The Homeworker proudly supports and encourages anybody who works from home, no matter their gender or identity. This International Women’s Day 2020, we’re looking back at the women who have appeared in the magazine, sharing their tips or their stories about business, about the work-from-home lifestyle and how they manage it all.
We showcased some inspirational women last year as well. I love the fact that we have so many women out there proving that it can be done, as well as showing us that there’s no shame in asking for help, not getting it perfect and changing direction if you need to.
Raimonda Jankunaite
The founder of Women In Business Club didn’t intend to create a business when she held her first women’s meeting. She wanted to support other women and provide a safe and supportive space where they could network and make connections.
Her first business failed and she suffered a very negative experience working for another organisation. This was the catalyst to pursue her entrepreneurial dream. She found the courage and resilience to keep going and make Women In Business Club the international brand it is today.
Raimonda shares her story in issue 5 of The Homeworker, teaching the importance of a values-based business, the lessons she’s learned and how she succeeding in growing her Instagram account to over 100k followers in under a year.
Annette Foley-Craigen
Last year, Annette celebrated thirty years in business. She founded B-Line Beauty in her 40s when it wasn’t as common for women to set up on their own. Throughout her career, she has bucked the trend, from launching a beauty brand that focused on foot care, to being the first independent British brand to start using Tea Tree oil and then stopping using plastic microbeads in their products.
Annette talked to The Homeworker about what it has taken to survive in business, the ups and downs she’s been through and how she’s sustained the energy and passion for what she does.
Martha Keith
Martha Keith started her stationery business from the spare bedroom of her London flat. Fuelled by passion and a love for all things paper, she has grown her business alongside growing a family.
In issue 3 of The Homeworker, Martha details how she has at times struggled with motherhood and running a business and how she navigates working with her husband since he joined the company.
It’s a story of turning a real passion into profit, outgrowing the home office and taking on a team of employees. Martha also shares her thoughts on what success really means, and how to make a success of working alone at home.
Sarah Banks
When it comes to having a dream and going for it, business consultant, Sarah Banks proves it’s possible. Hers was a personal goal which meant she wanted to take the holiday of a lifetime with her family. However, as a business owner, she knew she still needed to work to take care of her clients. Sarah really embraced the flexibility and freedom that being self-employed brings.
She shares her tips for taking your business abroad including the preparations you need to make and things you need to consider and remember before heading off. She experienced the reality of #workfromanywhere and her inspiring story featured in issue 3 of The Homeworker magazine.
Mandy Sterling
Mandy Sterling is an example of a woman who saw a need for a change in her life and had the courage to make it. She found comfort and balance when she started taking pottery classes. It was her escape from a day job and work situation that was having a negative impact on her mental health.
From starting to make just a few items in the corner of her garage, she now runs her business, producing hundreds of items a week and she’s converted the garage into her studio.
She has plenty of insights into how to make a successful business from a hobby and how to differentiate between the two. She has also picked up lots of tips on how to sell on market stalls (she has a spot at the famous Covent Garden market in London). Mandy appeared in issue 4 of The Homeworker, dedicated to creativity. Her story is inspirational to anybody looking to fulfil a dream and make a positive change in their life.
Sophie Allport
Sophie Allport is a celebrated British household brand. Her iconic bee design and beautiful homewares are found in stores around the country and in her own shops.
But her business started from her spare bedroom in London where she shared a flat with her brother. Sophie discusses her business journey, starting out designing and making cards, as well as where she gains inspiration all in issue 4 of The Homeworker.
She talks about her creative process, the juggle of being a mother and what she might do differently if starting again. In our quickfire question round, Sophie says she’s a night owl and the person she’d most like to have tea with is Mary Berry.
Yasmina Hedhli
Women don’t come much more inspiring than Yasmina Hedhli. She appeared in issue 3 of The Homeworker talking about the importance of sharing your story. As somebody who has learned to embrace her story, she also talks of what not to share and the vulnerability hangover that can happen as a result.
The leadership and life coach has bounced back from difficult situations with positivity and real resilience and reminds us that you can inspire people in the smallest of ways.
Sam Cattell
Sam Cattell is another truly inspiring woman who features in issue 5 of The Homeworker magazine. She is an example of somebody living by her values, creating a business that she loves because it is in complete alignment with herself as a person.
Her passion for what she does is how she has made the potentially “dry subject” of mortgages, fun and enjoyable.
Sam takes a refreshing and holistic view of mortgage advice, providing more than standard facts and figures but a complete house-buying experience. It is all born from her own view that: “a home is more than bricks and mortar.”
Two and a half years since she launched the business on her own, she has a small team, a separate office where she can hold meetings, and a hugely loyal client base.
Her profile is in the magazine and we’ve included it on the blog here as well.
Women Inspiring Women
As well as the talented and inspiring women who we interview and profile, we also have some wonderful female contributors who share their knowledge, tips and experience for your benefit. There are almost too many to mention individually but some of our regular contributors have a wealth of talent and expertise and this International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating them too.
We are very lucky to have Fiona Minnet, of Boss Your PR writing on how to gain publicity for your business. She has written about building your perfect press release to leverage any PR wins and opportunities you get.
Psychologist, Sharon Draper, is a regular contributor who covers issues relating to mindset and mental health. Her articles on growth mindset, creative thinking, dealing with isolation and combatting your inner critic have all been really popular features. She is a person-centred psychologist who works a lot on relationships and connection.
We have had some brilliant pieces to help with your sleep, stress and overall wellbeing by the female Drs Heidi Kerr and Vicky Hobbs of VHK Education.
Barchi Fojkar is also a regular contributor who reads Oracle cards and gives her interpretation of the cards to help you with particular questions in each issue.
Joy Marchese from Positive Discipline UK is an educator, parenting specialist and business owner. When it comes to working from home around your children and family, her reassurance and useful tips are hugely valuable.
As a therapeutic arts practitioner, Honorata Chorąży-Przybysz has talked about using art to release expectations and perfectionism. She also shares her tips on creating a vision board in issue 5, and how they can help you achieve your goals.
Ekaterina Ward has also contributed features around communication and goal-setting. As a mindset coach and NLP practitioner, she looks at your relationship with the goals you set and wrote a great piece on how to clean up your communication to reduce the drama.
Claire Hone featured in issue 5 of The Homeworker giving a very frank and personal reflection of working from home. As a transcriptionist, Claire has experienced the solitude and loneliness of starting to work from home and shares how she has combatted the isolation and what measures she has put in place for her own mental health and wellbeing. Her insights are also included in our print edition.
Many of these ladies’ details can be found inside our Homeworker Directory. If you’d like to be listed or feature in the magazine, take a look at the options here.
Dedicated to helping you thrive when you work from home, The Homeworker publishes articles that are designed to keep you healthy, happy, and more productive in work and life.
