"I set up my children’s sleep clinic, Naturally Nurturing, in 1993 after discovering there was very little literature to help manage the sleeping patterns of my newly born twins. I used the knowledge from my childhood development qualifications and masters in psychology towards the study and development of sleep techniques.

At the time, I was working at the Home Office, but realised conventional employment didn't give me the flexibility that I needed as a mother and a single parent. I'd always wanted to run my own business and decided that it was the right time in my life for me to take the plunge into self-employment.

One of the things I have had to accept as an entrepreneur is that you can't be good at everything, so it's important to seek advice and support to ensure your weaknesses don’t hold you back. A friend recommended the services of Business Link London, who have been a valuable resource in setting up and growing my business. They have helped to structure my business and point me in the right direction of people who can help me that I wouldn’t otherwise have known existed. Since launching, I've been lucky that my business has flourished and now incorporates a training arm and association of sleep consultants. I also have clinics opening overseas, and ultimately, it’s my goal tocreate a global brand that will offer products such as baby mattresses, baby oil and so on. In short, I want to offer a one-stop shop for creating healthy sleeping habits for children.

Although my business developments are exciting, being self-employed allows me to manage my work so I can spend as much time as possible with my children. I'm lucky as I have a live-in nanny, but my work lets me take my kids around the country with me, and ultimately that's why I chose to open up my own business."