Helen Morrell, 35, is mum to Finlay, 22 months and also runs her own business – Veterinary Thermal Imaging, www.veterinary-thermal-imaging.com. The business involves using new technology, which has it’s highs and lows, as she tells Motherswhowork.co.uk
What work did you do before you set up Veterinary Thermal Imaging?
I was the marketing director for an investment bank, which sounds a world away from what I do now, but prior to this I studied an animal science degree and qualified as a British Horse Society riding instructor.
How did you fund the business?
Redundancy pay-out and interest-free credit cards.
Profit in first year:
I’m on target to making £30,000 this year.
What was the motivating factor for staring Veterinary Thermal Imaging?
A strong desire to be my own boss, and to map my own destiny.
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
The sense of achievement, knowing that “I’ve done that”.
Running a business can be a mixed bag sometimes. What have been you highs and lows so far?
The highs have very much been the veterinary success stories – identifying previously unknown problems so that animals can be effectively treated. Like the racing greyhound who had seen some of the top vets in the country (who couldn’t find the problem without my services). She won her first race back after treatment, recording her fastest time; and the young horse where we found a bone cyst which would have been undetected for a long time otherwise.
The lows are those that anyone pioneering a new technology face – the responses of the cynics. It’s hard when you’re so passionate about something to hear anything negative about it and not take it personally.
How have you managed to stay on top of your career with the demands of motherhood while running Veterinary Thermal Imaging?
The business I run allows me to work completely flexibly, booking appointments to fit around family life, including evening and weekend sessions (which suit working animal owners better).
As the compilation of the report on the animal is conducted off-site, this is something that I can do in the evenings after bath and bedtime, and this is a good time for business admin, too. I’ve found it really important to get a great team of people around me to outsource some of the labour-intensive aspects, such as design work, accountancy, and PR – this has freed me up no end.
How has running your business impacted on your relationship with your partner and children?
My husband has been very supportive and encouraging throughout. Since I launched he’s self-trained in web design and SEO and now manages this for me (he enjoys being a part too!). I’m lucky that he plays such an active role in running the home and looking after our little boy, leaving me to crack on – and that he’s proud of what I do.
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?
It’s a case of balance and being true to yourself, as everyone is different. Don’t be swayed by other people’s views or opinions, you’ll know what’s right for you and your family. And, don’t be afraid to give something a go and then say it’s not for you – you never regret the things in life you do, just the things you don’t do.
