Mums Business Club Launches in East Sussex

• Antonia Chitty (Mums Business Club)
• Thursday 9 June 2011

Join them:

14th June at Kerry's Wine bar, Bexhill, 9.30-11am

28th June, The Roomz, St Leonards 10am-11am

2011 could be the year of the "mumpreneur" because of a growing wish by women to have more flexibility in their working lives whilst being a working mum. A study, carried out by BT, revealed 15 per cent of women had started their own business since having children.

Bexhill businesswoman Antonia Chitty set up her first business when she was on maternity leave. She saw an opportunity to be her own boss and set her own hours. Antonia now runs online training courses for women in business through www.aceinspire.com and is the author of 15 books. Looking to the future, she now has an additional project& Backed by mumsclub, the award winning business network for mums, Antonia is organising a business club for mums like her and is looking for other local like minded women to help her build their own network of Bexhill business mums.

Antonia says: "Our local mum's business club is a great initiative and a fantastic way to unite more business mums from Lewes, Eastboune, Bexhill, Hastings, St Leonards and beyond which will both highlight the work of our mum owned businesses in East Sussex as well as support and encourage the growth of more."

Antonia has already been busy recruiting and two successful meetings have taken place in Bexhill. The third is on 14th June at Kerry's Wine bar, 9.30-11am, plus there is a new venue, The Roomz, St Leonards, on 28th June 10am11am. The group would welcome more mums to join. Whether you have a business or are just thinking about it, meet up (with the children!) every month to share business tips and get to know other like minded mums. There will be opportunity to meet (and question!) other 'mumpreneurs' like Antonia, in a friendly and relaxed environment and all are welcome.

The club is sponsored by McPherson's Chartered Accountants. Ainsley Gill, Director, says, "Business growth in East Sussex is vitally important to the area. By supporting the local Mums Business Club we're hoping to enable a new generation of women to grow successful businesses."

Jane Hopkins, founder of mumsclub, say, "Networking is the key to business success and being a mum at home, online is often the only way to meet other like minded women. The likes of Facebook, Twitter and mumpreneur forums are uniting these mums, who are able to share experiences and are actively supporting one another to build their unique, quirky and successful businesses from home"

Find out more:

Meetings cost £5 including tea or coffee

Contact Local organiser Antonia Chitty 01424 810 272

Details of local activities are now online: www.bexhill.mumsbusinessclub.co.uk

##ENDS##

Media notes:

Contact antonia@acpr.co.uk or 01424 810 272

For media enquiries about mumsclub, the business club for mums, please contact:

Jane Hopkins at Mumsclub 01675 465863 jane@mumsclub.co.uk

About Mum's Business Clubs

Another initiative from Jane Hopkins, the award winning founder of mumsclub, the UK's only business club for mums to establish face to face business clubs where local mums can meet other like minded mums, away from the school gates and include the children. MBC's are being set up all over the country with volunteer mums running them, with the sole purpose of providing free networking venues.

The aims of the local business clubs are to:

" Inspire more entrepreneurial mums to start a business from home,

" Encourage business growth by providing business mums access to information and ideas,

" Develop support through a local network of home-working Mumpreneurs, that is connected to other national business women..

BT Business surveyed 1,286 people in the UK during November to December 09:

" One in ten mums surveyed by BT Business, aspire to have their own business, with one in 5 looking to have more flexibility on choosing the hours they work.

" Nearly 15% of women have already started their own businesses since having children proving that 'mumpreneurs' are a growing force in the UK economy and will increasingly ditch the 9 to 5 in favour of being their own boss.

" Forty four per cent of respondents felt that the emergence of online social networks is creating more opportunities for women in business today.

" Choosing the hours they work (62%), achieving a better balance between their work and family life (50%) and being their own boss (38%) were the top 3 most cited reasons by mumpreneurs.

" For women looking to start their own business nearly a third would look to turn their living rooms, kitchens or bedrooms into boardrooms and a quarter will focus their efforts on selling goods or services just online. Thirteen per cent were thinking of ways in which they could help other working mums and dads as inspiration for their start-ups.

" Ivan Croxford, General Manager Digital Marketing Services, BT Business said, "We're witnessing the rise of the mumpreneurs. Mums across the UK are embracing the internet and keeping the UK's entrepreneurial spirit alive."

A few facts & figures on home business

? Over two million businesses already operate mainly from home. *1

? 61% of new businesses were launched from home in 2008 *2

? Home based business is intrinsically low carbon. Operating from one property instead of a separate home and workspace cuts commuting. It also reduces the carbon emissions generated by constructing and fuelling separate premises. *3

? Home based businesses face lower costs, spending significantly less on their workspace and travel than those using separate premises. Not commuting also saves time, increasing potential productivity. *4

Sources:

*1 ONS Labour Force Survey

*2 UK Global Entrepreneurship Monitor

*3 & 4 'Can Homeworking Save the Planet', The Smith Institute

Antonia

Antonia Chitty

Change the way you think about your business in 30 days

Inspirational Business Mum of the Year 2009

Freelance Writer and Author of books including:

A guide to Promoting Your Business - The Mumpreneur Guide - Family Friendly Working

@antoniachitty antonia@acpr.co.uk - 0845 643 1874 - 7a Channel View Bexhill TN40 1JT

bexhill.mumsbusinessclub.com

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