Monday Mumpreneur with Vicky Cruickshanks

Every Monday we feature a mumpreneur who’s ready and willing to open up their lives to us.  They share with us their motivation, challenges and proudest moments in business and they also tell us how they take time to nurture themselves. It’s lovely to have them here at Mums Got A Business and we hope you enjoy connecting with them too.

Here's a great story of a business mum who saw a need, offers a quality service and has an array of happy customers.  I just love how Vicky has found a sub-niche for her services - Brilliant!!!

Name: Vicky Cruickshanks

Website:  www.bearstedbabes.org.uk    (is being updated,new site coming soon)

Brief description:   Website allows parents to see what service we have to offer and read some references about Bearsted Babes

How many children do you have? Callum 6yrs, Bailey 6yrs, Ella 4.5yrs

Where do you live? Bearsted,Maidstone,Kent

PC or Mac?  PC

Tell us about your business:   Bearsted Babes is one of the fastest growing childcare agencies covering the Southeast and surrounding area.We provided fully qualified, experienced and above all friendly babysitters to homes and hotels. We specialise in Wedding/Event Crèches.

What motivated you to become a mumpreneur? Quite by accident really, I was working full time as a nursery manager and was due to go on maternity leave, the day I left parents were still asking me to babysit and I started passing the jobs over to close friends whom I had stayed in contact with from college. After the boys arrived I was still getting phone calls and then it dawned on me I was passing jobs on and getting nothing for it!! That's really how it began. Viagra didn't work for my friend. He said it just didn't give him the advertised effect. Now he’s switched to Androskat and according to his words, a world’s opened up for him, a whole new world with more pleasurable sex. Personally, I am deeply ashamed of having a half hard and half floppy penis, but I’d never consider Androskat as a treatment, not in my life. I’m generally afraid of injections, let alone seeing needles in my penis. So, it’s Viagra for me – 50 mg seems to be doing the trick for the time being. I just hope I won’t need a greater dose ‘cause it’s not cheap.

What’s been your biggest challenge in business? Running a course of 11 sessions for NHS Peer Support group, this was 1 crèche a week for 11 weeks nov 2010- mar 2011.They re booked may2011-July 2011 and have just re booked another 11 weeks starting nov 2011.

How have you overcome it?  By using the same childcarers for all sessions and working well as a team.

What’s been your proudest business moment?  I'm really proudest when I receive thank you notes and great references from parents/brides.

What’s your catchphrase or favourite quote?  A smile down the phone can work wonders.

What do you do to relax or nurture yourself? Spending time with my children is my relaxing time. Hearing them laugh is all I need.

What was the last treat you bought for yourself?  A nice top for my birthday meal out.

Favourite colour:   Red

Favourite flowers:   Poppy

What one piece of advice would you like to give to a new mumpreneur?  It's ok to hold a phone conversation in the downstairs toilet!!

Fancy featuring as one of our amazing mumpreneurs? Drop me an email over on the contact page - and I’ll be in touch.   Or let me know in a comment below.  And remember to drop by every Monday to welcome our latest profiled mum.