It Started With a Little Boy

Published July 2026 ~ 5 minute read

Building a Business Around What Matters Most.

It started with a little boy.

A little boy who taught me that the world isn't always built with everyone in mind.

Parenting a child with additional needs changes every part of your life. It's not for the faint-hearted, but combine that with a world that often expects parents to work as though they don't have children, and things can quickly become messy.

People often assume that those of us who prefer remote and/or flexible working want it purely for convenience. But that's often not the case. For me, and many other parents like me, it's a necessity.

Flexible working allows me to be the present parent I need to be for my son. The mum who can attend medical appointments, additional school meetings and therapies that help him navigate a world that wasn't designed with him in mind.

I loved my job. I love the field that I'm in, and it's an honour to be part of the charity sector. But five months ago, I had to make the painfully difficult decision to leave a role that I adored.

As difficult as that decision was, it gave me the space to properly evaluate what my family needed going forward. No matter how much you adore your work, if it doesn't work for your family, something eventually has to give.

Since leaving, I have had space to rethink my future. Space to decide exactly where I want my career to go. Space to allow myself to be vulnerable about what I want.

It's been a challenging few months, but I've managed to bring my dreams into reality. The end goal has always been to create work that fits around my life, not the other way around.

Many organisations talk about offering flexible working, but flexibility often comes with compromises. Four-day weeks, for example, usually mean squeezing five days' worth of work into four. Longer days. Missing dinner. Less time together. My son's routine shouldn't have to change because that's the only flexibility an employer can offer.

I knew that wasn't how I wanted to spend this part of my career - continuously juggling work around what my child needed. Choosing between being what your child needs and what your employer needs should never even be a conversation.

Family first. Always.

"People often assume that when I say I need remote and flexible working, it's because it's more convenient. It isn't"

Starting my own business not only means I can make sure my family's needs are always my priority, but it has also opened up doors I never imagined.

What has surprised me most isn't just the opportunities that have followed. It's the sense of clarity. The moment I stopped trying to build a career that looked like everyone else's was the moment I started building one that actually suited my life.

When you've spent years adapting your life around another person's needs, you become incredibly good at listening.

You stop assuming.

You ask questions.

You design solutions around real people.

That's exactly how I approach every organisation I work with.

I don't know exactly where this business will take me. But I do know why I'm building it.

I'm building a business that allows me to do work I'm genuinely passionate about while still being present for the people I love most.

Because the people at the heart of our lives deserve the same thought, care and consideration as the people at the heart of our organisations. Perhaps that's why I believe so strongly that the people using a system every day should help shape how it works.

For me, that's what success looks like.

If this resonated with you, I'd love to connect on LinkedIn or hear about your own experiences