Monday Mumpreneur with Kate Beddow

Every Monday we feature a mumpreneur just like you and me who’s ready and willing to open up their lives and their business to us.  

They share with us their motivation, their challenges and their proudest moments in business and they also tell us how they take time to nurture themselves.

If you’re looking for inspiration, then our featured business mums show you what’s possible.

Sometimes our life's purpose is right in front of us ~ only we need someone else to point it out. This week's inspiring business mum shares her story to show how, once we know what we're here to do, there's no stopping us.

Name: Kate Beddow

Children: Laura (9) my Goddess in training who loves reading, writing and all things creative, and Daniel (5) my little Jedi who is always on the go and loves nothing more than playing Lego with his sister and hunting for dragons in the forest.

Live: Stafford, Staffordshire, UK

PC/Mac: PC at the moment but I am dreaming of moving to Mac with my next upgrade 😉

Business: I created Growing Spirits when my friend and mentor, Lisa Williams, pointed out that I should be focusing on working with children while we were having a chat one day. I had been working as an energy healer for a few years at that point and had been treating a lot of pregnant women and children, although I had never marketed myself that way.

My response was “Why would anyone want to come to me?” it was then that she pointed out that I had been a Primary School teacher, a childminder, a Brownie leader, I had even sold children’s books when Laura was a baby and of course I was a Mum. “How much more experience do you need?” she asked. It was as though someone had turned the light on.

It all became clear. Within 24hrs I had created a new website and had a new format for my business and I have been working with children and families ever since.

I run classes to help parents support and heal their children, as well as offering distant and in person treatments, classes and Reiki attunements for children and their parents. I use my own natural healing energy, it has undoubtedly been amplified by Reiki and Sekhem attunements, but I know it is my own unique blend of magic that I work with primarily. Working with families in this way makes my heart sing. I know I have found my life purpose and that feels wonderful.

What motivated me? Having spent years training as a teacher and working with other people’s children for many years I knew that I didn’t want t return to work when I had a family myself. I began working as a childminder when Laura was a baby, I also sold children’s books, then I was very ill.

When she was three years old I was diagnosed with a condition called “Acromegaly” (a tumour on my pituitary gland which was causing me to produce too much growth hormone). I was a mess and in a lot of pain. In 2007 I was blessed to have surgery and made a miraculous recovery. I was told I wouldn’t have any more children but within 6 months I was pregnant with Daniel.

The moment he was in my arms I knew I had to do something significant with my life. I had been given a second chance and I wanted to make the most of it. So I started looking into courses I could take and ways to keep myself well naturally, it was then I discovered Reiki and energy healing and I haven’t looked back.

As a teacher I would have missed so much of my own children’s lives; special assemblies, nativities, sports days etc and that would have been torture.  More importantly though I adore my job, it is never a chore and I bounce out of bed every morning. When you have found a job like this you don’t give it up, not without a fight!

Biggest challenge: Learning to think like a “business woman”. Having never worked anywhere other than schools it has been a steep learning curve. So many of my teaching skills are a huge asset in my business; organisational skills, writing classes etc but I had never had to do marketing, accounts or any of the countless other things involved in running your own business.

How have I overcome it?: I read. I read a lot of books about business, and by entrepreneurs I respected and admired. I have also been blessed with an amazing group of goddess mentors who hold my hand when I wibble and gently guide me when I lose my way.

Proudest business moment?: There are so many. Seeing children, and parents, make enormous improvement in their physical or emotional well being and knowing you helped them on their journey, building my own website from scratch with no training or IT knowledge, seeing my articles in print for the first time... I could go on. There is something to be proud of just about every day and that is one of the joys of being in control of your own destiny.

Catchphrase or favourite quote: “The soul is healed by being with children”

How do you relax or nurture yourself?: I tend to take a good book to the bath, go for a walk on Cannock Chase, meet a friend for coffee or spend some time cuddling the children, there’s nothing like a cuddle to help you recharge.

What was the last treat you bought for yourself?: A beautiful leather bound notebook. I love stationery, all my planning is done on paper so I go through a lot of notebooks!

Favourite colour: It changes depending on my needs and my mood. At the moment I love turquoise though.

Favourite flower: I love snowdrops, their simplicity is so beautiful and they are the first sign of spring and the new life. I love daffodils for the same reason.

Advice for a new mumpreneur: Choose a business that you love because you will spend more time thinking about your business, working on your business and working in your business than you could ever imagine. It should be a joy growing your enterprise not a chore. Nurture it like you would a child and enjoy watching it grow and flourish.

Find out more about Kate and her business at her website:

www.katebeddow.co.uk

And connect with her on social media:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/GrowingSpirits
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Growingspirit
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+KatebeddowCoUk/about
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/growingspirit/

Fancy sharing your story and becoming part of our wonderful supportive mumpreneur community? Drop me an email over on the contact page – and I’ll be in touch.   Or let me know in a comment below.