Thanks to Janine Rudin for our first Newcastle Business Mums guest blog. Here’s Janine’s story…
Running my own business was never part of my master plan – to me is was far too insecure and scary – but the plan changed when I became a mother a decade ago and I started training as an antenatal teacher with a national charity.
As my family has grown, so has my business – antenatal teaching has been my passion for 10 years but it only felt like half a service, which is why I now provide a doula service, Happy Mums courses, drop-ins and baby massage as Birth Basics, soon to become Birth & Baby Basics. This means I can provide support from pregnancy and right through those first few months as a new mum.
I love my job, it’s my passion and I pour my heart and soul into it. As anyone who runs their own business knows, it’s really hard work and it’s not for the faint-hearted. I constantly juggle roles within the business – running my classes and drop-ins, providing ongoing support for new parents, keeping on top of the admin and endless paperwork, marketing, networking and keeping an eye on the competition – not to mention keeping the house running and looking after the children.
Business has definitely been affected by the recession and there have been times when I have fleetingly thought about jacking it all in and getting a ‘proper job’ with a regular wage and, possibly, less stress. Thankfully, when I reach that point I get my fight back, I regroup and I keep going. Running my business and providing the support and services means too much to me to give it up so I make changes and remain determined to stay in business. For this reason, I set up the Birth & Baby Network in North Tyneside earlier this year. It links together experienced, professional and dedicated support and services for expectant parents and young families and it has been very well received.
Times are tough, there is no job security anymore and when I’m feeling the stress of juggling the demands of my own business, I remind myself that at least it’s mine. If I worked for someone else, I wouldn’t be in control – my theory is that if I put all the effort and time in, I can allow the business to grow and change as it needs to and the buck stops with me.
Through different networks I gain a great deal of support from other local businesses and this has been invaluable in regards to learning, adapting and sharing ideas. Running my own business is no longer insecure and scary – it’s empowering, liberating and very rewarding.
Janine Rudin
www.birthbasics.co.uk
http://birthandbabynetwork.wordpress.com
Thanks to Janine for the first Newcastle Business Mums guest blog post. You can also follow Janine on Twitter
