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Name: Helen White

Where do you live: Kings Langley, Herts

Family – how many children and what age: 2 girls, 1 aged 4, 1 aged 3

Past Occupation: Proposition Marketing Manager

1. What is your current work/business situation? 

I am in the process of setting up my own company and juggling the girls, I’m not returning an income yet.

2. What is the vision for your future, where are you trying to get? 

To be working while the children are at school, doing something I enjoy and get in some money, then to stop work when they come home and focus on them

3. What challenges are you facing with regards to your current situation?

As a start up I have many things I have to achieve before I feel credible to go out and start selling, I am aiming to be a small business consultant, I have 3 non-paying clients at the moment to learn the ropes with (which happen to be family and friends) but no confidence to go beyond my network and discuss money yet

4. What positive results have you seen recently with what you have achieved?

In June, before I attended the Mums Enterprise Roadshow, I didn’t have a business, by September I have spent most of the school holidays with my girls, but also started working on my company I’m not ready to go, but I’m not far off.

5. How are you managing to balance family VS work or business? 

I do the school run, which takes an hour and half as they are at different schools and we walk!!! Come home, stick on the laptop and work solidly until its time to pick them up again. If the girls are happily occupied Imay do some small bits and pieces on my phone or tablet whilst in the same room as them, but in the main, when they are home, I stop work. As I have no paying customers at the moment the few hours I snatch each day is enough to keep me focused, motivated and moving forward. When I have the pressure of deadlines I may have to enlist a bit more help so I can focus on work a little bit more.

6. How did attending the Mums Enterprise Roadshow in 2016 help you with your work and business challenges?

I found the roadshow life changing!! I had been mulling over my business idea for 6 months or so and yet couldn’t find the time, or motivation to get started, I was mainly paralysed by the unknown and fear of failure, when I attended the event and saw all these successful Mums presenting and surrounded by the other delegates, like me, I realised that I’m not on my own and that I can do it. The most inspirational part of the day for me was the Q&A (the bit I nearly didn’t stay for!) The tips that came out of that session ring through my head all the time. Especially, doing things in bite sized chunks, grab the time when you can find it.

7. Lastly from what you have experienced so far from your own mission – do you have any tips or lessons you’ve learnt which may be helpful to others? 

There are so many questions and it’s about finding the right place to find the answer.

Watch helen in two videos here:

1.  We asked Helen on the day how it had been for her-WATCH IT
   
   
2. Our Lindsey and Helen had a little moment and a promise has been made WATCH IT