Parents in Biz

For small businesses, the last few years have been a wild ride. With rising costs of living and supply chain disruptions, many wondered how they could survive in this unpredictable climate - but while it is not easy, In this issue, learn all about their resilient strategies for success! Are you a CEO who feels overwhelmed and stressed? You’re not alone. Rebecca Oatley is here to offer her advice and insights on how to lead your business in today’s ever-changing world. Money-related stress is a reality for many business owners. But did you know that this pressure can also affect your physical and mental wellbeing? Luckily, there are steps you can take to improve your financial wellbeing. Page 26. When done correctly, PR can help you achieve your business goals faster than…

Our trusted panel of contributors give you essential advice on everything from PR to wellbeing and finance. SHONA CHAMBERS, MARKETING CONSULTANT Shona Chambers is a Marketing Consultant and owner of Shona Chambers Marketing, a Marketing Agency based in Nunhead near Peckham. Specialising in helping Small Business Owners and Freelancers with their Marketing. www.shonachambersmarketing.co.uk PIPPA GOULDEN, THE PR SET Pippa Goulden is the founder of The PR Set, offering a flexible approach to PR for small businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators. She has a DIY PR membership to teach you how to do PR for your own business, as well as working 1-2-1 with clients. www.theprset.com CHARLOTTE HILLYARD, INFANT SLEEP CONSULTANT AND FOUNDER OF ‘THE GIFT OF SLEEP’ Charlotte Hillyard is an Infant Sleep Consultant and founder of ‘The Gift of Sleep’ and is passionate about helping families improve their…

Nurture your Natural Defences Now is the time to ensure you are nurturing your own natural resilience to the winter bugs lurking around the corner, and there are many things you can do to ensure your own natural defences are working efficiently. Key nutrients here are Vitamin C, found in lots of foods such as oranges, spinach, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes, and zinc, found in red meat, beans, lentils and if you’re feeling fancy, oysters! Oysters have the highest amount of naturally occurring zinc in any natural food. Eat Seasonally Buying and eating seasonal produce isn’t just better for the environment; it’s better for your health too. Seasonal produce clocks up less air miles and is, therefore, fresher and more nutrient-dense than produce that has been on a long-haul journey across the world.…

ONE Keep it simple Most people get stuck thinking they need to be the next Karen Brady or Richard Branson to start a business. It’s not true. Look at your past skills, your hobbies or things you find frustrating to find a simple product or service that you can sell and start your business as a mini-experiment. A mini-experiment takes the pressure off and allows you to try out ideas in a low cost and low risk way before you decide to invest more time and energy into an idea. TWO Be fully present As a parent, you’re probably going to be time poor and figuring out how to work on your business in between your parenting responsibilities of chef, head of entertainment, head of family finance, head of toilet activities and general clearer upper of…

Pepa González Founder of Pepa London (formerly Pepa & Co) Pepa González, is the founder of Pepa London, a luxury childrenswear brand. She runs the business alongside her husband, and they have a son who is 2 years old. Pepa London successfully fuses a rich heritage look with strong roots in traditional British design. Collections are exclusively available online or at their flagship boutique on Elizabeth Street London, Belgravia’s exclusive shopping destination. Tell us about your journey. How did you get here? I moved to London from Andalusia in Spain to work in the marketing department for the Spanish Embassy, but when that contract finished and while I was looking for a new job, I worked as a nanny in London, working for British families. It was then that I noticed how difficult…

Being a CEO seems like an impressive role. Out at the front of the company, delivering the success of the business, developing and pursuing the strategic vision, and directing the evolution of the product, the people, the marketing, distribution and finance. It’s a big job. Now factor in recent and enormous changes to most British businesses. Take, for example, the global outlook (and competition) for most firms, environmental and social responsibilities, inflation, pressure from investors, the talent squeeze and the continuous feedback loop from customers through social media. Running a company has become so complex and the responsibilities so great that being a CEO is no longer a one person job. That’s possibly why a relatively new model is being pursued by many companies, including my own – that of the…