Posted on November 26, 2010

Mumpreneur Feature – Bridget

Bridget Is our mumpreneur feature for today; please make her feel welcome and say hi 🙂

Who are you?

I am Bridget Wilson Hall. I live in Newcastle upon Tyne with my partner. We have a 17 year old daughter with Worster-Drought Syndrome, a 21 year old son and a cat and a dog! As well as running my business, I am also a Liberal Catholic Priest and work at supporting people pastorally and sacramentally.

What do you do?

I am an Independent Consultant with Arbonne International, a 30 year old skincare and cosmetics company who began working in the UK about 3 years ago. We also work in Canada and Australia and there is talk of expanding into other parts of Europe soon too. We sell skincare that is as pure, safe and beneficial as possible with a highlight being the re-launch this year of our anti-ageing range now called Re9 Advanced, as well as an impressive range of cosmetics. We also sell skincare for younger women, for men and for babies. I am particularly fond myself of our SeaSource Spa range which allows anyone to have a personalised spa experience at home.

When did you establish your business?

I began my business in the January after the company moved into the UK. This followed my looking for a new skincare range to use myself after a friend of mine received a chemical burn from the alcohol-based toner we both used…

What made you start your own business?

I fell in love with the product and found myself telling people about how good it was, so selling it myself was a natural progression, especially as it is only available through Arbonne Consultants. I thought Why not get the 35% discount for myself?!

I was looking for a company I could work with as a self-employed person, as I had had very difficult experiences with bosses, both due to my need to take care of my children, especially my disabled daughter, and my need to be flexible to cope with living with my own bi-polar disorder. Working for myself gives me all the flexibility I need!

What do you love about working for yourself?

As well as the flexibility with time, I love the way that I can choose the way I work. I can go to large events like fayres and speak to lots of people; I can help people to get the products they’d like for themselves with our Host Benefits package by helping them run a fun and informative skincare/cosmetics or spa party in their homes or I can help people on a 1-to-1 basis.

With modern technology I also love the fact that I can work from home, making friends all over the world, while sitting in my pyjamas in my dining room, making my favourite drinks and snacks while I Facebook, Twitter, e-mail or Skype. Well maybe I wouldn’t Skype in my pyjamas!

I especially enjoy the chance, as this is a network marketing business, to work with people who want to join me – to help them live their dream…

Is there anything you would go back and do differently if you could?

I wish I had done this earlier! When I see mumpreneurs with young children busy working for themselves and I look back at how I struggled, sometimes fighting just to go to my ante-natal appointments, I wish I had had the courage to leave those situations and get control of my own life!

Finally If there is 1 thing that you could tell other Mums who want to start there own business; what would it be?

It sounds corny but it’s true:
If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail…
You must plan – short, medium and long term goals and your weekly timetable is the most important – mark in any other income raising activity you do (ie a job), then family commitments, especially fun together, and me-time – and then plan how you will use all the gaps – even a spare 15 minutes can be used to make phone calls or send e-mails…

Never Give UP!!

Bridget is kindly giving 10% OFF on all Orders made via http://www.arbonnebybridget.co.uk/ before 31st December 2010.