Inspiring small businesses: Honest Mum

In our ‘Inspiring small businesses’ series, we share and celebrate great stories from small business owners who started and run their own business. By bringing you closer to these inspiring businesses we hope that you find motivation, tips, and ideas for building yours. For our next interview, we spoke to Vicki Psarias, founder of Honest Mum.

What is it that you do?

I'm a blogger, vlogger and author.

I veered from a career in the film and TV industry to working digitally around my family back in 2010 when I pivoted into an accidental career blogging during maternity leave. My bestselling book Mumboss shares my story and is bursting with advice on how to build a blog/social media presence or return to work with greater confidence and also shares other mumbosses' stories. I'm touched by how many it's helped. Women often stop me on the street to tell me they changed direction or started an online business after reading it. 

What's the story behind your business?

I set up my blog honestmum.com in 2010 during a dark period as I was suffering from a traumatic birth after my first son, Oliver, was born. The blog helped me piece back my identity and confidence after both felt shattered, and by the time my second son, Alexander, was born, blogging had become my full-time job. Vitally, my online career has connected me to other like-minded parents and allowed me to find my voice. It remains to be the gift it was 9 years ago.  

What inspired you to start your own business?

I wanted a flexible career that worked around raising a young family, but in this case, I didn't start a business. I never knew blogging would become a job and to start, I had no idea that was even possible. I'm so grateful the online world boomed though as this job has given me freedom and the chance to be with my children as much as possible.

Being a TV Director in a predominantly male field was tough-going, and working 12 hour days was near impossible with young children so I feel lucky to have been able to create a personal brand thanks to blogging and social media, making a living doing what I love and encouraging others to follow suit. Building my own business has been both empowering and liberating. 

What is the most difficult aspect of running your own business?

Switching off although I am getting better at it (she writes, answering this interview at 21.32). I don't usually work after pick-up though unless it's urgent or the kids are asleep. I try and be as productive as possible while my children are at school and enjoy that dedicated time to writing and filming. I sometimes film and write on the weekend but only for a small part of it.

What is the best thing about running your own business?

The freedom, the creative control, writing and filmmaking, simply, doing what I love every single day. Live TV is a passion too, there's no buzz like it! 

To read Vicki’s blog, visit honestmum.com or follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.