Who are the London Mumpreneurs?

Join now the only free and independent mumpreneurs' group in London!! PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND THE NEXT MUMPRENEURS' EVENT - on 16th November 2008

Mumpreneurs at London Mums is a forum for modern women who want to fulfill their professional dream while doing the best for their children. Instead of going back to a permanent job after the maternity leave, many mums decide to start their own business to enjoy more flexibility and time with the family. Women have the ability to run a business while multitasking and looking after a baby. Many London Mums have achieved that! Business Mums is a networking forum for entrepreneurial mothers based in London who support each other in their business growth as well as through motherhood. If you want to promote your business for free through this website and join this group, get in touch by sending an email to monica@londonmums.org.uk. Check below successfull businesses run by some of our London Mums.

Interesting reading for Mumpreneurs

Our book of the month (October 2008) is "BUSINESS NIGHTMARES" by Rachel Elnaugh, entrepreneur and star of BBC's Dragons' Den and founder of Red Letter Days.

In times of recession, credit crunch, this book is very topical. In her words, Elnaugh speaks about her own business tragedy - when her market leading business Red Letter Days went into administration. Through her experience as a mumpreneur, she has persuaded some of the world's most famous entrepreneurs to open up about their own business nightmares and failures, including Jeffery Archer, Donald Trump, Gerald Ratner and Simon Woodroffe. Business Nightmares reveals the human side of public business failure for the first time. I quite like the fact that she lost everything and then like a phoenyx she managed to create a new business focusing on what she does best, which is being herself, and she created Rachel Elnaugh Ltd. Really worth a read.

www.businessnightmares.co.uk

What the experts say: Amanda Alexander's 11 Commandments For Mumpreneurs

1. Trust yourself

We all have the answers within ourselves - sometimes we just need to have someone ask us the right questions. If something isn't working well for you in your business, then don't feel that you have to stick to the rule book. You will no doubt hear many phrases from so-called experts/the bloke in the pub/your mother-in-law/etc. These experts will tell you what you must and must not do to create a successful business.

Remember that you are doing your own thing here - sure, take on board the advice that fits well, but discard the bits that don't feel right for you. Trust your instinct and all the resources you have within yourself; you can do anything you set your mind to. If you are reading this, then you have already taken a huge step towards self-employment by attending the Mumpreneurs workshop. Well done - look at you, you can do this!

"Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do." Dr. Benjamin Spock

2. Beyond the Brick

When you feel like you're getting nowhere, when one of the kids gets sick the day of an important meeting, when a water pipe bursts and you are having a "bad hair day", THINK BEYOND THE BRICK. Think of a martial arts expert trying to chop a brick in half - he does it by focusing on the air beyond the brick, not on the brick itself. What is beyond your brick? Write your vision; make it flowery, exuberant and fantabulous! Make it exactly what you want, how you want to live, who you want around you, what you want to achieve. Keep it in a special notebook and read it regularly and often. The more you do this, the more likely you are to succeed.

"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it" William Arthur Ward

3. Create a Superstar Support Team

We can't do anything alone. We are all linked by energy, by being human, by what we have in common. I didn't write these tips alone - I needed my friends who gave feedback, my husband to proof read, the people from HP who manufactured my PC, the teachers who taught me to read and write, the people who made my desk, and so on ad infinitum.

You need support and just as you must give it, so must you receive. What support would you like and what creative ways can you think of receiving that support? Someone to celebrate with, someone whose brains you can pick, someone to help you look after the kids for a couple of hours whilst you make calls?

Think of 3-5 people you'd like in your superstar support team, decide what support you want from them and ask! You'd be amazed not only at how generous people will be, but how flattered they will be that you asked. Who did you meet on the workshop that you "clicked" with? Pick up the phone and talk to them! I will say it a thousand times - you need a community, especially when you run your own business. Self-employment will be very lonely if you don't get a support team, and you won't achieve as much either in terms of your bottom line or your work life balance without support around you.

4. Connect Connect Connect

This commandment is related to, but different to tip 3. It's about networking. I dislike the word networking, because it has suffered from "bad press". It has negative connotations surrounding it - usually hungry, desperate businesspeople with eyes glazing over as they ask you about your business, eagerly seeking the person over your shoulder who is more "useful" to them. Horrible vision, isn't it?

But networking doesn't have to be like this. Ask the most accomplished networkers how they do it and they will tell you that they are interested in people. So go out and connect. Let go of the outcome of "must get business" because it just doesn't happen like that. Instead, treat networking as an opportunity to get to know people, get away from your everyday work and give something back. My top tip for networking - try to make your objective for each event you attend to help one person in one small way.

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." John Donne

5. Make Time for You

You've heard this before and you're going to hear it again! Imagine you are a fish tank. Where are the holes in that tank? What are you going to do to plug those holes and stop the tank leaking? You must make time for you. If you don't believe you deserve it right now, then do it for your kids and do it for your business. You owe it to the gift of life to live your best life. You owe it to your kids to help them learn about the joy of all the wonderful things they can experience in life by seeing the example of their mum enjoying hers. You owe it to other women because as a mumpreneur, you are a role model.

6. Tell Guilt to Get Lost

I'll assume that as a mother you have experienced some guilt, as it is my experience that an "extra strength" version of guilt is delivered soon after the placenta. My own (non-scientific) theory on guilt is that it was built into us way back when were less sophisticated social beings, to prevent us from abandoning our babies when the going got tough, or when an attractive passing caveman caught our eye! I believe that guilt is a sort of internal police force that our evolving brains developed to avert anarchy and motherless babies. Just as we don't need our appendices any more, most mothers don't really need guilt any more to keep us from abandoning our babies, but both appendix and guilt remain. So, take it that guilt is there, it just is. Now add a liberal seasoning of media indoctrination, with headlines telling us our kids are doomed whatever we do as mums and you have a potent mixture of nature and nurture in guilt that packs quite a punch.

My point on all the theorizing is this: We have guilt as mothers - accept it, live with it, don't pay it too much attention. I often help clients with low self-belief by asking them to imagine that the little voice saying, "You can't do this, you're not good enough" is a little gremlin on their shoulder. You can use the same technique to deal with guilt. Name your guilt "gremlin" and picture him - mine is Harry Potter's "Dobby" and has a silly little whinging voice. I say to him;

"Oh hi there Dobby, it's you again. What did you say? I'm a dreadful mother? Yadda yadda, whatever…. Right, I've got to go now Dobby. I'm too busy to talk to you all day".

If nothing else, at least it will help you lighten up when guilt strikes. Just remember not to talk out loud to Miss Guilt in public!

"Don't worry be happy" Bobby McFerrin

7. Have the Mind of a Man (oooh!)

Now this is controversial. Did you know that multi-tasking is actually bad for us? Seriously, studies have shown that it leads to Alzheimer's or something equally as undesirable. We all know that men tend to focus on one thing at a time, whilst we women tend to juggle (and pride ourselves on this). I would never suggest that as mums we can eliminate some juggling in our lives - it comes with the territory. However, you will get more done, especially when you are working on your business, if you focus on one thing at once.

I had a boyfriend once who used to have a rule for his desk - only one piece of paper on it at a time. Once dealt with, off it went into the file or the bin. I have never achieved the dizzy heights of such structure and discipline, but I do know that by finishing one project before you start another makes you feel more in control, less mind-cluttered and gives you more of a sense of achievement. Learn from men and think "compartmentalise", think "separate drawers for separate issues".

8. Find your own time management

There are so many time management techniques, and the message here is that there is no magic "one size fits all" formula. Ask your friends, do some research. What has worked well for you in the past? Perhaps an element of it worked well - take that element and adapt it to suit you and your family. One that works for me most of the time is allocating things to do in my diary rather than on a "to do" list. That way I have to allocate the time and I can see if I'm being unrealistic in the amount of things I plan to do in the time available. Decide how much time during the day you are going to spend on your business. It is very easy to get caught up in our work and then end up losing the balance you were trying to achieve in the first place.

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." Michael Altshuler

9. Get Organised

What systems can you put in place to make running a business and a household a bit easier? For example, if you get stressed about not having a meal planned and you find yourself rushing to the shops for last minute ready meals for your family, sit down and do a rotating weekly meal planner - and shop with it. If you rush around first thing in the morning looking for something to wear, lay your clothes out the night before. And get the kids to do the same. All tried and tested tips that you already know, but sometimes a nudge to the obvious helps!

10. Outsource!

Outsourcing is IT jargon for paying someone else to do something! I know that mums often balk at paying someone else to do things we can do ourselves, but if you are thinking like a mumpreneur, you will need to look at how much your time is worth. If you will earn more by spending that hour by networking/making a sales call/updating a website etc, then is say 6 pounds per hour too much to pay to get a cleaner? Is 20 pounds too much to get someone to do the week's ironing for you? Think about it in terms of outsourcing - IT companies outsource services to other companies, even if they have the capability within their own organisation. Why do you think this might be?!

11. Healthy Mind_Body_Business

Raising children and running a business is a marathon, not a sprint, and both need you to keep going. That means that you need to be fit and healthy, which means physical activity. Even two x ten minute walks per day and five minutes meditation will benefit your mind, body and spirit, and make you a nicer person to be around! I run at lunchtime three times per week - even if I'm so busy I could quite easily work through without even eating. I run because I know that if I don't, I'll get stressed, and we all know that 90% of illness is caused by stress.

If you are self-employed, then illness is something you want to avoid as your customers/clients won't give you sick pay! If you're happy, they are more likely to be happy. What would you really like to do that you haven't been allow yourself?

Author: Amanda Alexander of Coaching Mums

Coaching Mums specialises in supporting mums in business to start and grow profitable businesses whilst keeping their lives in balance. Established in 2002, for the past six years we have helped hundreds of mothers to achieve more than they think they can. Visit www.coachingmums.com where you'll discover "virtual" training for mumpreneurs, our unique Mumpreneurs™ workshops run in conjunction with Business Link. Subscribe to our popular free monthly ezine, "Inspire", packed with coaching tips and inspiration especially for mums who want success with balance.

Family and home services

The Mother Mentor, a one-to-one coaching programme just for new and expectant mums who are looking for extra support during the first year of their baby's life, run by London Mum Maja. Email: maja@themothermentor.com www.themothermentor.com

Natural Nutrition, Tailored made nutrition and lifestyle advice, run by London Mum Melody. www.naturalnutrition.uk.com

Putney Flowers in the Window, Bespoke window box planting service, run by London Mum Louise. www.putneyflowersinthewindow.co.uk

Alexandra Young Flower Design - Alex (Freddie's mum) is an experienced florist who designs beautiful flower arrangements from her Putney home. Flowers for dinner parties, house sale decoration, christenings, weddings and other events. If you would like to see some ideas and examples, please go to www.alexandrayoung.co.uk or contact Alex to discuss your requirements and for further ideas. - Email: alex@alexandrayoung.co.uk / Telephone: 07803 930596.

Giggling Gerty, Personalised Gifts, run by London Mum Ruth. More information from gigglinggertygifts@googlemail.com

Entertainment

Amandas Action Kids, interactive physical development classes that kids just love - they're fun, fitness and music. Babies can join Amanda from the age of 4 months and some sessions run up to the age of 5, run by supermum London Mum Amanda. www.amandasactionkids.co.uk

Eddie Catz, Children's Edutainment Centre, run by London Mum Maria. www.eddiecatz.com

Dine By Design, creation of distinctive and unique events by combining creative concept development and event design with meticulous production, planning and management. By utilising the elements of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste, your event becomes a complete sensory experience that encapsulates your brand message, run by London Mum Ruth. www.dinebydesign.com.au

IT, media and training

Coaching Mums specialises in supporting mums in business to start and grow profitable businesses whilst keeping their lives in balance. Established in 2002, for the past six years we have helped hundreds of mothers to achieve more than they think they can. Visit www.coachingmums.com where you'll discover "virtual" training for mumpreneurs, our unique Mumpreneurs™ workshops run in conjunction with Business Link. Subscribe to our popular free monthly ezine, Inspire, packed with coaching tips and inspiration especially for mums who want success with balance.

Avanti PR Limited: Avanti PR is an independent European communications consultancy with a proven and award-winning track record in reaching business and consumer audiences. Our expertise spans business technology and telecommunications, business-to-business, consumer technology as well as travel and entertainment (including film and art). Clients include start-ups and award winning small and medium businesses across Europe and the United States. For a free consultation, please send an email to monica.costa@avantipr.net. Run by Monica, Founder of London Mums.