Vicky Warr, 38, who is mum to 10-month-old Luca and now our resident fitness expert on www.motherswhowork.co.uk, tells us about running her fitness business, Beez Kneez (www.beez-kneez.co.uk), where she works as a prenatal and postnatal fitness specialist and consultant, working with big brands like Mothercare and BBC Radio.
Business: Beez Kneez (www.beez-kneez.co.uk)
Profit in first year: ?30,000
What was the motivating factor for staring your own business?
Flexibility, fun, passion for working with people and the socialising, moving around and getting fit rather than feeling lethargic and tied to a desk (which is how I felt when I worked in a marketing office)
What are the best bits about working again?
The social aspect, mental challenge and physical challenge, the mental stimulation and social aspect increases my confidence and happiness ? reflected then in me giving more to my relationships with my baby boy and my husband!
Running a business can be a mixed bag sometimes. What have been you highs and lows so far?
The highs are seeing transformations with my clients ? their body shapes, their ?fitness journeys? and some of their amazing achievements, like running marathons or losing three stones. Their newfound confidence and sparkle is just fantastic and knowing that I played a part in that is a privilege.
When you have small children it does feel like a ?juggling act?, arranging childcare so that you can work and the logistics. This is not a ?low? as such – it’s just something you have to do as a working mum – but it just feels like you’re ?chasing the tail? sometimes with the never-ending ?to do? list!
What is available to mothers now that you wish you had access to when your family was young?
Greater job flexibility and variety ? my mother used to complain that all she could do as a working mother was be a teacher as that meant she had the holidays with us rather than have to arrange for childcare which was not so easy then.
How have you managed to stay on top of your career with the demands of motherhood?
Working smarter, prioritising and setting goals ? this last one is key. I set my goals and then take action with small steps each week and month to achieve them. Then I look at my diary and work out realistically what I can do and what is less important that can be delegated or delayed.
What has been a high point along the way?
Developing our special group of fitness courses, so that we can help more mums-to-be and new mums get fit and maintain fitness in a cost-effective, fun and highly motivating environment. The feedback we’ve had about our courses has been amazing and they now get booked up really quickly.
What is your worst experience along the way?
I try not to look at them as ?worst experiences? rather ?learning curves’ or ?learning experiences? which enable us to see how we could do things differently or improve!
Any tips for expectant mums, or mothers who feel that you can’t have a successful career and a happy family life at the same time?
You can! With the right attitude, resources, support and writing down your goals and why they are important to you and whether they reflect your values you can develop a career ? I always say ?you deserve to get what you want from life and make the most of opportunities that come your way?.
