Tag Archives: mum

Christmas Gift List For Mum

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Christmas gifts for mums. Because they are AWESOME.

doggieslippers fluffy-dog-slippers

Fluffy dog slippers

We love these cute and comfortable slippers. They keep your feet warm. Babies love them too. Batting away at them with glee. 

Slip your feet into the ultimate in warm, fluffy comfort with these super-cute dog slipper socks. One size fits most feet up to women’s size 7. PVC sole with multi grip for slip resistance.

Total Price:  £14.99

langsoycandle woodland-bear-candle-tin

Woodland Bear Candle Tin

Cute and smells great. We really loved this. 

Long lasting and highly concentrated woodland spice scented candle with aromas of cedar, ginger, clove and cinnamon. 100% soy wax infused with pure beeswax, a natural ioniser. Lead free, double wick that leaves a clean even burn. Burn time 70+ hours. Presented in a gift tin with a bear illustration. Size: 92 x 92 x 50mm. Total Price:  £14.99.

sparklingjewllery tothemoonandbacknecklace sparklingjewllerytothemoonandbacknecklace

Sparkling Jewellery To The Moon And Back Necklace

Perfect for telling mum just how much you love her. From www.sparklingjewellery.co.uk

cashmereme

Cashmere Me Warm Hug Comforting Candle

A beautiful and comforting candle. Smells great.

Fake Bake Cashmere MeWarm Hug Comforting Candle, £20.00

This comfortingcandle with its double wick, creates more than just a scent, it creates an inviting ambience that envelops the senses, giving that warm hug feeling that’s like being wrapped in cashmere. Relax, unwind and take some time out.

gelstarterkitsensational

SensatioNail Gel Starter Kit

Because mum is too tired and too busy for manicures and this lasts for up to 2 weeks.

Sensationail gel polish starter kit is available here.

michaelbublebyinvitation

Michael Bublé By Invitation 

Stunning and elegant. A crisp floral oriental fragrance. Has top notes of red fruits and bergamot followed by notes of lily of the valley, elegant rose, wild jasmine and spicy peony. Base noted are sandalwood musks mixed with vanilla praline.

Michael Bublé By Invitation is available here.

toniandguystylefixstraightener

Toni & Guy Style Fix Straighteners

A brilliant little straightener that is perfect for travel. Fits in a handbag. A great space saver. The style fix collection also has a waver and a curler.

Brand New TONI&GUY style fix appliances are available here and from boots.com

truenorthbeautyproducts

True North Cosmetics

Scandinavian skincare brand. The True North Cosmetics philosophy is to offer high quality products for those who desire a straightforward skin care program that delivers impressive results regardless of age or gender. Prior to your bespoke skincare prescription, True North Cosmetics offer a detailed skin analysis using an innovative biometric measuring tool, which gives a valuable insights into your skins need, such as skin moisture level, oil production, skin sensitivity and number and depth of lines and wrinkles.

True North values results and common sense above hip ingredients as they truly believe this creates positive long-term results for everyone. We love their De-stressed Day Fluid 7.1 SPF 30, De-Stressed Mask 6.1 and their De-Stressed Day 2.1 all with `aloe vera balancing complex. Highly recommended.

Available at Harvey Nichols and at leading spas and salons nationwide www.harveynichols.com

thecareercode

The Career Code by Hilary Kerr & Katherine Power

 A great career book for mum with a side of life advice. Great book to give mum inspiration for her next career move.

The Career Code is available here.

embryolisse

Embryolisse Lait-Créme Concentré

Embryolisse Lait-Créme Concentré is a celebrity staple, this wonder cream tackles dehydration with ease using its combination of ingredients of natural origin, it has been a favourite of dermatologists, beauty professionals and makeup artists for decades, famed for its multi-purpose properties.

A great multi-functional nourishing moisturiser. Makes a great make-up primer.

Embryolisse Concentrated Lait Cream is available here.

Christmas Gift List For Mum

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Mums are amazing and deserve to be shown how much they are loved. With that in mind, here are a few top picks.

Totes Toasties Faux Fur Mule.

totesfauxfurmulesTotes-Cream-Faux-Fur-Mule-Slippers~30D692FRSC

We love these slippers. Comfortable, super warm and fun.

 

Braun Face Cleansing Brush + Mini Epilator Beauty Edition.

braunface
braun

This cleansing brush and epilator in one is innovative and brilliant, it really cleans skin, gets rid of hair and leaves your face brighter and smoother. This is a brilliant beauty product. We were very impressed.

Introducing the world’s first facial epilator and cleansing brush. Braun Face combines two facial treatments into one device: precise epilation of the finest hairs and gentle deep-pore cleansing. The facial epilator features a slim head with 10 micro-openings to capture even the finest hairs. The facial cleanser cleanses pore-deep to remove make-up and impurities up to 6X better than manual cleansing. Show the world the skin that you were meant to have with the Braun Face epilator and facial cleansing brush.

Braun Face Facial Epilator and Facial Cleansing Brush is available here.

Label.m Giles Moisturising Treatment Duo. 

labelmchristmas

A great Shampoo and Conditioner gift set with a gothic design from Giles Deacon. Funky.

Includes treatment shampoo and moisturising conditioner.

Codorníu Cuvée Barcelona Brut.

Codorníu Cuvée Barcelona Brut

There is a popular meme that says mummy drinks because you are bad, but sometimes it is because you give her a bottle of fizz and your presence is call for celebration, right? This cava from Codorníu is top notch. Trust us, we know our stuff.
Add some sparkle to your celebrations this Christmas with Codorníu Cuvée Barcelona Brut.
Beautifully bottled, indulgently rich and tantalizingly fruity, this cava is as perfect on a wish list as it is served with Christmas dinner, alongside Boxing Day nibbles or to drink at a festive party with friends.
Codorníu Cuvée Barcelona Brut is available at Sainsbury’s and Waitrose RRP £12.99. sainsburys.co.uk waitrose.co.uk

Win Tickets To The Baby Show And a Gorgeous Loveyush Nursing Scarf

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Win Tickets To The Baby Show And a Gorgeous Loveyush Nursing ScarfFrost Magazine is five years old and to celebrate we have teamed up with The Baby Show to giveaway some tickets and a gorgeous Loveyush Nursing Scarf.

The Baby Show with Made for Mums, the UK’s leading pregnancy and parenting event, will be returning to Birmingham NEC from 15th-17th May 2015.  With fun for all the family, this is a great event for young families to attend with children’s entertainment as well as a crèche and soft play area all included.  The Show, now in its 13th year, will be showcasing the very best baby and infant essentials alongside innovative and exciting, not-on the high street brands with amazing discounts exclusively for visitors.

Win Tickets To The Baby Show And a Gorgeous Loveyush Nursing Scarf competition

Standard tickets are priced at £20 and we have 3 pairs to give away…

If that’s not enough 1 lucky winner will also receive a gorgeous nursing scarf from exhibitor, Loveyush, worth £34.79

This nursing scarf provides a practical solution for discreet breastfeeding whilst also being a stylish scarf.  Easy to wear and put on with just one hand. Provides full coverage for completely discreet breast-feeding. The trendy design adds an elegant touch to any outfit. It can also be used as a sunshade for car-seat or a pram. The pure cotton loosely woven fabric makes it breathable and light. It’s also reversible with a different pattern on each side.

win, competition, baby show, baby, mommy, mum, blog, blogger, giveaway Win Tickets To The Baby Show And a Gorgeous Loveyush, Nursing Scarf

Enter now for your chance of winning this fantastic prize, follow @Frostmag on Twitter or Instagram, or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz.Then comment below saying what you did. Competition finishes at the end of May.

Product Competition Terms & Conditions

No purchase necessary. Entrants must be aged 18 years or over. Competition is open to UK residents only.
Entry into this competition confirms your acceptance of these Terms and Conditions and your agreement to be bound by the decisions of The Baby Show.

Entry is strictly limited to one entry per person.  The winner will be notified by email or phone call once the competition closes. Depending on the winner the prize can either be collected at The Baby Show from the 20th to 22nd February 2015 or alternatively it can be posted to their chosen address. The winners will be selected at random from all the correct entries received before the closing date and time. All prizes must be accepted as offered. There can be no alternative awards, cash or otherwise.  There is no cash alternative to the stated prize. The Baby Show reserve the right to offer a similar prize, or a prize of equal or greater value, if the stated prize is unavailable.
Your data will be treated in confidence and will not be disclosed to third parties.

 

 

Mother-of-Three Proudly Displays Her Stretch Marks in Viral Picture

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In an empowering move, lifestyle blogger Rachel Hollis posted a picture of herself wearing a bikini in an uplifting photo post on her Facebook page.. She was tired of worrying about the stretchmarks left on her body after three pregnancies with ‘huge’ babies. The picture soon went viral.

Looking amazing and with a wide, beautiful, smile the photo of Hollis has been liked over 465,000 times and shared over 62,000 times. Many other mothers are posting pictures of their own mummy tummies below. The photo, along with the inspiring statement has gathered a lot of support from other women. This is what Hollis said:

“I wear a bikini because I’m proud of this body and every mark on it…It’s never ever going to be like a Victoria’s Secret model, but I think I look good and my husband wants to make out with me, so I’m doing something right.”

I have stretch marks and I wear a bikini. I have a belly that’s permanently flabby from carrying three giant babies and…

Posted by The Chic Site on Saturday, 21 March 2015

I have stretch marks and I wear a bikini. I have a belly that’s permanently flabby from carrying three giant babies and I wear a bikini. My belly button is saggy… (which is something I didn’t even know was possible before!!) and I wear a bikini. I wear a bikini because I’m proud of this body and every mark on it. Those marks prove that I was blessed enough to carry my babies and that flabby tummy means I worked hard to lose what weight I could. I wear a bikini because the only man who’s opinion matters knows what I went through to look this way. That same man says he’s never seen anything sexier than my body, marks and all. They aren’t scars ladies, they’re stripes and you’ve earned them. Flaunt that body with pride! ‪#‎HollisHoliday‬

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

Mums of Young Children in Breach of EU Working Time Directive

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baby, working mothers, overwork, stress

We are not surprised at the news that mothers work so hard that they are in breach of Articles 3, 5 and 6 (b) of 2003 of the of EU Working Time Directive. Mums caring for a baby full time exceed maximum working hours, are not given adequate rest periods and do not receive paid annual leave from their baby employers

The number of hours each week that British mothers spend looking after their children would be in breach of the European Union’s Working Time Directive if this work were to be treated in the same way as paid employment, research by leading greeting card and gift retailer Clintons has revealed.

The Working Time Directive states that employees should work no longer than 48 hours per week. Workers are also entitled to a rest period of eleven consecutive hours in every 24-hour day, a rest break every six hours of work; an uninterrupted rest period of 24 hours in every seven day week, and paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year.  Employees who work night shifts have extra protection and cannot be asked to work more than eight hours in a 24-hour period.

Baby experts recommend that a baby between the ages of 12-18 months should sleep for around 14 hours a day, meaning a parent is actively looking after their child for the remaining ten hours. Across a 7-day period, this comes to a minimum of 70 hours a week, exceeding the maximum limit of a 48-hour working week specified by Article 6 (b) of the Working Time Directive by a shocking 22 hours. On top of this 70-hour minimum, mothers also have several hours of ancillary work each day and are constantly “on call” to respond to any emergencies, meaning their actual rest period is often reduced to six hours a day.

Of the 14 hours of sleep a baby should get each day, around three hours come in the form of daytime naps, and the remaining 11 hours come at night. Article 3 of the Working Time Directive states that workers are entitled to a “minimum daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours per 24-hour period” and therefore getting up in the middle of the night if the baby starts crying would be in breach of this rule.

Looking after a baby for seven days a week is also in breach of Article 5 which specifies that “per each seven-day period, every worker is entitled to a minimum uninterrupted rest period of 24 hours plus the 11 hours’ daily rest referred to in Article 3.”

Article 7 of the 2003 EU directive states that “every worker is entitled to paid annual leave of at least four weeks.” A Clintons survey of babies found that 0% of them had made provisions to fulfil this requirement.

Tim Fairs, director at Clintons, said: “Parents put in a huge amount of work, week in and week out, looking after their kids. Often this work goes completely unrewarded. Mothers’ Day is an opportunity to say thank you for everything mums do, but we shouldn’t wait for just one special day every year to acknowledge their hard work. We should celebrate mums every day of the year.”

Mother’s Day originated in the United States in 1908 when Anna Jarvis from West Virginia held a memorial for her mother. During the Second World War, American soldiers brought the celebration to the UK, where it merged with the older religious festival of Mothering Sunday when people would return to their mother church for a service held on the fourth Sunday of Lent known as Laetare Sunday.

Introduced in 2003, the European Union’s Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC) gives workers within the EU certain rights relating to numbers of hours worked each week, annual holiday entitlement, rest breaks and days off.

In the UK, workers have the option to work in excess of the 48 hours specified by the working time directive if they choose to, however this option does not apply to employees in all sectors. The statutory leave period in the UK is 5.6 weeks per year.

Tim Fairs, added: “Many mothers work incredibly hard all year round and never have a day off. No matter how old you are, take a moment this Mothers’ Day to let your mum know how much you appreciate her.”

 

 

Christmas Gift List For Mum

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Mums, not many people are as deserving of a good present. They put up with us, gave birth to us and love us no matter what. Where would we be without our mothers? Here is our top picks for this very special lady.

christmasgiftsformum

Cornishware Mug

cornishwaremug

Cornishware do these beautiful mugs which can be personalised and come in bespoke stripy boxes which make marvellous presents or stocking fillers. Last day of personalisation for Cornishware is 13th December for Christmas delivery. All products are exclusively online from Cornishware www.cornishware.co.uk

 

Aromatherapy Associates Bath Jewels

These look beautiful and smell divine. Perfect for stressed-out mums. The packaging looks great and these oils really work. 100% natural blends. The trio of bath and shower oils include Deep Relax with vetivert and camomile to help achieve deep relaxation and a peaceful night’s sleep, De-Stress Mind with frankincense and rosemary to clear a hectic mind and focus the thoughts and Revive Morning to invigorate and awaken body and mind.

Available from feelunique.com, aromatherapyassociates.com and lookfantastic.com

 

Silver Orchid Silver Elephant Ring Holder

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One of our editors favourite things EVER. This silver plated baby elephant is a great place to keep your rings as an elephant never forgets. Has strikingly beautiful blue diamante eyes. From orchid-designs.co.uk

 

Mitoq Power Antioxidant Rejuvenation

MitoQ Power Antioxidant Rejuvenation contains only 8 ingredients and is purportedly 1,000 times stronger than coenzyme Q10, MitoQ’s signature molecule is said to revive skin cells and prevent fine lines and wrinkles. We have been trying it and it really works. We love it.

From http://www.mitoq.com

 

Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Channel 4 TV presenter and food producer Jimmy Doherty, has teamed up with South Africa’s award winning wine, Nederburg, for their new campaign, sharing his passion for quality produce. He has tips for cooking with wine below so you can also cook for mum. Nederburg also share their wine tips.

 

Winemaster’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, £8.99
Aromas of blackcurrants and cherries with violets and nuances of vanilla oak spice in the background.

Cabernet Sauvignon is known for its depth of flavour and aroma. It’s excellent served with heart-warming roast lamb, coq au vin, red meat steak, venison, mature cheese and pizza and pasta dishes.

 

Nederburg’s top wine tips

Only chill white wine, like Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Chardonnay, before you plan to drink it as extended storage in the fridge will affect its taste and aroma.

The quickest way to chill a white wine is in iced water, which only takes 30 minutes versus 2 hours in the fridge.

Always give a bottle of quality red wine, like Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Shiraz, time to breathe. If you can’t wait, decant it into a glass jug first to give it chance to mix with the oxygen in the air to release the flavours.

The correct measure to pour for all wines is a third of the glass; this gives the wine room to swirl in the glass, allowing the flavours to develop.

When pairing wine with cheese, think balance – strong wine, strong cheese. The Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is great with cheeses like Cheddar or Gouda.

 

Jimmy’s tips on how to use wine in cooking

Cooking with wine can add depth and flavour so try these simple recipes for your dinner.

 

Red wine gravy

Ingredients:
6 onions, peeled and chopped
700ml red wine (Winemaster’s Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon works well)
560ml hot water
2 beef stock cubes
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Place the chopped onions and red wine in a large saucepan
Bring to the boil and cook uncovered until reduced by two-thirds, around 20 minutes
Cooking it down in this way reduces the acidity and intensifies the flavour
Add the hot water to the reduced wine, add the stock cubes and stir well until thoroughly dissolved
Simmer, stirring for 3-4 minutes, until the gravy thickens
Season to taste

 

Salad dressing
Ingredients
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Dash of white wine (Winemaster’s Reserve
Sauvignon Blanc)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Method:
In a small bowl or jam jar, whisk the balsamic vinegar with the olive oil and white wine
Season with salt and pepper.

 

What will you get your mum?

 

 

Maternity Burden On Small Business ‘Overstated’

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1024px-Mother_Kissing_BabyWe found this very interesting at Frost: Small business owners over-estimate the burden of providing maternity protection to their staff a new review, conducted by a team of experts from Middlesex University for the International Labour Organization, has revealed in a new report, out now.

The review, led by Middlesex University Professor of Organizational Psychology Suzan Lewis, suggests that effective maternity protection has a positive rather than negative on SMEs and can have a range of positive productivity related outcomes for firms, as well as wider social benefits.

 

 

The team found:

SME owner-managers are often adverse to maternity protection regulations, fearing the time and costs involved can lead to a competitive disadvantage.

There is a link between maternity protection and improvements in performance and productivity, linked to enhanced employee satisfaction and commitment.

There are wider societal benefits of effective maternity protection including poverty reduction, reproductive health, gender equality, fertility rates, and economic development.

Commenting on the review’s findings, Professor Lewis said: “Anything that is going to impact the financial stability of a business is naturally of concern to its owner, and that is why it is so important to understand that many maternity protection practices can have little or no costs and considerable benefits.

Middlesex University Centre for Enterprise and Economic Development Research (CEEDR) Research Associate Dr Bianca Stumbitz added: “It is clear that a supportive workplace is crucial – one that is sensitive to gender-specific issues and that recognises the joint roles that both men and women play in family life.”

The report shows that women who know their employer will support them as they start a family and avoid stereotyping their role in the workplace are happier, more loyal and therefore more productive. For these positive effects to arise and maternity, paternity and family responsibilities to become a normal fact of business life, maternity protection and other work-family balance measures need to ‘fit’ into practices and interests of SMEs.

The review also found there was space for government to help ease any financial strain on small businesses complying with maternity provisions.

Professor Lewis said: “The economic reality means that if we want small business to implement strong maternity protections, some financial compensation by way of tax breaks or public subsidies may be necessary – and that is something policy-makers ought to consider seriously.

“Additionally, education campaigns designed to raise awareness and provide practical advice to employers struggling with maternity entitlement issues is also vital – especially information which highlights the potential productivity benefits.”

The report also highlighted the urgent need to address economic and cultural challenges facing working mothers in developing countries, which has largely been ignored by research.

Compiled for the International Labour Organization, the review was authored by Professor Suzan Lewis, Dr Bianca Stumbitz, Dr Lilian Miles and Dr Julia Rouse.

 

 

The 6 Secrets to Starting a Business Whilst on Maternity Leave

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The 6 Secrets to Starting a Business Whilst on Maternity Leave

By Emma Walker

emmawalker

 

When you first get pregnant, you may think that you will go back to your current job without too many changes, and for some women this will happen.

 

But for others, when they’re holding their baby in their arms, they just know that things have changed forever and they might not want to go back to their job.

 

This is why using your maternity leave is a great opportunity to evaluate your career and decide what you want to do after your leave ends – return to your job, become a stay at home mum or start your own business.

 

Whatever direction you choose, just remember that you are doing what’s right for you and your family so please don’t feel like you have to follow ‘the rules’.

 

If you decide to take the plunge and start your own business, follow these 6 simple steps to make the transition easier:

 

  1. Decide on your business idea

Let me be very clear right from the start.  Running a business is hard work and definitely NOT a get rich quick scheme – if that’s what you’re after, you need to go elsewhere!

 

That’s why it’s really important to choose something that you’re going to enjoy doing a lot of.  Think about your past jobs, your hobbies, what your talents are – is there a business idea lurking there?  What can you do that you can get passionate about?

 

There are lots of business opportunities out there, whether you are selling your own products or services, or buying into a franchise or MLM business, you will find something that is a fit for your skills, experience and goals.

workingmother

 

  1. Get clear on the type of client you want to work with

You will spend a lot of time, and money if you’re not careful, on marketing so you need to make sure that what you do works.

 

This is where getting clear on who your ideal client is key and is something that you must take the time to do.

 

Really get to know the type of person you want to buy your product or service, this makes marketing so much easier.  By focusing on one type of person (instead of everyone), you can tailor all your marketing materials to speak to only those people – this is what will get results.

 

You want your ideal clients to see any of your marketing materials (your website, business card, leaflet, advert etc) and know that you are the person they need to work with as you obviously understand them, after all, you speak their language.

 

  1. Stand out from the crowd

The sign of a good product or service is if there’s already some competition, this means that people are already buying what you’re offering from competitors.

 

It is your job to make sure that you stand out from all your competitors in the eyes of your target market so that you are the only choice they should be making when they want to buy your product or service.

 

Think about what extras you can add that will really appeal to your customers and make them spend their money with your business.

 

The other thing you can do, that a lot of people don’t do, is make sure that you inject your personality into your marketing.  We all buy from people so be yourself as that will attract people to do business with you.

 

  1. Speak your customers language

If you’ve taken the time to really get to know your ideal customers, you should have discovered what their issues are and why they’d want to buy your product or service.

 

What is keeping them up at night, what are they prepared to pay anything to solve?

 

Knowing this can help you to create a marketing message that will show them that your product or service is the perfect solution they need.  You can turn their big problems into questions that will make them say yes to you.

 

  1. Manage your time

As a busy mum, we only have a limited time available to work on the business so you need to get focused so that you get all the important work done – instead of chatting to friends on Facebook.

 

Set up a schedule so that you know exactly what time you have available to work on the business and when you will be with your family – a great visual for everyone in the house to know when mummy is working so that there aren’t any interruptions.

 

Talk to your partner and get them on board to help you out – can they do some of the housework, help out with the kids more, do the cooking?  Anything that can free up your time to focus on the business.

 

Take the time to plan out what work you need to complete for the week so that you can get straight to work as soon as you’re in work mode – instead of wasting valuable time wondering what you should be doing.

 

  1. Plan for success 

Map out your goals for your business as well as the tasks you need to do to achieve that goal.  You then need to break those tasks down to 90 day chunks as this timescale is perfect to make you focus on what is important.

 

These tasks can be included on your weekly planning to make sure that you get them done and stay focused on achieving your goals.

 

If you’re struggling trying to fit everything in, ask yourself if the task to do on your list will move you one step closer to your goal.  If the answer is no, it can wait until a later date and you need to focus on something else that does move you closer to your goal.

 

Use your goals to keep you accountable so that you do achieve exactly what you want with your business.

 

There are lots of things to start and market a successful family friendly business but these are the 6 essential things you should focus on first whilst you’re still on maternity leave.

 

 

About the author

 

Emma Walker is the founder of The Mumpreneur’s Mentor and a busy mum of 2 little divas.  As a mums in business coach, she works with mums who want to start and market their own successful family friendly business as well as mums already in business who want to take their business to the next level without sacrificing time with their family.

 

Learn her ‘6 Success Secrets to Running a Family Friendly Business’ in a free training session. Get the details and register now at www.MumpreneurSuccess.com