc. to seek out further opportunity. By having your images and content, aka your ‘PR Toolkit,’ ready to go you will be able to respond to requests quickly and efficiently which will give you a great chance of securing opportunities.
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A few things to keep in mind through the whole process that will allow you to start cultivating fruitful media relationships: - Be helpful and efficient in your responses and discussions with a contact. - Remember that no one owes you anything, so the burden is on you to prove and demonstrate the quality of your products and the value that they offer to a magazine’s readership. - Keep going right up until the weeks before the big day to catch those last minute requests for blogs and online content. Ultimately, have confidence in your product and seek to instill that confidence in others. PR doesn’t have to be about who shouts the loudest but who can be savvy about how they share their messages and communicate the strengths of their product, so let that be YOU.
Fiona Minett, Consumer PR Expert Boss Your PR www.bossyourpr.com
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In Conversation with Shona Chambers Owner of Space@61 Shona Chambers has 2 children a boy and a girl her career background is marketing within the media and finance sector. Combining her marketing skills and her experience of marketing her own small business Space@61 Shona also offers SME consultancy.
How did you get the idea for your business?
How do your values show up in your work?
What is your biggest high/greatest win?
Space at 61 came about as the second time around business. I set up my first business in 2012 (a cafe). When that, unfortunately, was not sustainable, a friend suggested I try and come up with a Plan B for the existing cafe space and Space at 61 came about like that. So my current business really started again from scratch in its existing location. I just had to get the new clients necessary to make it work.
The values that probably come across most in my work are a belief in hard work, belief in treating people the way you’d like to be treated yourself, coaching others to keep going when it seems their events may not book out, & supporting other people to achieve their dreams.
Biggest highs, when you see the children come in for their birthday parties & you know how excited they are, and how much their parents want them to have the best day possible.
What is Space@61? Space at 61 is a venue for hire in South East London, Peckham to be more specific. We describe it as an Airbnb for business hire. You can hire it from an hour to a day, although the long-term is harder now as we are so busy. We do a real mix of hire from TV commercials to children’s classes & everything in between. In the last week, we have been a pop-up restaurant for a Vegan Supper club, an Art Gallery for a week long show by a local artist, a space for an aromatherapy workshop & provided space for several children’s classes in between. That’s pretty normal for us!
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What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome? The biggest challenge to overcome has been the lack of support from any organisation in terms of funding. We are not seen as a useful business in the eyes of the local authority and do not qualify as a community venture despite the community aspect we represent and the fact, so many of our clients tell us there is nothing around like us in terms of an affordable space for people to try their ideas. It’s frustrating to know that if we were a charity shop, we’d pay no business rates, but as a self-funded small business, we don’t qualify.
How do you manage your time? I manage my time as well as possible. Some days you have a plan, and it all goes wrong, and you just have to grit your teeth and get on with it. I’m probably like many in that once the kids are in bed I’m back on the laptop, although hopefully not every night.
What does a typical day look like for you? A typical day would be, answering enquiries for space hire, updating our social media/website listings, viewings at the venue with clients, managing bookings that are happening that day, & running around doing life admin (child admin).
Do you have a mentor? I don’t have a mentor as such, but I’ve certainly benefited from peer support from others who are parent entrepreneurs.
If you could go back, what would you change about how you did things? If I could go back to my first business I’d do more market research on the location, ironic considering I was a Market Research manager prior to opening the cafe (ha ha)
What is your tip for a parent who is struggling to take their business idea forward? My tip for anyone trying to take their business forward is to remind them of how to eat an elephant (in small bites) set yourself small manageable tasks that make you feel good to have done, don’t flog yourself endlessly and then beat yourself up. Take breaks, ask questions, find your people and stick to them like glue!
Who inspires you? Who inspires me? I have been very inspired by the Just a Card campaign run by Sarah Hamilton & other volunteers. The whole idea of the campaign is to support and encourage people to buy from a small business, and that if every person spent the cost of a card in these shops many that are struggling would remain open. Since I started following the campaign has grown to 25K people who all care about this message, and
as a small business person myself I find it very encouraging and supportive. They can be found on Instagram, Twitter. Space@61 run monthly meetups called First Fridays, they take place on the First Friday of every month between 10am and 1pm. Usually, around 25 small business people who come together to support each other & listen to an inspiring talk by a relevant business person, followed by food. Details of the events can always be found in the events section of our Facebook page, new members always welcome. www.spaceat61.wixsite.com/events
Networking Q&As with Hilary Humphrey From Seofon I’m afraid to network how can I get over my fear? Networking can prove to be a much more effective way of drumming up business than advertising. If you are a sole trader networking can feel very intrusive you are having to say positive things to complete strangers about yourself and your product and service. You went into business because you have a product or service that you know will benefit others and that you are passionate about, so let that come through. Also, remember that the majority of the people in the room felt the same way at some point. If you say you are nervous and admit that you are new to networking, you will be met with support and encouragement. Networking is about making personal connections many of whom will become friends
What can I expect at networking events? Some are very structured and some less so. Before you go to the event check out the structure. Hopefully, this will be sent to you before you attend the event. You may also need to book your place for breakfast and lunch meetings. Check out the networking events website, social media pages, or ask an existing attendee for more information.
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Some events have a ‘lock-out’ meaning that only one company from each profession can be represented. This can be a good thing, but can also hinder you from making contacts in your own field where you may be able to share work. Expect at all of them to have the opportunity to freely network in the room and definitely remember to bring your business cards. Leave a spare stash in your car for the day in case you forget to put them in your bag, or replenish the stock in your wallet (it will happen!). Also, dress for comfort at some events, you could be standing for a long time and don’t want to be standing there wishing you had put on a more sensible pair of shoes!
How do I craft my elevator pitch for networking? Think of it in three sections 1) Who you are, the name of your business and what the business does 2) A bit more on the products or services you provide (this can be tailored to the season, a news item, etc.) 3) Who your ideal client is or who you would like an introduction to if you have a specific goal in mind
How do I start a conversation? Introduce yourself and ask them who they are and what they do. You can ask all sorts of questions such as ‘how long have you been coming to this event/or been a member’, ‘where are you based’, or even think about where you are in your business and ask questions such as ‘what was your biggest thing you learned when you started your business’ or ‘how have you dealt with xxxx’
How do I keep the conversation going?
How do I follow up after an event?
Use some the questions above or just accept that some conversations will stop. If the other person has decided that you aren’t someone they think they can do business with, then they will stop the conversation naturally. Also don’t talk too much about yourself it’s a sure fire way to kill a conversation.
Connect with people on Linked-In and book 121s. 121s give you the time to have a much more in-depth conversation learning about each other’s lives and companies. It always amazes me that you can come away with business or a way to work together, from someone where you thought there would be no crossover or need for each other’s services. It also gives you more information about them and makes it easier to identify referrals for them in the future.
Hilary Humphrey www.seofon.co.uk
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Flexible Child-Friendly Co-Working Spaces Balancing children and work is an age-old battle that many parents have faced over the years, and today the problem remains. However, there have been advances thanks in part to the rise of the parent entrepreneur and the ever-growing popularity of freelance working. Increasing numbers of adults in the UK are starting their own businesses or working in a more fluid environment no longer tied to an office. This is a great way to balance young children with earning money. Seeing the increase in popularity several businesses have sprung up that give this group of working parents the chance to work when the time is needed away from the distractions of home, yet still allowing your child to be onsite with you. London is growing as the freelance capital with some fantastic spaces appearing for co-working, and other areas are following the model and also building in space for the working parent who needs to have their child with them.
Co-working Spaces Forming Across the UK Widely lauded as so much easier than trying to juggle childcare arrangements and having to work these ‘all under one roof’ havens are offering the best of both worlds with totally flexible
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arrangements for parents and children to come and go to suit the needs of the workflow. Known as child-friendly co-working spaces, we are going to look at five in the London area where childcare is catered for alongside the essential must-haves of the fully functional office space. Some spaces, such as Huckletree West offers a child-friendly family office space known as the kid’s studio where babes in arms can remain in kangaroo care with their parent while the work gets done. One of the newer ventures Cuckooz Nest offers the ultimate in flexibility with a pay-as-you-go childcare option with onsite staff amusing your little one while you work. Finally, some co-working spaces have gone for the more traditional approach of having a fully fledged nursery onsite with highly qualified staff on hand to look after your child in one room while you work just next door. All of these ventures are learning what works and what needs improvement as they go, and the model is being watched closely by others across the country poised to start these in-demand offices for their local area.
Benefits of Child-Friendly Co-working Spaces Having spoken to parents who use these establishments in London and chatted with the
founders who run and work in them, it is clear that these spaces are providing more than just a practical need for childcare.
Asked why some of the parents didn’t just accept traditional nursery care for part of the week, it became evident that this is also about mental wellbeing and networking as well. Not only can the parents remain physically close to their child, which would not be possible in a traditional nursery building, but they are combatting the loneliness that can arise from being home alone all day trying to run a business and look after the children. Guilt is alleviated as their children get interaction with others, and they
SPECIAL FEATURE themselves are feeling happier and healthier from spending time with other parents in the same situations. Networking opportunities are invaluable when you are running your own business, so the chance to meet other parents has both a social and business value, with new business connections being made in these co-working spaces.
It is clear that these spaces are providing more than just a practical need for childcare.
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Here are five such amazing spaces for you to check out: Creche & Co, Founded by Keryn & Lynn A superb home-based environment provides the setting for Creche & Co. The childcare takes place on the ground floor, utilising the fantastic garden. The first floor has been transformed into office space for the working parent, safe with the knowledge their child is not far away. The environment is warm, cosy, friendly with lots of toys and activities to keep children busy. Children are cared for by childminders who are OFSTED registered, DBS checked and experienced. It is easy to access via London transport and parents can meet a community of like-minded co-workers. The mission of Creche & Co is to create a place that feels like home but is free from the distractions of home. They aim to help to assuage the guilt a parent can feel when putting their child into daycare, despite the genuine need to work. Creche & Co allows parents to transition seamlessly between work and life, empowering parents to pursue meaningful careers without compromising parenthood. All working backgrounds are welcomed, at the time of writing this article Creche & Co have parents from a myriad of industries including PR, Marketing, Freelance writers and many more. What parents are saying: “A brilliant and much needed solution. For when you are not quite ready to commit to the cost and schedule of nursery; but still need time and space to work, around caring for your baby.” Jenna Louise Rush Benefits: • Access to Wi-Fi • Access to a printer • Private space to make phone calls • Access to the kitchen, where parents can bring food for themselves and their children. (tea, coffee, and biscuits are provided for free) Location: Walthamstow. The house is ideally located within a 10 minutes walk from Wood Street station. There are nearby shops and Walthamstow Village. Opening Times: Mondays & Thursdays 9:30-12:30 Age: 1-4 years old. Can accommodate one baby (6-12m) but this must be requested in advance. Price: £25 plus small booking fee. Discount offered for 2 children. Membership offer: Pay for 3 sessions get the 4th one free. Contact: Keryn Potts, T: 07411979118, crecheandcoworking@gmail.com www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3429016
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Cuckooz Nest, Charlie Rosier and Fabienne O’Neill Cuckooz Nest has been entirely designed with the parent and child in mind and offers a daily service in a larger setting for children up to the age of two years. The space includes a breastfeeding area and a darkened sleeping area. Parents who use the space are granted access to an app where they get updates on how their child is doing during the day. The onsite creche has fully qualified, OFSTED regulated, experienced childcare staff offering parents the peace of mind to get on with their work in the office space provided. Cuckooz Nest is popular with parents from professional backgrounds from marketing to barristers and many more. A well-organised space that offers fantastic flexibility on booking, with ad hoc sessions welcomed (just 24 hours notice required). With many levels of membership and a whole host of benefits available to parents subscribed to the space. What parents are saying: “LOVE THIS PLACE. It’s my haven! Able to get work done whilst the baby is cared for in the most beautiful creche next door. Lovely facilities and staff are super friendly and helpful. They have an amazing app that updates you with videos, photos etc of the baby whilst you’re working. I go every week now.” Mel Wise, mum to Roman Wise (1 year old). Benefits:
• Fully equipped kitchen • Projector & screen • Private phone booths • Events space • Showers • Bike storage • 24-hour access (members only)
• A3 printer • Supersonic Fibre Optic Wi-Fi • Ethical Coffee • OFSTED registered staff • Darkened sleeping area
• Breastfeeding area • Snug reading corner • Dress up area • Interactive arts & craft’s area • Climbing soft play
Location: Situated in the heart of Clerkenwell Opening Times: 8am -6pm Age: 0-2 years Flexi membership: Pay-As-You-Go membership with zero commitment and just 24 hours’ notice to book. Invoiced weekly in arrears (making it easy on cash flow for the self-employed). All prices inclusive of workspace and crèche (VAT included). Monthly membership: Minimum of 8 hours a week commitment, with 4 weeks’ notice period. Book prime sessions in advance, or with just 24 hours’ notice. £12/hour irrespective if use 8 hours or 50 hours a week (you can still scale up or down depending on your commitments). All prices inclusive of workspace and creche (VAT included). Desk only membership: £400 +VAT per month or £20 +VAT/day. Crèche sessions can also be booked ad-hoc for £12/hour (with just 24 hours’ notice). Contact: 24 Ray Street, London, EC1R 3DJ, T: +44 (0) 203 950 2539, www.cuckooznest.co.uk
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PlayPen, Founded by Leo Wood PlayPen has been set up by Leo Wood, who is also the founder of Winkley Studios & Cooks Yard co-working spaces. PlayPen is in partnership with Poplar Harca housing association and designed for children from 6 months to five years. Currently only open for one morning a week. Playpen offers working parents the opportunity for a few uninterrupted hours working in the Bow Brew Café while the children are busy playing in the OFSTED registered crèche next door. The creche is staffed by qualified and experienced childcare staff offering parents peace of mind. The cafe has Wifi and is an informal setting with the chance to get your head down and get work done while bringing together like-minded people for various networking opportunities. Parents who have used the service to date are from a variety of backgrounds such as creatives, marketing, PR, and admin. Playpen also has an active Facebook group designed for parents who use the service, or who are considering using the service in future. How people use the service:
• Work on their business • Hold meetings • CV writing • Job hunting • Test child in a care setting. • As emergency childcare
Location: The Bow Brew cafe and St Paul’s Way centre are both found at 83 St Paul’s Way, E3 4AH. Mile End underground station and Limehouse DLR stations are both a 10-minute walk from the centre. The 277 bus also stops very near to St Paul’s Way. Opening Times: Thursday 9:30-12:00 Age: 6 months to 5 years Price: £15 per hour £20 per hour for 2 children Contact: Leo Wood, leo@playpencowork.com, T: 07876 403 648, www.playpencowork.com
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Entreprenursery, Dahila Dajani Situated in Shoreditch Entreprenursery not only offers flexible co-working space but webinars and an advice service. The area has been well thought out. The facility can cater for children from 3 months up to five years. The children are looked after in a beautifully decorated crèche they have the freedom to learn through play through themed activities and make many new friends, but you can go and see them at any time, and nursing mothers are provided with a quiet space to feed if needed. Staff at the creche are friendly, qualified and experienced. The founder Dahila is a mum of three and understands the needs of the working parent. The mission statement clearly states their purpose: Entreprenursery is a co-working space with a nursery. It is a collegiate, relaxed environment where success and productivity is achieved. We aim to create a community that inspires and supports each other to reach our goals and be the best we can be. We aim to serve mums and dads working flexibly as freelancers, or innovators as well as entrepreneurs. Our events will help connect professionals as well as guide you through parenthood. In addition, parents can also participate in a range of children’s’ activities on offer to keep the fun going with your child, so you won’t feel any guilt about missing out! Benefits:
• Free Wifi • Events and workshops • Networking lunches • A fun and vibrant crèche with weekly themed activities • Bottomless coffee and teas • Friendly, supportive and nurturing staff • Music, rhyme time, and crafting activities
Location: Heart of trendy Shoreditch just a few meters from Old Street Station Opening Times: Monday-Friday Age: 3 months to 5 years Price: Hourly Flexible Rate £9/hour 50-hour bundle Pass £400 (8/hour) 100-hour bundle Pass £700 (£7/hour) Sibling discount 20% of hourly flexible rate of £7.20/hour 2 hour free trial period available Contact: www.entreprenursery.co.uk Run Way East Building 19-23 Featherstone Street Shoreditch London, EC1Y 8SL
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Huckletree West, Founded by Gabriela Hersham Huckletree West is a child-friendly workspace and curated collective of digital lifestyle startups, creatives, and entrepreneurs, located in the heart of White City’s creative campus. This is a different style of co-working space but is popular with parents. This is the first Huckletree location with a membership specifically designed for entrepreneurs who are growing their business while raising children. Huckletree’s Kids Studio is a private workspace featuring a play and private nursing area, plus separate baby changing facilities. It can accommodate 5 members with their children at any given time, but as a Power Parents member, you can also choose to work from flexible workspaces near the Studio. This initiative does not feature staff for childcare, instead using a different approach. If you need an on-site sitter, Huckletree has partnered with bubble, the app to find and book the babysitters your friends and community already know, use and trust. Huckletree West members get free use of bubble - paying no booking fees per sit. The kid’s studio space is flexible, and parents with children of primary school age can bring their children in. Parent users tend to come from a tech and creative backgrounds, so a great level of networking is available through networking and workshops that are held at Huckletree. What parents are saying: “Huckletree West is such a great space for our startup. The staff and community team do a great job, and we’re surrounded by other really interesting businesses.” Ari Last, Bubble Co-Founder. Benefits: • Members also get access to business events • Wellbeing programme • Meeting rooms • Weekly drinks • Private phone booths • Access to Huckletree curated network of ambassadors, VCs, and mentors from across the tech and creative industries. • Breakout spaces • Perks from like-minded brands we love. Location: White City Price: Power parents membership with monthly half-day access £175+VAT Contact: west@huckletree.com, T: 020 3948 9270, www.huckletree.com
The Future for Parent Entrepreneurs These are just five of the co-working spaces that are appearing across London. It is becoming evident that this is a gap in the market and parents are flocking to these new locations keen to take advantage of the facilities on offer. It looks set to be a growing business area and will spread out across the country. Having the ability to meet new people is not only beneficial for the social aspect of the business, but there is a genuine collaborative possibility with different services providers being able to work to support each other while growing their own businesses. London is a vibrant, in-demand place to base your business and these ventures are making it easier for working parents to do just that. It certainly seems that childcare has taken another step forward offering working parents previously unavailable flexibility that enhances their working life as well as the development and social skills for their children, without any guilt about having to work and missing out on precious early years.
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Spicy Red Lentil Dhal Indian flavours are some of my favourites. Turmeric, ginger, garam marsala, garlic – what’s not to love! With autumn here and the weather becoming slightly cooler, I have been starting to crave warmer meals. This spicy red lentil dhal is really quick and simple to make. It’s kid-friendly too if they are not a fan of spicy food then leave out the red chilli flakes. Red lentils are split, they have a distinctive earthy flavour and are very quick to cook. They are full of goodness; they are high in protein, fibre as well as iron and magnesium. If your digestion is a little sensitive to lentils than soaking them in water for up to 8 hours before cooking improves their digestive qualities as well as making them gentler on the digestive tract. Any leftovers can be frozen
Ingredients • 1 cup of dried red lentils rinsed, drained • 1 cup of pumpkin diced into 3cm cubes • 1 cinnamon quill • 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped • ½ teaspoon of freshly grated ginger • 3 shallots
Prep time Cook time 10 mins 15 mins
Total time 25 mins
• ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder • ¼ teaspoon of garam masala • ½ cup of coconut cream, plus extra to serve • Red chili flakes • 6 kale leaves, stems removed and leaves roughly torn • A handful of fresh Coriander leaves to serve
Instructions 1. Place lentils and pumpkin, cinnamon and 3 cups of water in a large saucepan over medium heat 2. Bring to boil, reduce heat and to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until lentils are soft. 3. Stir in the kale leaves 4. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon 5. Heat the ghee in a frying pan over low heat. Add garlic and shallots, cook stirring for 5 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn 6. Add the spices, ginger and cook for 20 seconds or until fragrant. 7. Add the spice mixture and coconut cream to the lentil mixture and stir to combine 8. To serve 9. Place dhal into separate bowls. 10. Top with extra coconut cream, chili flakes, kale and coriander leaves The Orange Pantry is the creation of Milena Zanetti - a qualified naturopath, kids’ yoga teacher, lover of good food and wellness advocate. www.theorangepantry.com
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5 Things to Consider When Choosing an Accountant You’ve decided that the time is now right time to engage the services of an accountant for your business – but you’re not sure where to start – Which accountant do you use? Or maybe you’re not happy with the service you’re currently getting and would like to change to a new accountant. Here are 5 things to consider when speaking to accountants to find out the best one for you and your business.
1. Recommendation A personal recommendation goes a long way, whoever recommends someone is clearly happy with the service provided. Speak to your friends, peers, customers, and social networks ask who they are using and would they recommend them. This is a great way to see who has a good reputation and who you are probably better off staying away from. Word of mouth is an excellent way of finding someone to help you.
2. What do you need from your potential accountant? Before you meet with an accountant, it’s a good idea to consider what sort of service
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you require. Do you want a full package where you hand everything over to your accountant, or do you want to be more involved and just need help with your year end accounts and tax returns? Do you want to have face to face meetings or are you happy with working with your accountant using the technology available? With cloud-based software, Skype and email your accountant no longer needs to be local. However, if you prefer face to face meetings then look for someone local.
Does the accountant work on fixed fees or an hourly rate? What is included in their fees? Do they charge extra for advice/telephone calls/ answering emails etc.?
3. Niche/Specialised Business If you have a niche or specialised business, it could be beneficial to appoint an accountant with the relevant expertise and experience. If they specialise in your particular niche, they will have a lot more advice and will know any relevant specialised rules and regulations. Ask for details of their experiences in your business sector.
4. Qualifications and References What are their qualifications? Do they belong to a professional body? Do they have a license to practice? Do they have the relevant insurance? The most common to look out for are AAT, ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAS and ICAEW. All accountants should have a license to practice through their professional body. Do not be afraid to ask for these. Always ask for references too, so you have confirmation that other people are happy with their service. If an accountant is unwilling or unable to do this or confirm qualifications, it should set off some alarm bells! Unfortunately, there are a lot of companies out there that say they are accountants but do not actually have the required qualifications. You get what you pay for, and quality of service is essential for you and your business. Don’t necessarily go with the cheapest (although please note sole traders will be cheaper as they generally work from home and have fewer overheads, whereas larger practices have offices and staff and more overheads to pay for so will be more expensive). At the end of the day, it is your responsibility to ensure the accounts and tax returns filed
are correct, so you need to make sure you have an accountant that knows what they are doing!
5. Listen to your gut feeling! I know it sounds cheesy, but listen to your gut feeling if you don’t like someone, even if you can’t put your finger on why listen to your gut feeling and don’t choose them! Your accountant will need to know a lot of personal information about you, so it is very important that you feel comfortable working with them, and most importantly that you trust them. It is a good idea to meet with a few different people to see who gets you and your business, and see who you connect with on a personal level. Yes it will be a business relationship, but you’ll be working with them hopefully for a long time, so it’s important to connect on a personal level too.
Remember, a good accountant will save you money, not cost you money, they could be your most valuable asset. It is very easy to change accountants (so don’t listen to any scaremongering about how hard it is) don’t be afraid to change if you’re not getting the service you want. If you’d like to know more about CH Accountancy & Bookkeeping Ltd the services we provide and how we can help you and your business, please do not hesitate to have a look at our website and get in touch – we’d love to talk. Cheryl Price Certified Chartered Accountant Owner of CH Accountancy www.chaccountancy.co.uk
You’ll be working with them hopefully for a long time, so it’s important to connect on a personal level too. 25
In Conversation with Rob Hartley Co-founder of Dinghy Rob Hartley is a Co-founder at Dinghy - ethical insurance for freelancers. Working on changing insurance for the better, and learning how to raise two daughters as he goes.
How did you and the other two founders come up with the idea of Dinghy? We all used to work together at another UK online SME insurance broker and whilst there we all thought of ways that we wanted to improve the current insurance model for SMEs in different ways. However, it wasn’t until 3 years later when Ben approached Ed and me and suggested that we create an on-demand product to help freelancers. At the time I was freelancing myself, and knew of a lot of the pains of buying insurance; the lack of flexibility, the excessive fees and the high cost, and it was the perfect time to tackle these issues head-on. Combining these with a strong ethical code, where we have established ourselves as a B-Corp which focusses us on people and planet before profit, we all sat down to create the ideal company where we’d want to work, and where we’d want to buy insurance from.
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What is Dinghy? We are an online, on-demand ethical business insurance provider for freelancers. We created the world’s first on-demand rating system for freelancers so that they can save money if they are in periods when they are not working, but without losing the insurance cover, they’ve paid for previously; which would happen if they simply cancelled.
What are some challenges you faced early on and how did you overcome them? When we set out to create the world’s first on-demand business insurance model for freelancers, there were a lot of challenges in convincing our insurance partners that this could be done. We needed to make sure that the solution was fair to customers and ensured there was enough premiums to pay claims for the insurers. We overcame these challenges by finding the right insurance partner who shared our vision and wanted to work with us to overcome the hurdles. And I think that’s key of any business success; making sure that the people you work with, or the partners who supply you, share your passion and vision and want to make it work too.
What are your biggest pain points that you have been dealing with in your business these days? One would be finding the work/life balance and ensuring that I spend enough quality time with my family. I say “quality” as it’s all too easy for me to “spend time” with people, but not be fully engaged with them. For instance, I might let my mind wander back to work while they’re talking, or look back at my mobile when I hear a message ping. I have to focus on being present in the room for the family. That is probably the hardest thing - as when it’s your own business, there is never an end point. I don’t finish my day at 5pm and think “I’ve achieved everything I need to do.” I have to focus on drawing a line and saying “I’ve achieved what I need to do at this stage of the day; my family need me now” and then focusing on my family. And it’s hard to do - but with practice, I am improving. From a purely business point of view, I’d say the biggest pain point is getting brand awareness. As a new company that’s only been trading for 7 months, there are many places that we have yet to get our presence felt. It is gradually happening, but it takes
time, and it’s painful knowing that you can’t physically be everywhere at once; for instance, when two events clash on the same night, you have to suck it up and know that you can only make an impression at one.
What is your biggest high/greatest win? At Dinghy, definitely getting live within 6 months! It was a really incredible achievement of ours to design the product, test it with potential customers, recruit a tech team, and then build a first of its kind underwriting platform in such a short time frame. From a family standpoint, I’d say somehow convincing my wife that I was someone she should marry, culminating in the best wedding day I could wish for.
How do you manage your time between business and family? That is a great question! My goal is to have clearly defined boundaries and time allocations when work happens and family time happens. However, it is impossible to keep to this schedule every day, as there are times when emergencies come up both at work and home, and you have to bend the rules. But so long as I am achieving this balance 80% of the time, then I feel I’m doing well.
For instance, most days I work from home and have done for several years, even before Dinghy. When my first child just turned 3 she used to come upstairs to my office. I had to draw a boundary and say that daddy’s working, and she wasn’t allowed up here. My wife also made the same point, and incredibly this boundary definition worked…she stopped coming upstairs during my working hours. However, one day I came down during work hours to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, and she ran over to me and started pushing me back up the stairs saying “No daddy, you’re at work. And you work upstairs. I play downstairs”. Well, she was right…and I didn’t want to break the boundaries, so I gracefully retired back upstairs, thirsty!
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In Conversation with Rob Hartley Co-founder of Dinghy What does a typical day look like for you?
After kids asleep: dinner with wife
I’ll choose a school day, as I don’t think that in the summer holidays there is such a thing as a typical day!
12am/1am: I typically wait for bottle time for my youngest as my trigger; when I hear her stirring, I finish work, feed my daughter her bottle and then get to bed
So if I look back to the end of the summer term: 6.30 - 7am: wake-up, feed children (I’d like it to be 7, but my eldest daughter tells me when it’s time to get up!) 7.45am: lightning fast shower and get dressed 8am: take my eldest to school 8.30am: start work, or maybe eat breakfast (depending on how much I had to do that day and how hungry I am) Between 1pm and 2pm: make something for lunch, and get back to work as soon as possible. 5pm: start wrapping up whatever I’m working on 5.30pm: close the computer and focus on family time 6pm: eldest kids dinner (wife would have already fed the youngest) 6.30pm: kids bath time and youngest in bed. 7pm - 9pm: eldest daughter goes to sleep sometime in that window! It is hit and miss; we aim for 7pm, but sometimes she won’t sleep til late - never seems to be a pattern!
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After dinner: back to work
As you’ll quickly surmise, that doesn’t get my quota of 8 hours sleep in…but that is part of the sacrifice of starting a company and having young children. Of course some evenings I’ll close down and not pick up the laptop again, but that is the exception rather than the rule.
What the best advice ever received? If you want to be lucky, work hard.
If you could go back, what would you change about how you did things? That is another good question. I would say follow my instinct, and go with my gut when undecided, rather than try to look for some more rational, or logical decision making process to answer a question where there isn’t a clear right and wrong answer. Also, if you see something isn’t going right, don’t ignore it and think it will improve; but make corrective actions as soon as possible, even if it means sacrificing doing something else. However, I also want to say that it’s important to stay positive when things go wrong, or “fail.”
It’s very easy to look back and use hindsight to think negatively about previous decision making. For me, the more important thing is to be able to take that lesson and carry it forwards and do things better. For instance, there’s a great quote from Thomas Edison when trying to make the lightbulb: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Who inspires you? It sounds corny, but my father was a big inspiration to me. Born during WW2, he grew up in a 2 bed flat with his parents, his aunt, and his brother. And from these humble beginnings, he worked tirelessly to create a happy, comfortable home for his family. He travelled the world, taking us to Africa and Hong Kong, at times when that wasn’t the done thing; he gave generously and was awarded a Diamond Jubilee Award for volunteering. He also worked in insurance, and let me see that insurance is actually a positive force in the world, but has a tarnished reputation through the actions of a few greedy people. Sadly he died last December, but his actions still inspire me today. In a slightly less corny way, Stephen Catlin, who started Catlin Syndicate at Lloyd’s is another inspiration. In his own words, starting “at the bottom of the
pile” at a Syndicate, he worked hard to create his own company, which has a global presence and a huge commitment to social and environmental causes. Working at his company was one of the highlights of my career to date.
Anything else you would like to share? When deciding to start your own company, never wait for the perfect time to do it. There never will be one. From receiving funding for Dinghy on June 30, I had a baby girl at the end of September, my father passed away in December, and we announced Dinghy live the first week of January. If you had told me on June 29th that I would be riding these challenges if I took the funding, I would have walked away. But as it happens, these challenges were not insurmountable, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have faced them.
time will get lost if you don’t prioritise it. So start your calendar by blocking out the fun things you want to do, whether that’s going to the gym, watching football, fishing, or spending time with your friends and family; and then fit your work around those events. It’s impossible to do everything, but if you don’t do the things that make you happy then work will start to become a chore instead of a joy; so make time for fun outside of work, and work will also become fun too. www.getdinghy.com
So don’t let the fear of the future hold you back. If you have an idea and you have the means to get that idea into practice now, do it. Finally, remember to make time for the things that are important to you. When running your own business, it’s possible to work 24 hours a day, as there is always something to do. Personal fun
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3 Ways to avoid getting stressed as a busy parentpreneur When I left my corporate job in 2016, I was very close to burnout. I wanted a career that would fit around my children and their needs, so I decided to start my own business as a writer and author. On paper, this was a great plan. I’d work from home, have no childcare costs and no commute. I’d be able to do something I love, and I’d wave goodbye to stressful deadlines and uncomfortable conversations with my manager about asking for yet another day off because one of the children is ill. But once I got things underway as a self-employed freelancer, I realised that balancing everything wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought. While the old stress triggers had gone, there was great potential for life to get stressful again. So if you’re a busy parent running your business and working around your children, here are some tips to avoid getting stressed and overwhelmed.
Create firm boundaries around your work and your family life Parents are notoriously very good at juggling, but when you manage your business around your children, you have to exercise this skill to the next level. Because you know that the minute you sit down to type that email or make that phone call, a massive fight about the remote control will ensue. When that happens, I can guarantee you that you won’t be producing your best work (because you can’t fully focus on it), and you’re likely not to react to
your children’s needs in the best possible way either. So make sure you put some boundaries in place. What you decide to do depends entirely on your family circumstances, what you do, what hours and patterns you can work, how old your children are, and what childcare arrangements you have in place. But you’ll get the best results and feel more productive and calmer if you try to focus on one thing at the time. So try to work out how you can separate your work tasks from your family and childcare tasks. For example,
you could decide you don’t work after school, but you do reply to emails after the children’s bedtime. Or that you get up an hour before they do to clear the decks, so when they’re up for the day you can give them your full attention. Experiment with a few solutions and see what works.
Organise your work in projects You may think of yourself as being fairly organised. You don’t just have a to-do list – you have five. The problem is, the tasks on your lists are added faster than they’re crossed off, and some days, when that list seems to be overflowing, you feel completely frazzled. This is probably happening because you haven’t spent time organising your work on projects. The solution? Take yourself out for half a day – away from distractions (i.e., the internet) – and sit down with your tasks. Think about the goals and objective you have for your business. How do your daily tasks
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align with those? You’ll start to see some themes emerging, and you should be able to group a number of tasks under a bigger objective. You can turn that into a project. So, for example, you may have a task on your to-do list to create a new automated email sequence for your email subscribers. Somewhere on that list, you may also have the task to create a new cheat sheet or downloadable workbook that you want to email out. These tasks probably sit nicely under your email marketing strategy, which can become one of the long-term, strategic projects that will help you grow your business. So pull them all out of your to-do lists and stop seeing them as individual tasks. Now all you have to do is to work out how long you need for each project to be completed.
So, if you have a long-term improvement project, like launching a new website, why not give yourself a deadline? One way I do this is by planning one strategic piece of work that benefits my business for each half term. That gives me six weeks to complete the work. My tip to you is to plan one or two big projects alongside your client work for each half term. You’ll see that when the children are off school and at a loose end, you’ll also be able to take a natural break from your business after finishing your project(s).
home and around your family commitments isn’t a walk in the park. If you’re not careful, you can easily end up stressed and overwhelmed. But if you create firm boundaries around your work, meaningfully organise your tasks into projects that align to your big objectives and goals, and you plan your work accordingly, you’ll be able to manage it all a lot better, practically and emotionally. After all, all we want is to be able to do our best work, both in our business and at home, right? Sara Bussandri is a writer and author. She runs the popular blog Mind your Mamma. www.sarabussandri.com www.mindyourmamma.com
Plan one thing per half term Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you have a deadline or a very limited window of time to complete a piece of work, you’re a lot more productive than if you had the whole day to do it? Having clear deadlines (even if means setting them yourself) for your tasks or projects, can do wonders for your productivity. And for your stress levels too!
You know that the minute you sit down to type that email or make that phone call, a massive fight about the No matter what anyone says, remote control will ensue. running a business from 31
Adapt to survive You don’t need me to tell you that working for yourself as a parent has its perks — you’re already living it. It’s why so many of us year on year are choosing to go it alone, and why 1 in 7 freelancers are now mothers1. But alongside our new-found freedom and flexibility, self-employment also comes with a whole heap of new challenges when you throw kids into the mix. Some things — mainly Weetabix cement clogging up our QWERTY keyboards and an omnipresent fear of The Dreaded Lurgy — come with the territory; they’re things we learn to live with. But the number one skill we all have to hone running our own businesses and making babies? Adaptability. It’s the only way to survive. We’ve got to look that heap of new challenges in the face and say, “I see you, and I got this”. Here’s how we can make it work, each and every day.
Embrace the unpredictability
Accept that good enough is enough
Procreation is inherently unpredictable, as is working for yourself. While we can plan and prepare to try and keep some sort of normality, there will always be problems outside of our control — poorly kids, slow months, invoices paid late.
Time is a precious commodity when you have kids and work for yourself. And while we’d all love to have the luxury to produce our best possible work all of the time, it’s just not realistic. When you have one, two, maybe three kid-free days a week— striving to reach a quality level you might have been achieving before you had children will ultimately break you.
Rather than trying to tame the unpredictability, it’s all about learning to run with it; chaos really is in the new normal. Shifting your mindset to accept that there will be unknowns and that each day has the potential to go totally off-piste will make those difficult moments much easier to handle.
But the number one skill we all have to hone running our own businesses and making babies? Adaptability. It’s the only way to survive. 32
As a self-employed parent, done really is better than perfect. Good enough is most definitely, enough.
Be ruthless Do you have the time to sit on a bus for an hour each way to have a meeting with a client? No. That’s an entire half day’s nursery time gone in one sitting. Sure there are occasions when only a face-to-face meeting will do, but more often than not, a video call is more than sufficient. Plus, you can wear your super soft pyjamas bottoms, and no-one has to know. Praise be to the internet. Ignore the washing up, schedule in that Skype call, and concentrate on maximising the little time you have for work.
Be honest with yourself and your clients
predicament? Turns out they have kids too.
When things do go wrong, and you’ve got a projectile vomiting toddler around your ankles, it’s time, to be honest with yourself. Pretending everything’s OK and plodding on regardless really isn’t the solution — it’s not good for you, your kids or your clients.
99% of the time, honesty really is the best policy.
It’s amazing how quickly things can change if you’re just open about the situation you’re in. You might be surprised to find that the ‘fixed’ deadline you were given is actually totally flexible; that the client you thought wouldn’t sympathise with your
Create your own childcare solutions While we all strive to keep some separation between our personal and professional lives, there will always be times when we have no choice but to get work done with the kids in tow. As a self-employed parent, coming up with creative solutions to keep the kids busy while we take that call, or ping that email, is an essential survival skill.
So sip that single coffee as slowly as you like at your local soft play centre; Shamelessly invite your friends round to keep the kids entertained; Or head straight to the café at your nearest IKEA with pride while your kid runs free for 60 minutes in Smaland. iPad, snacks, new toys — do what you’ve got to do. Francesca Tortora www.francescatortora.com www.doingitforthekids.net Exploring the UK Freelance Workforce in 2016, IPSE 1
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In Conversation with Hina Zaman, Founder of WellVine Hina Zaman is a healthcare entrepreneur and a mum to a lovely daughter. She launched WellVine (www.wellvine.co.uk) as a trusted health partner for the parenting journey.
How did you get the idea for WellVine? I have been working in healthcare for over a decade and saw that there was a real gap in how healthcare systems were supporting new parents on their parenting journey – particularly in terms of delays in access to care and the lack of personalised advice. I wanted to build a new digital service that could be a trusted health partner through a person’s parenting lifecycle – from the time they decided they wanted a baby, through to pregnancy, birth, and parenting. We started with the post-natal space as the need was highest there with new mothers being some of the most vulnerable health consumers. The vast majority of queries that a new mother faces relate to the wellness of baby and mum – such as issues related to feeding, sleep, nutrition, emotional support and so on. Yet healthcare systems with long waiting times, not only delay access to expert advice, they also often fail to connect the mother to the right health professionals who are specialists in mother and baby care; this is a missed opportunity both in terms of healthcare outcomes for mother
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and baby, it also has an impact on healthcare system costs. I had already started developing WellVine when I became a mum myself, so I certainly experienced first-hand many of the issues I was trying to address.
What is WellVine? WellVine is a simple way for a new mother to get instant health advice from her own personal ‘mum and baby expert’, through video call and chat messaging. Our experts include experienced sleep consultants, breastfeeding consultants, children’s nutritionists, and health visitors. A mum using WellVine gets her own personal consultant, who works with her and her baby, whether it’s for ongoing matters like resolving sleep issues…or just one-off queries on everything from feeding to allergies to potty training to those moments when a new mum often wonders “is this normal for my baby? Am I alone in this?”.
What are some challenges you faced early on and how did you overcome them? In the early days, I think the biggest challenge was making sure we were building the right
product. What we were trying to tackle – redefining healthcare access – is a massive problem, and there is a risk of trying to build a service or product that does everything. I spent a lot of my time then validating the initial concept, spending time with my potential customers, and really understanding their pain point that I was trying to solve. It helped that I was a new mum myself!
What are you’re biggest pain points that you have been dealing with in your business these days? Driving awareness of the business on a very lean budget. I think we have done lots of things right along the way though, as the vast majority of our new users come through word of mouth.
What is your biggest high/greatest win? The mums we help! It’s very rewarding to hear directly from mothers who have used WellVine, on how the service and its consultants have helped make new parenthood easier for them. We are also about to launch a key partnership, which will drive a step change in how we help more new mums.
How do you manage your time? It’s a balancing act for sure. I try to compartmentalise well – focussing exclusively on work or on family for the specific time I’ve allocated to each, rather than trying to do both at all times.
What does a typical day look like for you? I am an early riser, so I’m usually up by 5:30 a.m. I have an amazing husband who does the ‘morning shift’ with our daughter which allows me some time to exercise and still spend a few minutes with them before we head off
to nursery drop-off and work. A typical work day is a mix of talking to customers; planning our product roadmap and liaising with my tech team; there might be a partnership meeting thrown in, or some brainstorming on marketing amongst admin stuff like getting monthly accounts sorted.
Best advice ever received? Do what scares you the most.
If you could go back, what would you change about how you did things? I would test a far rougher initial product, than trying to finesse it before putting it in front of customers. We got the best insight only after we had started to get users trying WellVine.
Tell us about the UK Parent Tech Community?
parenting problem points - from family healthcare to financial management, to children’s education and beyond - there has been little written or discussed about Parent Tech, and there was no single platform bringing together the community of high-growth start-ups working in the Parent Tech space. We now have the country’s largest Parent Tech community, with c.1500 members and numbers are growing daily. It operates as an online community and a very popular event series for founders to connect and share learning.
Who inspires you? My parents who left a comfortable life in India - in their middle aged years - to start from scratch in Canada, in order to give their children better opportunities in life.
I launched Parent Tech (www. parenttech.io), a fast-growing community of start-ups building tech for families. I found that while entrepreneurs are solving all nature of complex
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First Aid for Halloween and Bonfire night This time of year is full of fun and excitement with Halloween, Fireworks and Bonfire Night, but we must remember that all of these carry high burn risks. History has proven time and time again that prevention is always better than cure so here are a few of my top tips to stay safe this autumn, followed by a reminder of what to do if things don’t quite go to plan!
Trick or Treat? Choose your fancy dress costumes wisely as they are not usually flame resistant. Think back to the horrific moment 4 years ago when Claudia Winkleman’s then 8-year-old daughter’s witch costume went up in flames as it brushed against a candle inside a Halloween pumpkin. Matilda was left with severe burns on her leg as the nylon material kept re-igniting and re-burning The problem was that it didn’t cinder but remained hot, so became sticky and melted onto her skin The surgeon who treated her, Jorge Leon-Villapalos, warned of a “mini-epidemic” of similar accidents happening each Halloween. He also said “If you take into consideration that in any child, the thickness of the skin is much less than in any adult, you need a much smaller thermal injury over a reduced period of time to cause a larger amount of damage.” Matilda’s accident has led to further tightening of the flammability standard of children’s Halloween costumes, but the Watchdog programme’s investigations
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claim that safety testing is still not stringent enough. One final tip is that when you are trick or treating, always hold small children’s hands as much as possible, as even if you are super careful they may get a fright from something particularly ghoulish that jumps out at them, which may cause them to jump back into a naked flame.
Time for Oohs and Wows? Fireworks always provoke wonderful reactions when lighting up the sky. Many people attend events run by professionals to high safety standards, but if you plan to light your own fireworks here are some top tips to remember:
•Always buy fireworks from a reputable shop and check they conform to British standards •Have a first aid kit, bucket of sand, plenty of water and a fire blanket to hand •Keep fireworks in a closed box and never in your pocket •Only use one firework at a time •Light them at arm’s length and stand well back •Remember to keep cigarettes, candles and other flames away from any fireworks •Finally, never return to a firework that’s already been lit – stay well clear! Sparklers are mesmerising and our children love to wave them around writing their name in the air. But sparklers burn very powerfully so the metal handle heats up dramatically once they are lit. Be sensible and always ensure that children are wearing gloves when holding them and once they have burnt out place them in a bucket of sand. Finally make sure you don’t let anyone touch them until they are completely cool.
What if someone does get burnt? Unfortunately, as careful as we are, accidents do happen. If someone does get burnt, immediately remove them from the heat source. If you see any clothing on fire then help the person to drop to the ground and smother any flames that you see with a blanket or coat, and then get them to roll around with their hands protecting their face to make sure that all flames are fully extinguished. It is important to remember not to remove any clothing that has become stuck to the burnt area of skin, as that could cause more damage and injury. Once they are safe, flush the affected area either directly or through any burnt clothing with cool running water for at least 10 minutes until the burnt area has completely cooled down. A common misconception is that the water has to be cold to treat a burn. However if it is too cold, you won’t be able to hold the skin under the water for long enough as it will become painfully numb. As long as the water is cooler than the burn it will be drawing out the heat, but always make sure you keep the rest of the casualty warm and comfortable. If there is no water available to treat somebody who has
been burnt, any harmless liquid can be used instead. Critically though do not use any lotions, ointments or creams, or believe any old wives’ tales such as using butter to soothe a burn. These will make the burn worse and do more damage than good.
Louise Worsley Professional teacher Worsley Training First Aid training in London and Surrey Parents | Teachers | Children | Small Businesses www.worsleytraining.co.uk
Once the burn has cooled down, cover the area with a non-sticky dressing such as cling film, a clean plastic bag or a non-fluffy bandage. Then seek medical attention depending on how serious the burn is. You can either call 111 for advice, take the casualty to A&E with cold wet cloths over the cling film to keep it cool, or call 999 for an ambulance. Sometimes blisters will form and if so please don’t pop them, as that will open up the area to infection and make it very painful. The good news is that blisters will vanish by themselves in a few days.
Halloween, Fireworks and Bonfire Night are wonderful family occasions so please have fun, stay safe. 37
In Conversation with David Willans Owner of Being Dads David is a father of 2 and runs Being Dads, a website exploring what it means to be a dad. He set it up three years ago to scratch his own itch after realising he was an angry dad, something he never wanted to be. Through Being Dads, he now runs workshops for dads in big organisations to help them get to grips with paternity, work-life balance, and patience.
How did you come up with the idea for Being Dads? One day I realised I wasn’t being a great dad. I wasn’t even close. It was one grey winter’s day in 2014. I was rushing my 3 and 5-year-old sons out of the house to nursery and school. I was a consultant working and had a big work meeting that morning, and a train that couldn’t be missed. The kids were taking ages, as kids do. I got angry. Bellowed at them. Manhandled them into their coats and shoes, picking them up and plonking them down outside. They zoomed off happily on their scooters; I was seething. Then I caught myself. I realised I was an angry dad, something I had never wanted to be. Then I asked myself what kind of dad I want to be and realised I didn’t know what kind of dads there were. I didn’t know what it meant to be a dad, what it really meant and how to be better. I couldn’t find any answers to my questions anywhere, so I started to answer them myself.
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What is Being Dads? Practically it’s a website with blogs and stories on it. Blogs about research and insights on how to be a better dad. Stories from dads who have done interesting things with their lives as a proxy for, when asked, they’d have an interesting take on what it means to be a dad. Soon it will also have a course on it about how to be a more patient dad. My impatience was the trigger for this whole adventure, so over the years, I’ve done a lot of research and self-experimentation. I’ve run the course in various forms for different dads and have now got it to a point where it works and is nearly live. It’s far more than a website for me though. It’s an adventure that’s led to conversations and relationships with some incredible dads. Through it, I now run workshops for working dads through a coaching company and have spoken at events like the Southbank’s Being A Man festival. Most of all though, it makes me a better dad.
How do your values show up in your work? Wholeheartedly. Jon Stewart said ‘if you don’t stick to your values when they’re tested, they aren’t values, they’re hobbies.’ Mine definitely aren’t hobbies because I feel the pain of sticking to them! I’m always pushing for the highest quality, work that’s useful or thought provoking, well written and good to read. Doing that’s really, really hard. I don’t sacrifice my family time for it either. I work 4 days a week and have done for years. The other day is to spend on this, doing workshops and picking my kids up from school. That and very early mornings and evenings. Those reasons mean I don’t produce that much content. But I know that everything I have produced is something that has helped me and can help other dads. There’s no fluff. I also produce a regular newsletter. It used to be a very sporadic thing, but forcing myself to stick to a regular schedule has made a huge difference. Not just to the volume and quality of what I produce and am learning, but also to the
size of the audience. I’ve some incredible messages back from dads about how it’s helped them, which is an amazing feeling. I feel they hold me accountable which is a real gift because it’s made me do the work.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome? Fear. Fear that I don’t have anything to say. Fear that what I do have to say is crap. Fear that this is a huge waste of time and I shouldn’t be sacrificing a day’s wages for it. I’ve found two ways to overcome it. The first is to just do it. JFDI. No one cares that much about what you’ve got to say at the beginning anyway. The second is, when you get that first bit of feedback, an email with the words as simple as ‘This is great, thanks’ to really cherish them. Imagine yourself doing
that to someone else, what they would have had to have done to make you do that. Then go back to that feeling every time you feel the fear. Now you’re not doing it for you, you’re doing it for them, and they’ve already told you that they want you to.
What is your biggest high/greatest win? Getting the feedback from the first time I ran my patience course. After years of self-work, I decided to see if anyone else was interested. I thought I’d try a workshop first to see what the interest was. Parenting Professionals, the coaching company I work with, were amazing. They had a client who was doing a big push on helping their dads and said they would love to pitch it to them. The client went for it straight away and biggest workshops I’ve done with them. That felt great;
it wasn’t just me who had these challenges and the work I’ve done might help other dads. At the end of the workshop, I asked if anyone was interested in a course and nearly all said yes. Another brilliant win. I said it would take a month to get ready, and then really worked my socks off to make it happen. It did, and the dads took the course. I got loads of feedback and have changed it around significantly since that first version, but the feedback I had from them about how it had helped was my biggest high. I’d made something that made a difference in the part of other peoples’ lives that really matters. It doesn’t get much better than that.
How do you manage the family and business time? Before I had kids, my work aspirations were too big and too many. I was always beating myself up by comparing myself to others, about why wasn’t I doing that, why hadn’t I done this. I’d work bloody hard as a result. Then we had our son. I remember going back home, my wife and son had to stay in after a challenging birth. I felt a lightness I’d never felt before, and I realised it was because my priorities had become super sharp. I see it like a triangle. Before becoming a dad, it was inverted, one little me at the bottom staring up at a huge number of aspirations that I’d beat myself
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up about. On that journey back home, the triangle had flipped. At the top is my family, the number one priority. Then it’s me and my ability to provide and support emotionally. Then after that, it’s work. And I largely stick to that prioritisation. Practically, I get up early (5am ish) and do BeingDads work in the morning before anyone else is around once a week. I don’t work the weekends other than when the kids are in bed. I am trying to automate and batch as much stuff as possible to make it more efficient. I consciously turn my expectations down. For me, this isn’t about getting loads of visitors to my site, loads of followers, etc, it’s about making things that are high on quality and helpfulness. Doing that means I spend no time looking at metrics, researching how to get more traffic, doing that sort of work, so that frees up time. But it is interesting; I do find myself slipping into doing that occasionally and have to check myself and remember why I’m really doing this.
What future plans do you have for being dads? Definitely a book. I’ve got a lot of books on fatherhood, and none are the kind of book I want to read, the kind of book that would have helped, and would still help me as a dad. I want to write that book; I’ll start thinking properly about that at the beginning of next year. This year is all about
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getting my patience course out there and into people’s hands and heads and dabbling in setting up a podcast. After that, I’m not sure. I’d love to be able to run some proper scientific experiments focused on dads because I don’t see anything that’s really helpful happening coming out of academia. Maybe once the book is out, I’ll be in a position to do that, in 3 years time or so. But I’m not in a rush. I will be a dad for the rest of my life (hopefully) and will always want to work on being a better one, so BeingDads will always be there. What is your tip for a parent who is struggling to take their business idea forward? Figure out why you are really doing it and cut everything else out around it that doesn’t contribute to the very next step to take you there. Yes, it would be great to be on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. but does it actually help you move the business forward right now? If it would, what are you willing to sacrifice to make it happen? I am very privileged, in that this is not a business first and foremost and I do not have to rely on it to feed my family. If I did, maybe things would be different, but I don’t think the need to focus on doing the right thing at the right time would be. Test your business idea before you put in all the time to make the product or service. Pulling together my patience
course has taken weeks (4+) of solid work. But I know from that first workshop that dads want and need it and that my content works. Finally, JFDI. Just get on and do it. Hit publish, record the first episode, get a prototype product made. Read Do the Work by Steve Pressfield. Do not give into the fear. It will always be there; your job is to learn to get passed it.
Who inspires you? People who have faced up to hard things, who have stood up for their beliefs, who act selflessly. People who challenge the norm. A lot of what society says we must be and do is wrong, the most inspiring people stand up to that. I don’t find it at all inspirational for someone to sacrifice themselves, their family time, the family time of the people that work for them to earn a lot of money. I find it inspirational when people don’t live that story because it’s not right for them. I find it inspirational when teachers stand up and say we’re going to shelter the kids in their care from the governments’ demands to test and rank them at young ages when all the common sense and scientific evidence says this is a bad thing to do. I find it inspirational that people put the things that matter first. www.beingdads.com/
Signs that your business is overtaking your relationship and how to fix It As a parent entrepreneur, you’re going to be doing a lot of different things all at once. Not only are you trying to bring up a child, but you’re also trying to run a business and also maintain a relationship with your partner. However, something can and often doesn’t give in these particular situations, though no one’s fault. It just becomes hard to give the correct amount of attention to each thing, and your partner inevitably winds up becoming the left out and neglected component. To try and help prevent this, let’s take a look at a few of the different signs that your business is overtaking your relationship, and then what you can do to fix it.
You’re not spending any time together at all One of the first signs that something is going wrong is when you’re not spending all that much time together. It becomes easy to get caught up in work and your kids, which means that your relationship with your partner can suffer. To try and remedy this, it’s best to assign a day of the week which is spent with them. Work can be put aside for a day and left alone, but your partner can’t be ignored for too long, or they’re going to become unhappy.
Your partner argues with you about work
to feel like you’re losing your special someone to a job? When this happens, perhaps it’s time to make a change. Take a step back and work fewer hours, or even hire someone to do some part-time work for you. In some instances, you can also set up automatic managing of a website or business. It’s these little things which will help to keep your relationship going strong, and will prevent arguments. It’s not like you ever intended for the relationship to be overtaken by your business after all, so it’s important to make a change sooner rather than later.
Overall, these are just a few of the different warning signs that your relationship is being overtaken by your business. This isn’t something that anyone wants to happen, so it’s best to try and work with them instead of against them. You can easily stop to make sure that you’re not working too many hours. These small problems which you might not consider to be too bad at first can eventually become quite challenging and snowball into a series of issues, so they have to be tackled when you encounter them. A business isn’t worth throwing away love and affection over, so don’t let one damage the stability of the other.
When you’re with someone, and you’re raising a child together, one of you going into business can sometimes be difficult on the other. Yes, they love you and support you. However, when they’re angry at you and mention work in an argument, that’s a sign that the hours you work have progressed beyond what they can handle. And that’s completely understandable - would you want
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Post Natal Workouts - that you can enjoy at home (with your kids) When it comes to working out once you have had a baby (or babies) some women feel a pressure to “get their body back” - but working out shouldn’t be about pressure and stress it should be about feeling good. When choosing a workout, you should choose the right ingredients for your mind and your body. You need to do something you enjoy, and that makes you feel good: your body will listen to you and will give you the results you need. Make sure you check with your GP before starting exercise and do start gently and listen to your body - above all enjoy the movement and the feeling! Here are some great exercises you can do from home - and the kids will enjoy joining in too.
This exercise is really great to strengthen and tone lower abdominals, and for strengthening shoulders and arms.
This series of exercises to target the lower abdominals and pelvic floor that become very weak after pregnancy. Glutes are targeted in the second exercises, as glutes and core are the main muscle group to target in order to come back in shape with a healthy and strong back.
This exercise is brilliant to strengthen lower abdominals and glutes - plus it is good for the back and arms.
1) Kneeling: with your hands under your shoulders, knees under hip bones. Lift your knees 2-3 inches off the floor by pressing down through the lower leg and ankles, and return. Exhale to lift knees inhale to touch the floor. 3 sets x 10 reps. Make sure your spine is relaxed, and your chin away from your chest, with your tummy, pulled in.
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2) Plank: do this either supporting yourself on the palms of your hands or drop onto your forearms. From plank position, lift one leg at the time, alternate right and left. Exhale to lift, inhale to come back. Squeeze your bum in for the whole time and aim for 3 sets of 10 reps. Keep your spine neutral and don’t look at your knees or feet. Tuck, your tummy in, don’t sink in your hips.
3) Roll up: Start by lying down on your back, legs extended, arms by your side. Gently roll up as far as you can with no momentum then roll back in starting position. Aim for 3 sets of 10. Exhale to roll up inhale to roll down. Make sure you tuck your tummy in. This exercise really works the whole spine, strengthens and tones lower abs.
Paola Langella is a certified Pilates instructor that operates in West London including Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Holland Park, Mayfair and Kensington. To book a session or for more information on classes visit www.langella.co.uk
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