Since setting up forparentsbyparents.com over 4 years ago Janet and I have constantly been challenged to review what we are trying to achieve from the site.

During this time also, we have worked with many other parents trying to set up their own businesses. Some we support on the site, some we have given marketing and web advice to, some we have just spoken to and talked about the problems of balancing work and home.

Overall we feel that for many parents the pressure for both to work has never been greater and yet, at the same time, the reality of both parents resuming full time careers,as employees, is really tough.

There are certainly some excellent employers who do try to accommodate Parents and help balance their Home and Work lives.

However, often it is a practical impossibility for both parents to resume their full time careers. One parent usually has to rethink their work options after having a child, unless they take the option of a live in nanny or have grandparents living very close by.

Also, having children can change your outlook so that going back to a previous 'before children' job may no longer interest you.

It was for some of these reasons that Janet and I set up forparentsbyparents.com and it is for this reason that we are launching our forparentsbyparents Business Support.

We are not aiming to offer a complete Business start up service. We are only interested in helping in specific areas of expertise - the ones that we think have offered the biggest challenges to us in the past 4 years.

Before you start

• should you / shouldn't you?



• what are you really trying to get from this business? Be clear about your objectives;



• if you are working with another person, do you share the same objectives?

Getting started!

• Funding - do you need it? Are you prepared for the work involved in getting funding?



• Marketing - what must you do, what can you do without, e.g. do I need a web site? Do I need to advertise?



• Premises / staff - do I really need them to start with?

Now you're in business!

• Who will design my logo?



• I need a leaflet or poster producing, how much will it cost?



• Who will create a web site for me within my budget?



• Help, this business is taking over my life!



• My business plan is not working out and I don't know how to change direction or who to talk to about it! I can't see the wood for the trees, I'm too tired and too stressed.

These are the areas of self-employment that we can help with. Areas of first hand experience:

Janet Kingston, co founder of forparentsbyparents.com, is an ex Project Manager and Management Consultant. She also managed the design and build of the forparentsbyparents web site.

Pat Moores, co founder of forparentsbyparents.com, is an ex Marketing Director of a division of Sony and a trained facilitator and experienced business consultant. She has also previously run and sold a small business.

We have also teamed up with two other organisations that we think will help us offer a service to Parents thinking about setting up in business or thinking about a change in direction, post children.

Brava Design is a social enterprise on Merseyside that helps to train women looking to get back into work, helping to develop their design/web site development skills. forparentsbyparents.com uses Brava for design work. They offer an excellent service and are very reasonably priced.

www.bravadesign.co.uk

Amanda Alexander, an ex Project Manager and a qualified Life Coach, specialises in helping mums who are considering which direction to take. She helps review all facets of your life and will help you decide if self-employment is the right move for you and how to move forward to achieve your goals.

www.amandaalexander.com

A final comment from Nadine Lewis who has set up her own business, Identikids, producing Identity cards for both children and adults:

"I had spoken to other possible sources of marketing/web services but found them really expensive and they didn't seem to really grasp what my business was all about. When I spoke to Pat and Janet they seemed to quickly pick up what I was trying to achieve and very effectively drew up an initial marketing strategy, action plan and marketing literature. They were quick, very helpful and it was all done via phone and on the internet, saving me lots of time and money on costly meetings."

To arrange an initial, free consultation please email the site at admin@forparentsbyparents.co.uk.

Our ongoing charges are a fraction of what you would pay a Business Consultant and yet we believe the quality and relevance of our support and advice will prove extremely useful to both you and your business.