Posted inBusiness ideas Starting and running your business

How to find the right business model that will sustain you financially

Kids retuning to school today? Feeling like you really don’t have the energy to get back on that work-life treadmill again? You’re not alone, but instead of looking for a pity party, take action today and things could start looking different by the start of the next school half term.

20111031-082502.jpgThe trick is not to focus solely on the money you want to make – choose a business that you actually like.

If it uses your strongest abilities, skills, or talents, all the better. If it doesn’t, thats not a big deal – as long as you are willing to keep learning , you can develop the necessary abilities, skills, or talents as you go along.

Here are three tips for getting into the right business for you:

Posted inProduct reviews

Product reviews:how to keep the car clean this half term

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly children young and older can create ingrained mess in the car, but it is a little embarrassing if your mum’s taxi never seems to be clean.

The essential car vac

There are a lot of car vacs out there, but a lot of them just don’t seem to have the suction power needed to really picky up crumbs other culprits from those hard-to-reach parts of the car.

Posted inA mix Business ideas

How to cut your business bills to allow for more fun days out with the kids

Super mumprenuer you are, but keeping energy costs down needs more calculation
Super mumprenuer you are, but keeping energy costs down needs more calculation

Balancing a working life with family commitments can be a struggle for most people, not least mumpreneurs who work from home. While days can often drag out and prove frustrating in the office, mumpreneurs work with the children in tow, and they usually want nothing short of the impossible: mummy’s undivided attention.

One of the many challenges facing any business owner is that of cost control. As energy prices spiral, mumpreneurs and other firms are increasingly looking to compare business electricity prices to save money on energy bills. Listed below are five ways in which energy costs may be reduced as part of a cost control initiative.

Posted inBusiness ideas

How to open your own café

Many people dream of owning their own business one day – in the current economic climate, with few rewards and long hours in the city, more are taking the plunge into independent ventures than ever. If you want a slower pace and a richer quality of life, perhaps you’ve thought about going into catering and hospitality. Opening a small café or boutique in the country is hard work but it’s more of a lifestyle than a nine to five.

start own business running a cafe-113400.jpgMost of us are familiar enough with Dragon’s Den to know that there’s more to it than turning up with a good idea: before you start you’ll need to calculate your outgoings and estimate your turnover.

Here are some of the essential things you need to know about when planning your start up.

Four ways to stay motivated in your home business
Posted inA mix Starting and running your business

Four ways to stay motivated in your home business

Whether you’re just starting out with your work at home business or you’ve had your home business for many years, there will be times when motivation levels can take a slump.

stay motivated in your home businessDuring this time of year, when the days seem shorter, a d the weather is getting chillier, working from home can feel a little isolating.

Here are four simple ways you can stay motivated in your work at home business, even when you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom:

Posted inBusiness ideas Product reviews Starting and running your business

How to use LinkedIn to make business contacts

Social media has really made it easy to make contacts with the people you need in your business sector.

If you're not using LinkedIn for business, you're missing out

Remember the days when you had to try to get past rottweiler-like receptionists and PAs, who made life as difficult as possible to get through to your contact? It was almost like you were a predator they were trying to field off, and by the time they had taken your name and contact details reluctantly, it felt like you’d just done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson…knowing full well that they were not going to pass your details on anyway!

Then in walked LinkedIn…all you need to do is search for the company or the job title of the person you’re looking for and then drop them an email, or ask one of your contacts who are linked to them to connect you!

Still confused? Want to find out how else LinkedIn can help your business, then read our LinkedIn for Business guide.

Podcast: Lindsey Benson of The Birthing Shirt Company
Posted inPodcasts for mums Real mums

Podcast: Lindsey Benson of The Birthing Shirt Company

We love a good inspirational story of a career mum who is making waves in business...in walks Lindsey Benson, mumpreneur of The Birthing Company (www.TheBirthingShirtCompany.com). Lindsey Benson, The Birthing Shirt CompanyLindsey is a great example of how career mums can successfully use transferable skills from their career experience and turn into a business. Listen to the podcast to find out how she has changed the way she works so she could spend more time with her young sons, and has managed to get the NCT to back product.