Unlike many enviable women who have left corporate with a clear idea and passion for what they were going to do next, I confess I took a few months reflecting and doing not much, whilst I tried to work out what I really wanted to do.

For me the ‘passion’ was a slow burn, not a bolt of lightning ‘aha moment’ but more an evolution coupled with a financial imperative to support myself and my kids.

Confidence and courage to follow your dreams I reckon comes from doing – that’s how I’ve worked things out. Do something then decide if you need to course correct and hold strong to what you want for YOU. The kids will be fine…

Because we are so capable of so many things, it’s more about what you leave out than what you choose to do that makes all the difference. “The path of lease resistance’ was a great learning for me that it’s more than OKAY for something to be easy, and often that’s the exact thing people need us to do for them (or teach them to do) because they DON’T find it easy.

Believe you can and you’re halfway there – I think its Roosevelt, but jury’s out whether it was Elenor or Theodore!

At times when I look at other people and get a touch of the ‘comparitinitus’ I often remind myself that the difference I am seeing is often their belief in themselves and what they want to achieve. It always gives me a kick up the backside to go back to what I want to achieve and be known for.

Find good advice from the start, including financial management and set up, not just the online business stuff. Pricing and packaging what you do can make a huge difference to finding the right clients and marketing your business.

Clarify what you want to be known for, and who it’s for if that’s relevant too – this is the basis for all your marketing and makes it so much easier for you and others you might employ to help you with marketing.

Collect social proof from the start (even before you start as you probably did this for others before you decided to make it your business). This was such a big mistake on my part! I was too busy doing the thing, and not thinking into the future (hello ADHD!)