Anyone become self-employed doing something completely different to their pre-kids career

[LargeLatte]

Morning all, I am looking for inspiration and a kick up the bum.

In my former life, before becoming a SAHM I was a project manager and then a communications manager. I left work a year ago and now need to start making some money. I have had a few business ideas but once the initial enthusiasm has worn off the nagging negative voice in the back of my head puts me off.

Did any of you start a new business/freelance doing something completely different to your previous career? How did you get the courage and self-belief to go for it?

Go and see your local Business Link person, they are excellent, even if you just are thinking about a new venture/idea they are very helpful, all free and very usefull.

I am just about to kick off a new venture after 7 years as a SAHM, linked sort of to what I used to do, mainly driven by two things, the need to earn £ and the need to do something for me!

I am shit scared, but I have now gathered momentum and am going to go for it. I have been in touch will old collegues, sent potential clients emails, done research etc etc.

If I don't try I will never know and I am sick of feeling frustrated with myself and having naff all £.

I was very good at my job before kids and that is still in me somewhere, buried under no confidence and panic, but I am trying to eeek it out.

Books by Rachel Bridge, My Big Idea is one, that are really inspirational to read. Nat West Everywoman website is good to look at too, other women in business.

I was a SAHM for 4 years and prior to that was a teacher. I trained to be a Make Up Artist about a year ago and haven't looked back. I love it! I work mainly Fridays to Sunday depending on the time of year. I mainly do weddings so summer is busy, winter less so. What I love the most is the sense of self satisfaction. Much as I love my kids I'd lost my way a bit and couldn't really see past being a mum. Go for it! Good luck

Before I had my daughter I worked in recruitment, and before that as a PA. After I had her I just couldn't imagine getting up in the morning and commuting to work while she was in full-time childcare. I felt like I'd changed somehow.

I really wanted a job that fit in around my family but (possibly most importantly) that I actually enjoyed! I realised that I've never really enjoyed work before, and always envied people with careers and vocations. I was just going to work for the money.

So I wrote down the things I liked doing to see if anything would spark. I wrote

Cooking for friends and family
Reading
Watching TV

Now, I couldn't think of any way to turn the last two into a career! So I looked at food. I spent ages researching all the different food industry jobs, but I didn't want to go to catering college and realised that the hours wouldn't suit. Then I came up with Pampered Chef on a google search! I'd been to a party a few years before but knew nothing about it. So I did a bit of research and decided to try it.

I was scared, there was an initial investment of about £100, which I know it's exactly in the league of what most businesses cost to start up but it was still a risk to me as we didn't have much money!

But I worked out that as I needed to do 6 parties to get started I'd make the money back after 3 (which I did) and have all the products so it was worth a risk!

I'm glad I did I've been doing it for 18-months and am really proud that I run my own business, control my working hours and have made some new friends. I've even been on a free holiday and have another one this year coming up!

I believe if you find something you love and follow that you can make a life change that will work for you.

Go for it! (sorry for such a long post!).

I started to look into doing something but the reality of baby number three got in the way. I would get out to some women's networking events and try to find yourself a mentor you can kick ideas round with and help with motivation.

Thanks people. I think, like most women, that it is a cripling lack of self-belief that is holding me back. And I live in a sleepy seaside town were most people think that women with kids who work should be burnt at the stake.
But my mum gave up a career for her kids and ended up with a minimum wage job to keep things ticking over - I've had to put up with 30 years of her regret (although obviously i still think she is the best mum in the world)- I am determined not to do the same.
I've contacted Business Link today and had a couple of promising emails from prospective emails so I will push aside the fear of failure and get on with it.
Ta.

I worked in a bank and then for an airline, took 3 years of with the children, 15 years
ago I set myself up as a children's entertainer and have never looked back. Love making kids laugh and love being my own boss! It only cost about £500 to start so didn't seem like a big risk.

When I get too old to clown around I may look at learning book keeping or proofreading as I like being self employed.

Good luck!

Before baby, I worked as a senior manager in the product department of a holiday company. But I was made redundant and looking for work, post-baby, in the middle of a recession when many local holiday firms had either gone bust or relocated to cheaper parts of the country wasn't really happening.

I've since set up my own family magazine. My previous role had me monitoring sales stats and profitability almost every day. Now I get to write articles, source prizes and design pages. It's very different, although I've been able to use a lot of skills I had.

The thing that really made me realise that I could do it was going on a Business Link course. Looking round the room at the different people and ideas and realising that my idea really did have legs gave me the confidence to do more research.

Check with BL in your area to see if they have a specific women's business advisor or if there are any women's business events. Also check for any mums/women's networking groups as these tend to be a lot less intimidating (but no less beneficial) than general networking.

Good luck!

I used to work in university administration and I now do freelance proofreading and copywriting (including writing 'custom essays' for students cheating on their exams - this bit is mostly via an agency). I'm due DC2 in a couple of weeks so have just started 'mat leave' - while I'm doing that I plan to start blogging to build up a bit more of a portfolio and see if I can get some new inspiration for driving the copywriting forward, as I enjoy it much more than proofreading.

I had a rough idea of wanting to do proofreading anyway, but what really helped me was a 'Women into Business' course, which was provided by Business Link at my local Sure Start centre (so free crèche included). I started that when DS was about 5 months. It was really valuable as it covered all the basic (finance, basic marketing) but also was a great opportunity to meet other women in a similar position and learn from their ideas and progress.

I don't think I want to be freelance for too much longer as I miss being in a workplace environment and sometimes struggle to motivate myself re: deadlines, but it has been good to have a little bit of money coming in and to know that three years at home with children isn't just going to look like a big gap in my CV.

Thanks for all the info. I have just got off the phone to Business Link and am now looking into becoming a supplier for them (doing similar to what I did pre-kids.

Intergalactic - do you use the Academic Knowledge agency? I had been toying with the idea myself since I did write very good essays when I was at uni. How have you found them? I've totally got over any moral issues I had when first looking at it and am now seriously considering that as something to add to my money making list.