I changed direction from a senior marketing position in the city to running my own company – a family run, friendly practice which provides accountancy, tax and bookkeeping services. I have one daughter and another baby on the way.
Why did you go back to work after having a baby?
I needed to return to work for a variety of reasons – to regain a sense of myself, independence and purpose
How did you decide this was the right direction for you?
IÂ returned to my work in the City as a Marketing Manager in a B2B publishing company, part-time after 10 years + of full-time work there. I did not consider a career change at that point as I held a senior management position as Head of Department and really enjoyed my work and responsibilities.
Although I still enjoyed my work in publishing when I returned after maternity leave to work 3 days a week, I found that my priorities had changed. It was hard switching over from having a “Mummy head” on to a business head and some of my colleagues used to comment that my days spent at home were like holidays, when for me it was actually easier and less stressful being in the office, compared to looking after a demanding, sleep averse 18 month old at home!
Ironically I also found that going back to work gave me less contact with other people, even though I was in a firm of over 100 employees. After I had come to enjoy direct contact with others through various local Mother and Baby groups (such as church groups and Buggyfit), or even chatting in the park to new people, I realised that I no longer enjoyed working by myself in front of a pc. I also felt I was not learning anything new.
I started to do some local networking for my husband’s accountancy practice part-time and came to realise that I so much preferred meeting motivated local businessmen and women face to face, solving problems within a supportive dynamic and positive local environment (groups such as Athena in Ealing/Chiswick, Ladies at 11 in Richmond, Coffee with Jo in Chiswick, Hounslow Chamber of Commerce).
Meeting people with different ideas has also https://premier-pharmacy.com/product-category/cholesterol-lowering/ made me new friends, taught me about these new businesses and also made me use my brain more laterally, so I decided to leave my job up in London and concentrate on our family accountancy business instead.
Being results driven, I thrive on being able to help people save money and sort out their accounts worries – I really like the fact we can make a difference to clients and their businesses, showing them how we have saved them money in areas they had not known about before – money that they can re-invest in their businesses and help them reach their goals.
Having a child made me realise that life is too short to spend time working on something you are no longer passionate about and that money is not everything. Now I really love what I do. I love meeting business owners and entrepreneurs – I am constantly amazed by the variety and ingenuity of new local businesses starting up. I enjoy applying my brain to help others – whether it is taking the jargon out of accountancy speak, helping business owners make more profit, pay less tax and plan for the years ahead, or simply putting people in touch with like-minded others who can help businesses grow and prosper.
How do you organise child care?
Initially, I shared the childcare with my husband until our daughter was old enough to go to nursery for a few hours a week. We do not have any other back-up for childcare aside from the nursery, so we alternate childcare and work between us on the days she is not in nursery until she goes to school. Our family all live in the north of England or in France, not near enough to help with occasional baby sitting.
What do you hope for the future?
To continue to grow our practice in West London and help local businesses prosper in a tough economic environment.
Author: Sarah Bennett, Marketing Director of Bennett and Company Chartered Certified Accountants, if you are looking for a friendly tax, bookkeeping or accounting service feel free to contact her by e-mail at sarah@bennettandcompany.co.uk. She is based in Ealing, West London. The company offers competitive fixed pricing so you will always find someone available to speak on the phone or e-mail at any time of day at no extra cost for your company.
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