MM Entrepreneur
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‘I know more than most how isolated the
working mum can be,’ says Sinead, ‘and time to yourself is very limited. It’s important to take the time to find help and advice on how to build your business and market yourself.’ Ranging from full-time employed mums
looking to start a business, to successful female entrepreneurs, the member profile of Mums at Work is as diverse as the mums themselves and the regular meet- ups are vibrant events. ‘Mums at Work is like a Monday morning
meeting,’ says Sinead, ‘where you set your objectives for the week and chat to others about how you’re going to meet those objectives. It’s not about selling your services to others, it’s about a referral network. We also have coffee mornings every six weeks in every area in Northern Ireland and these are very well attended.’ Mums at Work isn’t just confined to
Northern Ireland, however. Sinead already has members living in other countries: mums, who work at home and who are networking online. With members living as far away as Dubai, the group is definitely ‘going global’. ‘I honestly don’t think that many mums
realise how much they have invested in their jobs,’ Sinead continues. ‘There are still many mums who are in the same position
6 Modernmum
‘There are still many mums who are in the
same position as I was ten years ago, where I had built up so
much knowledge of a particular business,
but wasn’t utilising my experience and skills by building up my own business’
as I was ten years ago, where I had built up so much knowledge of a particular business, but wasn’t utilising my experience and skills by building up my own business. That wake-up call when I
was made redundant was the kick up the backside that I needed to get myself going. ‘So many mums feel undervalued in
what they are doing – regardless of how qualified they are. We even had one mum, who was a barrister, but wasn’t enjoying what she was doing at all. She eventually left her job and began life skills coaching, which she is absolutely loving, and which is making her feel fulfilled in what she is doing. This sense of fulfilment is transmitted to home life and makes for a much happier environment all round.’ So, how does Sinead manage her own
work/life balance? What’s her secret? ‘It’s all about a rota system,’ she laughs.
‘As any mum with a family of ‘steps and stones’ knows, the older ones tend to look after the wee ones, so being a mum to seven kids isn’t as difficult as it sounds. When I was a child, it was grandparents, who looked after kids while mums worked, but they have now empowered themselves to have more active lives and so this invaluable childcare resource isn’t as readily available as it once was. Mums now have to sort out for themselves how to manage a career and childcare. It’s often challenging and can be difficult, but we’re all working out our own ways to manage. Together!’
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