advice

[fernd]

Ive just joined here and I am looking for some advice. I am starting up a small business having not worked for 8 years. And I am looking for a business name. A temping agency for mothers, providing employers with keen, reliable, intelligent women that prior to children had a high-flying career. Yet working around school hours prevents them committing to full time work. Ideally perfect for small bussinesses that need fill-ins from time to time. I would love some feedback and a company name! Thank you.

Opti-mum?

This is where feedBack is vital. It's all in the language, I apologise for terminology! I really want to describe the intelligent non-working mother that has all the pa/secretarial/admin skills as much so as the working person but has chosen to stay at home with her family. As a university graduate and having had a successful career prior to kids I chose to stay at home. It is now apparent that i have time in my day to be doing other things and would love to be using my brain! I am hoping to set up an environment for likeminded mothers that would love to do something constructive with their day, whilst the children are at school. Targeting small local businesses initially, aiming to provide daily support where/when needed but on a mother's terms where timings are concerned. Would/could it work??

There's a similar agency in London, I think they target charities, if you can track them down and research their business model it might give you a few ideas

Check out www.womenlikeus.org.uk/home.aspx

Women Like Us is a good one to look at. They are a social enterprise themselves though, so people are more accepting of their model. When I used them previously, they charged a small fee up front event if they didn't find us somebody (which they didn't).

I receive their weekly jobs bulletin (always keeping an eye out for things I can do as a freelancer) and they seem to be succesful. They also offer skills/back to work training for women that have been out of the job market. Plus they are good at policy/press work, they produced a depressing report recently which said only 3% of part-time jobs offer £20K (full time equ) or more.

I think your idea works, but you need a hook. I am guessing price, the flex of not having an employee and the ability to buy a little time (rather than a full day) of a temp is a good one. I personally question how receptive local small businesses (unless run by a mum!) will be to messaging around the temps background, but they could be sold on the benefits above.

Mumsthatemp.com?

As you might know, there is a thriving 'mumpreneur' (I personally a bit at the label) community, esp online & on twitter. Perhaps they could be the market you focus on, as they might be more open to the idea of giving mums some work? And growing businesses might need the sort of help you mention. www.mumsclub.co.uk/ www.mumpreneuruk.com/

Finally, I think you need a really good website, you could automate a lot of what you are talking about (registering candidates, taking job bookings) but you need to compete with brands like Women Like Us that have good web presence. I am guessing there are probably off the shelf recruitment website products out there that you can then customise.

Anyway, good luck with it all.

Valuable feedback, thank you! X

Hi,

I did something similar for five years, (Flexible Skills Bank) but about a year ago closed it down. It is a really tough business to get in to, great idea and in theory should work, but if you don't have experience in recruitment and lots of help and money it's going to be an uphill struggle.

Women like Us is great and seems to be working well, but they are a social enterprise and do get money from trusts.

Do lots of research and make sure your business model allows you to make some money as small businesses are invariably short of cash themselves.

Could tell you loads, but don't want to bore everyone here. PM me if you want to chat.