Katie exudes energy as she talks about the demands of the business. I imagine she applies the same enthusiasm to her family life.
Katie’s success isn’t merely in building a profitable, fast growing business and franchise. She has also provided young mothers with a network of value, understanding and support, much of which is missing in the working world.
“Some journalist once asked me: ‘Were you bored of being a mum?’ No, I certainly wasn’t bored of being a mum but I certainly was bored of those coffee mornings!
“You want to be there with your children –they are your priority in life – but you try to fit something like this in as well, which is not always easy.”
Tiny Talk and Tiny Sign are franchises opportunities born of Katie’s previous expertise, but were perhaps only brought to fruition by becoming a mother herself.
Sally Preston, mother of two and owner of Babylicious and Kiddylicious foods, drew on her industry experience to launch a million-pound business. Sally explains what many mothers must feel when considering their careers after having children.
“You’re trying to be two things: you’re trying to be a good mum to your children, but you’re also trying to fulfil your own ambitions. I have a degree and worked for M&S for 11 years, so I wanted to do something, but these two things don’t always fit comfortably as bedfellows.”
Those 11 years of experience in the food industry gave Sally the grounding to start running her own business, but it was motherhood that provided the momentum that took her into business ownership.
“I am pretty sure nobody in their right mind would set up their own business, because you have too much to lose. If I was a more rational, sane person, who had a nice job and 2.4 kids, a dog and two holidays a year, I am not sure I’d ever get started.
“I think if you’re in a place where you think ‘what the heck’ – which is the place I was in – it doesn’t feel such a huge risk.
“I think a big reason why many people don’t do it is because they look at it from the perspective of what they have to lose. It might just be too much really, the cost is both emotional and physical.”
Sally has succeeded through unwavering determination to make her children’s food business a success. Babylicious and Kiddylicious are now seven years old, stocked in Waitrose, Asda and Budgens, and worth in the region of two million pounds. But as Sally explains, her route to success has not been a smooth one.
“If anyone thinks they are going to buy or run a business and it will all be a bed of roses, they are deluded, quite frankly. It’s been much, much, harder than I ever thought it would be.
Time: a commodity
Starting your own business is not an easy decision to make and, as these women have shown, juggling it with motherhood can be the most demanding of all roles. Although the rewards potentially outweigh the sacrifices, compromises have to be made.
Those compromises and sacrifices will undoubtedly be that elusive and expensive commodity, time, a commodity that some believe is worth more than gold. For the women that choose to go it alone, prioritising the commitment given to their children and families will be pitted against time spent on running their own business, leaving little or no time for themselves.
Running your own business is not for every woman with children, but for a few (and I suspect this few will grow to many, unless more flexibility can be given to working mothers), for those who have begun to wonder whether balancing children, family and work is an impediment to their current careers, this could be a path to exciting and liberating opportunities.
If you have a great idea, a bottomless pit of energy and the fearless determination to succeed as these women do, you too could go it alone and begin the journey to being a successful business owner.
