Focus On…
Sarah Thomas – Beauty Lodge
After the birth of her third child in 2003, new member Sarah Thomas decided to follow a different career path. Having spent 20 years working for BT and Accenture in Management Training, Sarah wanted a career that was more satisfying personally and one that would fit around her family. So she went to college and retrained as a Beauty Therapist, which she found she had a natural talent for and absolutely loved!
Sarah did as many courses as possible and discovered over time, the treatments she wanted to specialise in. Then in 2009 she set up Beauty Lodge, a private Beauty Salon offering bespoke treatments with all the top brands that she loved. From body massage to botox, every beauty treatment Sarah offers has been personally tested by her or her family, so she knows they work.
I love helping people,
says Sarah. It is so satisfying when someone comes to you and acts on your advice and you see an
improvement physically and mentally in them. It's great to be passionate about your work.
To find out more about the treatments Sarah offers please visit www.beauty-lodge.co.uk or contact Sarah on Tel: 01234 404342 / Mobile: 07966 195850.
Leigh Williams – TrueSilver Coaching
New member Leigh Williams started her first business at the tender age of 22 and sold it 2 years later. Having grown up in a village pub where her Mum had previously been a self employed accountant and her Dad had always been a builder, starting her own business seemed a natural step. However her first attempt at business made her realise just how much she didn't know, so when she started her second company at 25, she got a business coach!
Over the last 6 years, Truesilver has developed from a small telemarketing company to a business coaching and marketing company. Leigh's passion has always been helping people with their business, putting in place innovative ideas so that they can expand and make more profit as well as have a better relationship with their business.
Now Leigh specialises in helping small and micro enterprises grow so that starting up and expanding isn't as hard as it might be. There isn't just one secret to success in business– there are hundreds. And knowing as many of them as possible can mean all the difference between massive success and the not-so-nice alternative. Leigh also helps people tap into government funding and grants. There are constantly new ones becoming available and with a free funding advice session, she can help you find out what you're eligible for. Don't assume there's nothing applicable to you! There are massive drives at the moment to help new and start up businesses as well as smaller companies. Did you know that there are now 4 million businesses in the UK and 99% of them are small and medium size companies.
To find out how you can get some free help and really get your business to where you want it to be call Leigh on 01767 222631 or visit her website www.truesilver.co.uk
Julie Kirk – Cupcake Occasion
Mum's The Boss member Julie Kirk launched Cupcake Occasion in 2009 having identified a gap in the gift business locally.
I was looking for an original gift to send to my sister for her birthday. We'd done flowers, chocolates, champagne, even balloons
– when I hit on the idea of cupcakes. I researched locally and couldn't find anyone operating a dedicated cupcake gift delivery
business in the Bedford area.
Julie had recently taken the difficult decision to resign her position as Retail Sales Merchandiser for a large food services company, as the demands of her changing job role were conflicting with the more important role as Mum to two teenagers. Determined not to find herself back in a job where she was constantly balancing two conflicting sets of demands, Julie decided to establish Cupcake Occasion. She was able to draw on experience of food retailing and entertaining having worked for nine years in a local specialist delicatessen, and cake decorating skills learned on courses taken when her children were small.
www.cupcake-occasion.co.uk is an online shop where customers can order cupcake gifts for delivery in the North and Mid Bedfordshire area. Julie also provides cakes to local businesses for corporate hospitality, including printing logos and photograghs with edible products. Telephone requests for custom cakes for childrens' birthdays and other celebrations are very welcome. The message is – make your occasion a Cupcake Occasion!
Katherine Law – Kath the Homeopath
Mum's the Boss member Kath Law is a Classical Homeopath living and practising in the Castle Road area of Bedford. Kath had been interested in homeopathy for many years before finally qualifying, which took a while due to having two children along the way! However, her children proved to be her best case studies, and she has used homeopathy for fevers, earaches – the lot – without ever having to resort to Calpol or antibiotics!
Although homeopaths don't tend to specialise, because they treat individuals with diseases rather than focussing on the disease labels, many seem to get reputations for treating particular conditions, be it mental health, behavioural problems in children or fertility. Kath treats mainly women and children and has a keen interest particularly in treating any illness where there is a clear emotional component, for example autistic spectrum disorders, PMT, anxiety, OCD etc. It is in these areas where homeopathy comes into its own and can reap results amazingly quickly.
Kath is passionate about helping people with complaints for which there seem no other answers. Early on in her training, one of Kath's tutors treated a lot of autistic children with amazing results. Listening to her tutor's case studies, made a great impact on Kath, as she had worked previously with people with learning disabilities.
To find out more about how homeopathy works please visit www.kaththehomeopath.co.uk or giving Kath a call on (01234) 341611.
Helen Lindop – Business Plus Baby
For more information, visit www.businessplusbaby.com or email Helen at
helen@businessplusbaby.com.
Full profile coming soon…
Susie Tobias – Wise Genius
Susie is just starting out as a web designer – this is her first site! You can email her at
info@wisegenius.co.uk.
Full profile coming soon…
Sue Bedford – Healthy Choices & Pulse Health Screening
Mum's The Boss member Sue Bedford is a busy mum, running two companies in and around Bedfordshire. After taking a break from her nursing career to have four children, Sue returned to her profession in 1998, initially working as an Outpatients Nurse and then as a Practice Nurse at her local surgery.
During this time, Sue became interested in the role that poor nutrition and exposure to toxins play in the cause of disease. As a mum,
I naturally wanted to give my children the best start in life
, says Sue. However, I came across information which showed that
products I used to keep them clean contained ingredients which were known to be harmful!
Sue wanted other parents to know about
this so she set up Healthy Choices. The website (www.healthychoices.co.uk)
includes her research and offers advice to parents and parents-to-be. It also includes a healthy home store to purchase a range of safe,
toxin-free toiletries and household products.
Sue set up her health screening company, Pulse Health Screening, after purchasing a medical device that detects early signs of
cardiovascular disease, called a CardioCheck™. Having completed diplomas in nutrition and health promotion, Sue was able to combine
her expertise with her health screening skills to deliver a unique service, locally. Pulse Health Screening offers a variety of health
assessments and tests which include food intolerance and allergy testing. Sue also gives health promotion talks to local groups or
companies. If a potential health problem is detected early, it is possible to halt or even reverse the condition
says Sue. I love
it when someone acts on my recommendations and sees their health improve.
For more information about Pulse Health Screening, visit www.pulsescreening.co.uk or email Sue at sue@pulsescreening.co.uk. Read more about Sue and her businesses at Mums The Blog.
Geta Gill – Mona Vie
Mum's the Boss member Geta Gill is a Mona Vie distributor. Having spent 18 years working in the Government sector, she reached a
turning point in her life in 2005 when she had an accident. After the accident Geta became depressed, put on 5 stone in weight and
became a virtual recluse. I think I needed to let my health deteriorate both physically and mentally before I realised the damage
I was doing to myself.
Now Geta's work is all about promoting a healthy lifestyle. She started with Mona Vie in March 2009 and built her team with no product. Mona Vie is a nutritional beverage whose main ingredient is the Acai berry from the Brazilian rain forest. The berry has been blended with 18 other highly nutritious fruits and people who drink it on a regular basis have reported significant improvements with back pain, neck pain, eczema, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, and many other chronic illnesses that have a negative impact on your quality of life. People also report that they look and feel younger. The product is not sold over the counter, as it is being sold solely by word of mouth or relationship selling. Geta has been using the product herself since its launch in the UK in early September and has noticed significant benefits to her health.
I have met so many good people on my early journey in networking and look forward to helping many other people who want to boost
their health, their wealth and have loads of fun doing it…like I am.
You can contant Geta on 07976 644341 or email her at getagill@yahoo.co.uk and for more information on Mona Vie visit www.monavie.com. A more in-depth interview with Geta is available on our blog.
Lesley Singleton – LS Media Ltd
Lesley Singleton has been working in consumer PR and the media for more than a decade. In that time, she's worked for big London PR agencies (including PR Week's Agency of the Year) as well as in-house for a major airline and a high street bank. She managed press office functions whilst also devising and implementing strategic PR campaigns for a wide range of brands including Blockbuster Video, P&O's Ocean Village and KLM. Lesley's diverse career has seen her handle the publicity for a Michael Ball Christmas album, oversee a press conference for the DVD release of Joseph starring Donny Osmond and Joan Collins and launch a cruise ship with help from Ulrika Jonsson.
Leaving the bright lights of London behind, Lesley moved to Cranfield in 2004 and took up a PR role with Monarch Airlines, based at Luton. However, after having her son in November 2005, she decided to 'go it alone' and LS Media Ltd was born in May 2006. Specialising in business-to-consumer PR and media relations, Lesley has continued to work with a diverse range of clients in the travel, mother/baby, beauty, food, literary and self-help sectors. She's worked with start-ups and mumpreneur businesses – including Mums Who Bake, Sporty Bump and Smallprint – as well as established brands such as The Open University.
Lesley gave birth to a daughter in September 2008 and LS Media Ltd has continued to go from strength to strength. 2009 has seen Lesley vastly expand her portfolio by generating extensive national print and broadcast coverage for travel companies, organic beauty brands and a number of new self-help books. October sees her co-host a PR Secrets seminar at the UK's first Mumpreneur Conference in Birmingham.
To find out how Lesley can help you with your PR, please visit www.lsmedia.co.uk or email Lesley@lsmedia.co.uk. To read an in-depth interview with Lesley, visit Mums The Blog.
Sue Vonwiller – Perfect Touch
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After several years working in the aviation industry and living abroad, Sue Vonwiller returned home to the UK to bring up her family. Whilst staying at home to look after her 3 sons she re-trained as a beauty therapist, something that had interested her since leaving school, and in late 2008 she launched Perfect Touch, her home based beauty salon.
Based in Haynes, Sue offers a range of beauty therapies, using high quality products in a unique personal setting, offering flexible appointment times for todays modern lifestyles. As a mum of 3 herself, Sue knows how difficult it is to get that all important piece of me time. Her ethos is to provide a tailormade treatment for each individual in a relaxed and personal atmosphere. Sue specialises in high quality skin care using high tech Swiss Dermyl products, spray tanning, waxing, manicures, pedicures, nail extensions and holistic therapies. She also offers spray tans, ladies pamper parties and Little Diva pamper parties for girls aged 5 to 15.
Sue says, I like to keep abreast of trends in the beauty industry and I am continuously updating my training and adding new
treatments to my repetoire. I have also recently added some innovative new retail ranges to my salon. But most importantly of all
I absolutely love my job. I love making people feel better about themselves and helping them snatch a little piece of 'me' time to help
them unwind.
To find out more visit www.perfecttouchbeauty.me.uk or email Sue at suevonwiller@btinternet.com
Amy Taylor – Amy Taylor Accountancy
At Amy Taylor Accountancy, you will find a friendly, personal service where children are welcome. Having been a chartered accountant and analyst for over 10 years, Amy Taylor recognised there was a need for local business people who are juggling a business and childcare to have somewhere they can meet their accountant and bring the kids without feeling intimidated.
But it's not just all about providing flexibility. Having been an analyst for part of her career, Amy can assess your
personal circumstances to make sure you get all possible tax reliefs available as well as help you with tax planning for the
future. I won't wait for people to ask me a question about their finances, but will go above and beyond to analyse their
circumstances as a matter of course. For me the enjoyment is legitimately saving my clients money.
And on the subject of saving money, Amy offers clarity over pricing and will give you a competitive quote within 24 hours.
I know as an accountant how important it is to budget. How can you plan your finances effectively if you don't even know what you
will be paying your own accountant?
Amy is happy to welcome new clients across Bedfordshire. She cares about the environment and in response to client demands,
sends out as much documentation as she can by electronic means. For each page saved, I keep a tally and at the end of the year
make a donation to the Woodland Trust which has woodland all over the UK including Bedfordshire.
Call Amy now on 01767 260282, or email amy@tayloraccountancy.net. Alternatively, visit her website www.tayloraccountancy.net. Read more about Amy and her business at Mums The Blog.
Pippa Moss – Karma Birth
Mum's The Boss member, Pippa Moss, found that holistic therapies and yoga had such a positive effect on her first pregnancy, birth and postnatal experience, that she decided to give up a stressful career in television and re-train in something more down the earth.
After another baby and an apprenticeship with the internationally renowned Active Birth pioneer, Janet Balaskas, Pippa now teaches Yoga for Pregnancy in Bedford. Based on Hatha yoga, there is an emphasis on working naturally with the breath, spine and gravity – particularly relevant and helpful for pregnancy. Also interwoven into the classes are physical and emotional preparation for giving birth, and information is shared in a relaxed and supportive environment.
The Reiki and massage therapies that Pippa offers promote relaxation, rejuvenation and a sense of general well-being. Available to clients in the comfort of their own home, costs are kept to a minimum and there is no need for arranging childcare or traveling home after their relaxing treatment. Oils used are organic, specially formulated, and safe for use in pregnancy and postnatally.
Pippa says: As I have experienced it myself recently, I especially enjoy treating new mums and mums-to-be. I appreciate what a
special, but sometimes vulnerable time it can be. I also try to keep my approach as sympathetic and flexible as possible. For example,
if a baby needs to be with his mum while she gets a Reiki treatment, he can be in her arms and receive a relaxing dose too!
For more details on yoga for pregnancy classes, reiki, massage or indulgence events, call Pippa on 07903 838 006, or email pippa@karmabirth.co.uk or visit her website www.karmabirth.co.uk
Sarah Barnes – Ivy House Interiors
Since leaving her 'previous life' career as a Buyer for a high street chain, Sarah Barnes has been working as an Interior Designer, setting up her company Ivy House Interiors in 2006. Ivy House Interiors aims to offer complete interior design solutions for everything from entire show-houses to the smallest downstairs loo!
Based on the Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire boarder, Sarah has a background of show-house and rental property design and project management. Whether you are looking to refresh the style of your bedroom or 'start from scratch' with your kitchen Sarah has the contacts and know-how to help – and if she doesn't she will go out of her way to find it! Through relaxed and informal discussions Sarah can provide you with the solution to your specific requirements.
If you are looking to sell your current property, Sarah also offers a Home Staging Service, transforming your home to Show
House Standard
maximising the sales potential of your property by setting it apart from the competition and offering discounted
storage rates. Sarah has also undertaken work for landlords who are looking to transform rental properties from un-furnished to
furnished to provide a greater return on their investment. This type of work is often budget led &ndash but with Sarah's negotiation and
financial background combined with design experience, Sarah has furnished properties to a high standard whilst keeping costs minimal.
For more details or to see examples of previous works, call Sarah on 07711 293320 or drop an e-mail to sarah@ivyhouseinteriors.co.uk. You can also follow Ivy_House on Twitter. A more in-depth interview with Sarah is available on our blog.
Pippa Highfield – Raring2go!
If your target customers are local families then talk to Mums the Boss member Pippa Highfield about promoting your business through Raring2go! magazine. Raring2go! is a local guide of what to do and where to go with children and is packed with details of events, clubs & classes and holiday activities all aimed at families. It is published quarterly and distributed via lower schools & pre-schools, libraries and toddler groups to 11,000 parents across Bedford, Sandy, Biggleswade, Ampthill, Flitwick and surrounding villages.
Since Pippa set up Raring2go! in 2007 it has grown from strength to strength and has a loyal readership and an established base of
local advertisers including Theatretrain, StageCoach, Kumon, Jo Jingles and many more. A marketer by profession, Pippa loves the
challenge of helping her customers generate new business through Raring2go! It is about so much more than just selling an advertising
space
she says – it's all about timing, getting the message right and appealing to your target audience to generate more
business for your business
.
To find out more about Raring2go! Bedford or for an informal chat about your marketing plans you can contact Pippa on 0844 800 1948 or bedford@raring2go.co.uk.
Carol Atkinson Bookkeeping
Mum's The Boss member Carol Atkinson provides bookkeeping services to small businesses and sole traders in Bedford and the surrounding area. With a wide range of clients from theatre production companies to childminders, the service Carol provides is flexible and individualised for each client. As a working mum of two, she fully understands the difficulties of trying to run a business from home and is perfectly happy for a client to pass her a bag stuffed full of receipts because they haven't had the time to file them themselves!
Carol's bookkeeping services range from completion of Self Assessment Tax Forms to VAT Returns to Year End Accounts. She works on Excel spreadsheets for smaller clients (ensuring they can also view the files without expensive software) or SAGE 50 for larger clients or those that request it. She is an Associate Member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers and all her work is fully insured and regulated, and complies with current Data Protection legislation, ensuring complete confidentiality at all times.
To discuss your requirements – whether you need a one off self assessment form completed or a bookkeeper for a few hours per week – or to arrange a free, no obligation, initial consultation please contact Carol on 07890 148713 or email her at carolatkinson@live.co.uk.
