Why did you decide to set up a business?

[ClaireyW]

Just curious :)

I kind of fell into it - I was making slings for friends and people kept stopping in the street and asking where they got them. So i thought I would give it a go. The bonus being that I got to work from home, with my children, and make a few pennies.

So why did you?

Claire x

[Spacekids]

My son really got into space when he was about 2. I got him a space suit and helmet which I had to buy in the US and have sent to us, as I couldn't find any realistic suits (and my son is very discerning). He loved the suit, and I really liked the quality and look of it. So, I then ummed and ahhed about how it would be really good to have a go at selling them. In the blink of an eye (well, about 18 months later) I set up the business. All of the setting up has been really good fun, I've enjoyed sourcing products and dealing with importing etc - it's been a new challenge, and it is getting my brain working (which can't be a bad thing!). I doubt it will fund my son's NASA training, but I can live in hope!

[chris]

I was made redundant after 29 years and was going to set up a very different business with a friend but, for various reasons, that did not happen. So I was too young to retire, needed to either get another paid job (and with 1300 people redundant from 1 company we were chasing after the same local jobs!) or try running my own business (which gave me more time with my Mum who lives with me).
I miss the regular money, wish I could get more sales but have time to help my Mum and her sister (they are twins!).

Still thinking about a part time job as well.

[antonia]

Like many mums, I was fed up with barely seeing dd, yet seeing all money money go on nursery fees for someone else to look after her. I spoke to a life coach who suggested going freelance, and haven't looked back since!

[Arianna]

I decided to set up my own business because of health problems. I have a chronic incurable condition and unfortunately I had a relapse. I was employed at the time and my boss went totally mental on me - told my DH that I had to make a choice as to what was more important and whether I still wanted a job - while I was lying in a hospital bed in agony! It really affected me mentally and I wasn't able to focus on me and getting through things as I was dragging myself into the office totally out of it on high pain meds. I had enough when he kept swearing at me one day when I went into the office (while I was signed of) to speak to him about something - and I resigned. It was the BEST thing I had ever done!

Now I can work the hours I need/want/am able to work and noone can make me feel guilty ever again for something I have no control over.

I've got a much better life and I believe the fact that I work for myself helped me to stay relaxed (okay well as relaxed and stress free as possible) while undergoing IVF treatment which resulted in our little miracle.

I will never change things - I will not work for anyone ever again. If I have to shut down my business for any reason - god forbid it should ever happen - then I will just be a SAHM.

Arianna

[*Nic*]

A few years ago I decided to make my boys a special Christmas decoration each, having used Fimo years before I decided to buy some and have a go. I was pleased with the results.

Being a sahm I wondered if I could make some decorations to sell.

I've been going for almost 4yrs now. Its still more of hobby than anything serious but as soon as DS2 starts school full-time (November) I can really get going and increase my product range. I was hoping to do that last year when he went to pre-school every morning but it never actually happened, LOL, when I have the whole day to myself I'll be needing something to focus on, I'm really looking forward it it.

[Slug]

I'd organised a couple of charity events and found the last one really hard work to organise as it was a nightmare finding the right stallholders and pampering treatments. I'd also been a stallholder/direct sales rep and found it hard to get bookings so I thought up the idea of a kind of dating agency for stallholders and event organisers. I talked it over with my husband and decided to launch a website. I work from home and love being my own boss -don't think I could face going back to the sort of job in a big company I had before I had kids.
Gail.

[partybabe]

I have had a succession of direct selling experiences that were ok while I had one child but as soon as number two appeared I couldn't manage. I set up a gift shop originally, online, and from that got the chance to take over a party business, which appealed a lot more with the ages of my children and the links with the other mums I have through school.

The business is still in its infancy but so far so good, and the kids love helping me fill the party bags!

[littlesheep]

I had some late night doodling when my eldest was a newborn and I had insomnia but that was all just ideas I didn't act on it... Then I dabbled with Usborne books at home for a while and then when Daffs was starting out 3/4 years ago we were chatting and she said she was looking for clients to help build her portfolio and then persuaded me to have an online shop and itt's grown from there

[Milliebeth]

I just couldn't afford to go back to work! I only worked part-time anyway and when our second (surprise) dd came along I literally had no help to look after her if I worked. So I had no option but to stay home.

However, I didn't want to just vegitate and tried a couple of home working ideas and finally setltled on what I do now. It is very hard work and for very little money :cheesy: however, I do love doing what I do.

[Mary Poppins]

I was sick and tired of my MIL saying things to me as I hadn't returned to work after having the kids. She thought that DH was the only one in the family who brought any money into the house and me staying at home to look after our children just wasn't good enough for her. My SIL (DH sister) set up doing reflexology at the same time as I started Perfect Presents and MIL keeps on going on about how wonderfully she is doing but she still only sees my business as a little hobby that will not amount to anything.

[partybabe]

MIL keeps on going on about how wonderfully she is doing but she still only sees my business as a little hobby that will not amount to anything.


I get that reaction too, it makes me even more determined to make it work. Luckily my husband believes in this business so I have one person convinced!

[ClaireyW]

Wow, so many reasons.
Each one is worth doing it for :)
Well done everyone!

[moomum]

because I am rubbish at sitting around and doing nothing :-)

[Tail-Swishing]

My husband gave me the domain name as part of a birthday gift one year, since then Tail-Swishing has evolved into what it is today.

[Bay-Bee]

I started making Snuggly comforters which had its own website (how bad was that one!!!) then we completly change the site to how it is now and I started looking into other mums websites and found there was so many things that us mums make but I had never seen before. So I decided that I would bring together a range of products that have been made or run by mums so that my customers could find all these wonderful things!

I no longer had the time to make the comforters and stop making them about 8months ago which has given me so much more free time to work on promotion and new products.

I had always wanted to stay at home with Tyler but we had got quite alot of debts that needed clearing. I am hoping I will be able to start helping to clear them, a it all rests on DH shoulders at the moment and also I am loving being able to stay home with Tyler and feel like I am acheiving something for myself and keep my mind active!

My family also think its a little hobby (which it is!) but I also want to be able to make something of it too and be more than a hobby!

[Rubyiris]

I wanted to be my own boss and be able to work around my children.

RI is very much still in its infancy so still have to work part time (although I like my part time job at the mo! I work from home doing that too!).

One day I hope I'll be able to step up a gear but not until Erin is at pre-school/school; until then I don't stand a chance - I never seem to have 5 mins peace hehe!

Anj x

[lajlaj]

Oh this is my hobby don't you know!

I was bored at home with three kids under three so started a PR consultancy (that was my profession pre kids) but missed the real interaction.

Then a friend had a car accident and I started a small business selling ID cards for children's car seats, which changed directions when I lost my DS in the Trafford Centre.

Then my grandma started with alzheimers and dementia but I didn't think she wouold wear any of the other medical ID solutions that were in the UK at the time and that is how we diverted into medical ID!

[lajlaj]

I was sick and tired of my MIL saying things to me as I hadn't returned to work after having the kids. She thought that DH was the only one in the family who brought any money into the house and me staying at home to look after our children just wasn't good enough for her. My SIL (DH sister) set up doing reflexology at the same time as I started Perfect Presents and MIL keeps on going on about how wonderfully she is doing but she still only sees my business as a little hobby that will not amount to anything.

I can so emapthise with this one! Even though the business now employs her DS don't you know it is because *he* works so hard and has nothing to do with me! :cheesy:

And that is the most I have ever said without hiding my identity :hysterica

[Dino]

I started my business after I had my second child and my work wouldn't let me reduce my hours to 2 days per week. So I gradually setup Sunnyside Business Services as a Virtual Assistant. The business evolved and became primarily web design so the name changed to Sunnyside Web Design. I wanted to spend more time with my children, be here if they were poorly and couldn't go to playgroup or school. That was 5 years ago and I haven't looked back.

[MissMountshaft]

I'd just drifted into a job I didn't particularly enjoy after uni, then I had pretty bad depression following a miscarriage which made me realise even more that I was not in a job I wanted to be in. I happily gave up work to look after my baby girl when she was born, and the idea just evolved really, during late nights breastfeeding and surfing the net, and after a couple of comments made to me when I kept moaning that I struggled to find things I liked to buy!
I like the thought of being my own boss - I think it suits my personality. I have ideas, now I just need more money to implement them!! I'm also finding the learning process extremely interesting.

[Chiggs]

I didn't plan to start a business, but had my inspirational moment when visiting a friend and her new baby, and had the idea for the Baby Feed Wheel.
I just sort of kept going with it, really, I really believed that it would be a help to new Mums, so I did the research, got a patent, had them printed... then realised I had to sell them :D and the business developed.

[Arianna]

I was sick and tired of my MIL saying things to me as I hadn't returned to work after having the kids. She thought that DH was the only one in the family who brought any money into the house and me staying at home to look after our children just wasn't good enough for her. My SIL (DH sister) set up doing reflexology at the same time as I started Perfect Presents and MIL keeps on going on about how wonderfully she is doing but she still only sees my business as a little hobby that will not amount to anything.

That's ok I still don't have a job - MIL still asks DH about both companies even though he doesn't have anything to do with the day to day running of things and just helps me out. I'm a non-person - though I'm more a person now that I've had Eithne.

Arianna