Posted on November 24, 2010

Mumpreneur Feature – Amanda Farren

The lovely Amanda Farren from Ella Announcements is with us on the blog today! You may be mistaken in thinking that the photo below is of her 4 children but no actually the pretty little thing 3rd from the left is Amanda 😉 Amanda has recently just had a new baby boy who they have called Isaac – I’m guessing she hasn’t had time to get a new photo of her and the 4 children yet 😉

Who are you?
I’m Amanda, mum of four little ones from Coventry (also known as @AmandaFarren!)

What do you do?
I run an online stationery company called Ella Announcements that specialises in baby stationery for all occasions such as Birth Announcements, Christening Invitations, Thank You Cards and More. Alongside this, you’ll also find on the website: Wedding Invitations, Business Design Services and a range of Gifts perfect for Christmas.

When did you establish your business?
Ella Announcements was launched four years ago, whilst I was a stay-at-home mum to two very young children. The endless kids TV programmes started to become tiresome…

What made you start your own business?
It was actually never a conscious decision to start my own business, which knowing what I know now seems very weird to me! To stem my boredom I’d started to teach myself basic graphic and web design skills… One thing led to another… And before I knew it, I was making money and launching my own business. The main reasons that this was such a great development in my life are: 1. I got to stay at home with my children whilst 2. Generating another income for my family and 3. It gave me a sense of purpose, and something to do with my life!

What do you love about working for yourself?

Obviously the flexibility is fantastic. I can do the school run, I can go and watch nativities without concern, if a child is ill I don’t have to take a sick day… Having so many young kids these things will inevitably happen for years to come but I will never have to worry about finding time off work to be there. Similarly, working for myself has also enabled me to grow my family, where ordinarily I wouldn’t have been able to due to finances and childcare costs, too.

Is there anything you do not like about working for yourself?

The one thing most people probably enjoy is the one thing I don’t like… Not having someone to answer to. I don’t have anyone to tell me what to do, so I have to work that out for myself. I don’t have anyone to cover sick days or maternity leave. I don’t have anyone to deal with any problems or mishaps, as I’m the top of the food chain, if you like! If anything goes wrong, it’s on my head.

Is there anything you would go back and do differently if you could?
Having a business plan in place from the off would have been preferable, but as I never expected to actually be starting a business I never considered writing a business plan. It’d be a good idea for anyone considering starting up, or in the early stages of business to get a detailed plan written.

What advice would you give to a mum considering starting her own business?
Network. Network. Network. Had you asked me a couple of years ago what i didn’t like about working for myself, I’d have said the loneliness. However, I’ve built up such a great network of other mumpreneurs and other self-employed people I do feel like a part of a group, and do get a sense of that office atmosphere. Networking doesn’t require paying lots of money, donning a suit, and heading over to some poncy networking group. You can find informal networking groups, specifically for mums in business too. I run my local Mums the Boss group and there are lots popping up around the country (www.mumstheboss.co.uk). I also run a national annual event for Mumpreneurs… The Mumpreneur Conference and Awards (www.mumpreneuruk.com) Or you can simply get yourself on twitter and start following the huge number of mumpreneurs on there to have a natter here and there throughout your working day (follow me! www.twitter.com/AmandaFarren). Networking can enhance your personal life AND your professional life too and is vital to the success of any small business.

Amanda has set up a discount code for us 🙂 – Quote MUMMYLOVES for 10% off anything on the website until 31st January 2011… Ideal for ordering Christmas Cards, Christmas Gifts but also Thank You Cards after Christmas too!