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After working for so many companies what made you suddenly decide to start your own business?

Helen: There came a point where my husband and I were hating Sunday nights and dreading Monday mornings. There was a lot of politics in all the companies we worked for. We really wanted a change in direction.

I went on a course on coming up with business ideas. Someone on the course actually gave me the idea for the business in its basic form. My husband gave up his job and became a teacher – and he loves it.

Did you give much thought to the market you were entering into?

Helen: Yeah, I did loads of research. Before I started I did a questionnaire. I really looked at what was going on in the market.

What is unique about the company is that it specialises in start-ups and small businesses.

There are a lot of consultancies out there but they tend to target the larger businesses. For the past four years we have worked with about 400 small businesses – and we really understand them now I think.

Did you have a particular expertise in dealing with small businesses at the outset or did you identify a gap in the market and then become an expert?

Helen: We identified the gap first. I really got myself out there and found out about small businesses. I became a mentor for Business Link and the Princes Trust and that led onto developing start-up courses for the Trust. I still run them now.

I started some courses in Gloucester prison as well – which was quite interesting! That was really helpful for the offenders. They became more motivated and where they were reluctant to learn basic maths and English skills before the course, they could see the merits of it afterwards.

It was daunting, but the first day I came out of the prison I was on such a high. I had been taken out of my comfort zone.

Was it expensive to start up Exceptional Thinking?

Helen: Because we both wanted to quit our jobs for a while, we saved for a year. I don’t think we could have done it otherwise. We had time to think things through as well.

We had enough money in the bank so that even if I didn’t bring in a single penny in the first year then it didn’t matter. We didn’t borrow any money though.

Helen: And because it’s a service business then overheads are lower anyway.

What made you franchise the business?

Helen: About 18 months ago I read a book called The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. It’s about why small businesses fail and what to do about it. It recommends that people put the processes in place to franchise their business – whether they plan to go down that route or not. I really loved the book and I was really inspired to franchise my business as a result.

I also believe start-ups and small businesses should know what’s go on in the market to help them expand – and I cannot achieve that with the small team I have in Gloucestershire. So franchising your business is obviously the route to do that.

How has the franchising gone?

Helen: It’s at the early stages at the moment. I’m currently talking to two people and am in the early stages with another three.

We’re still putting the training programmes into place as well.

What are the best bits about running your own business?

Helen: Well, I have three best bits, which are also bad bits in a way.

Firstly, you are your own boss. You can have Friday afternoon off if you want to. And if you don’t like what you are doing with the business you can change it – without all the politics.

On the downside of that, yes you can take Friday off, but there are consequences to that.

It’s too easy to see the television in the corner and say “Well let’s watch daytime TV”. There are distractions like that around. You have to be focused and you have to be dedicated.

Secondly, there is a huge learning curve, which means I have learnt lots about myself, lots about how to run a business, how to make it different and take advantages of the opportunities out there.

This means you also make a lot of mistakes though – and I have made lots of minor silly mistakes. But that’s fine if you learn and do things differently next time.

The third thing is that it is a huge challenge. I have never had so much fun. I have a great passion for my business and love running it.

But the downside of that is that it is incredibly hard work. Sometimes you are up until two in the morning.

Was it hard establishing yourself?

Helen: Yes. When I first started, small businesses weren’t like they are now. Now they’re like an industry in themselves. So the challenge for me was establishing an awareness, to show that there are services for small businesses.

Initially it was hard.

I really thought I was a jack of all trades. I’ve had to learn to focus back on the business and become an expert in one field, rather than thinking I can do everything.

Was it a case of overstretching – wanting to have a piece of every market too quickly?

Helen: No, it wasn’t that.

I had been doing so many different jobs that I really wanted to use all the skills I had learnt. But what I found was that I would get to use those skills, but you actually have to become a specialist in one industry as well.

What do want to achieve out of the business? Do you have a long-term plan?

Helen: I have a 10-year plan. I’d like to have the business fully franchised and to have a presence in every area. And then I would like to go international.

Any advice for new start-ups?

Helen: Stick with it and never give up. It’s really easy when things get tough and you haven’t got any clients – and I have seen it with so many people – to give up. No matter how tough it gets try not to give up.