Name: Sarah Street
Age: 30
Children: 2 boys, aged 5 and 3

Business name:  Bumpalicious Maternity Wear and Gifts, www.bumpaliscious.co.uk
Profit in first year: Haven’t completed our first year but hoping to be do a bit better than breakeven – fingers crossed!

1. How did the idea for your business come about?
When you have children you almost become your own boss.  You decide what to do, when to do it and with whom, so the thought of going back to work for someone else was not on my agenda. We were also struggling financially and I knew I could not earn enough to pay for childcare in fact I would have been out of pocket!  Every day I would have a different idea of how to be the next millionaire which seemed to keep my husband very amused.

One night in the pub with my close friend Kay we were talking about unfulfilled dreams etc and we remembered that we’d always said we would have a shop. We decided that maternity wear was a fantastic idea as we could bring brands available on the internet to the High Street and eventually have our own brand.

2. How did you fund it?
Kay was due some shares from work and I borrowed some money from my Dad – we had an initial joint investment of 10k.

3. How do you manage your business with childcare commitments and running a home?
This is a hard one!! My oldest child Louie is at full time school and William goes five mornings to pre-school. We decided to open the shop Wednesday to Saturday. So I had to enroll William in afternoon club at school for three days a week – I don’t know what I’d have done without it. But obviously this costs money!! And then there’s the guilt that William is at school nearly full time at three.

My Mum and my mother-in-law then take turns to pick them up from school. I still manage the housework but it’s made me realise how much more I could have done with my time when I had it!  To be honest I’ve had to be a bit more organized – rather than sit on the sofa in the evening thinking about what I’ve got to do I have to get up and do it – knowing full well it’ll still be there in the morning if I don’t!!

4. What is the best thing that has happened to you as an entrepreneur so far?
Just being able to say ‘I’ve got a shop’!! Knowing that going to bed late, sitting on the internet for HOURS, being stroppy with my husband and feeling exhausted – was all worth it!!!

Our opening day was great – we took lots of money and it gave us a very positive feeling about our future.

5. And the worst?
Probably having our shop broken into in our first week of trading, then whilst the glass was being repaired – rainwater poured onto our beautiful new floor and we were feeling very sorry for ourselves

6. What would you do differently if you could turn the clock back?
We’re still learning – I don’t think you ever stop. I’d be a lot more organised. I wouldn’t have gone to bed so late, your brain doesn’t work when you’re tired and you’re not always the best person for your family to be around. Although my husband Richard has been great and I can’t moan about him – I do try though!!

7. Any tips for mums who are considering setting up a business?
You can do it!! Just make sure the idea is viable – give yourself a fighting chance by really knowing that there is a market for what you’re going to do. If you’re going to register a name for your company and set up a business bank account – do this as early as possible. We were amazed at how long this took, and the fact that there is an order to do it in.  Dedicate time slots to research your idea – that’s a biggie – RESEARCH. Find out all you can about your business idea – manufacturers, competition etc. And when that time slot comes to an end – STOP otherwise you’ll be no good to anyone. Make sure you have normal family time as well as being lost in your work, I found this so difficult before we had a shop – but now I know I have three days a week from 9.30am until 5pm in which to work so my family life is all but back to normal – if there is such a thing as normal?

Bumpalicious