My Mumpreneurs of the Month: Heidi Crawford and Claudine Sinnett from Organic Monkey

1. Can you quickly introduce yourself to our readers?

Organic Monkey is a new range of organic, Fairtrade skincare created specifically for babies delicate and sensitive skin. We set the company up a year ago after identifying a gap in the market for a truly organic range of baby skin care products. “Becoming mums made us more and more interested in what goes into baby products, especially for their skin. We like to see what ingredients are used, how they work and even their packaging”. (Claudine)

“It was important to us that we sourced both organic and Fairtrade ingredients to guarantee the purest, best quality products for the newest and most sensitive of skins, whilst also having a respect for nature and respectful partnerships with the farmers that produce the raw ingredients and throughout the supply chain”. (Heidi)

Heidi and Claudine both live in Brighton. Heidi has two boys, Forrest (2.5 years old) and Cassius (just had his first birthday). Claudine is mum to Dylan (2.5 years old). We met through our NCT classes.

2. When and why did you decide you decide to become your own boss? 

 

We set up Organic Monkey after identifying a gap in the market for a truly organic range of baby skin care products. After having our babies and reading many of the labels on the everyday baby skincare brands on the high street we were both worried and disappointed at how hard it was to find both organic and 'free from' products. As mums you want the best for your baby and so we started looking at the ingredients being used by some of the big brands and didn’t like what we found so decided to produce an effective range using natural and organic ingredients that would only have beneficial qualities.

My son Forrest was very sick when he was born, suffering from birth asphyxia. He spent the first 8 days of his life on the special care baby unit at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. Whilst he made remarkable progress, his development needed to be carefully monitored to ensure that he reached all his important milestones so when my request to return to work on a part time basis was rejected, I decided this would be my opportunity to set up my own company whilst also spending quality time with my son.

(Heidi Crawford, Managing Director).

When Dylan was born he had bad eczema, so finding a baby skincare product that didn't irritate his skin was very important right from the beginning. After reading many of the labels on the everyday brands on the high street I was both worried and disappointed at how hard it was to find both organic and 'free from' products for babies. Surely it should be easier to look after your baby's skin? So together with Heidi we have created a very special range of products for babies with sensitive skin like Dylan's. (Claudine Sinnett, Creative Director).

3. What sort of products to you produce and sell? And which one is your absolute favourite? 

 

Organic Monkey is a new range of organic, Fairtrade skincare created specifically for babies delicate and sensitive skin. All of our products are made from food grade, organic and Fairtrade ingredients with no nasties like parabens, sulphates, petrochemicals, artificial colours or fragrance. 

Our initial range comprises of:

Bumfluff - Organic Nappy Balm

Hello Mellow - Organic Massage Oil

Rock the Cradle - Organic Cradle Cap Oil

Cheeky Monkey - Organic Cheek Rub (for teething)

Belly Better - Organic Tummy Oil

In addition we will be launching a body wash and sleep balm later this year.

Organic Monkey Cheek Rub for Teething Oil is my current favourite as Cassius has 4 teeth coming through. The arnica oil really soothes his gums and the spearmint, lavender and roman chamomile essential oils have a calming effect on him as well as smelling wonderful too (Heidi).

It would definitely be our Bumfluff Nappy balm, even if Dylan wasn’t with me. I use our nappy balm as a skin balm for me too for dry bits, sore bits, as a lip balm and even as an eye cream! A handbag essential for us mums (Claudine).

4. How do you juggle being successful business women and mums and wives? 

 

Starting a business with small children is tough, I was 7 months pregnant with my second child when we launched last June and with 3 small boys between us the main issue is trying to fit a full working week into 3 days and evenings. We constantly juggle childcare with company deadlines and have to plan our diaries weeks ahead whilst also running a home. (Heidi).

Sleep is a luxury at the moment and we definitely don’t get the recommended 8 hours anymore but all the hard work is starting to pay off. Weekends are sacred family time and we both live in Brighton so try to make the most of being on the beach in the fresh air. (Claudine).

5. Is there anything you wish you'd known before becoming a mumpreneur or wish you'd done differently? 

 

It has been a huge learning curve, we have made mistakes along the way but feel that these have helped us to learn and grown. More than anything, we wish we had taken the leap to start the business earlier. Enrolling on a time management course might come in handy though!

6. What do you love most about your job and what are your plans for the future?

I love formulating and creating products that really benefit babies skin, knowing that all the ingredients are beneficial and the best quality they can be. The great feedback and reviews we have received from customers and testers too makes all the hard work worth it (Claudine).

We are also able to adapt our working day around our children so although it frequently means we are still at our computers at 10pm it means that we are able to be there to watch our children grow up and have the flexibility to work during hours that suit our families. Being your own boss and working from the dining room table is also very liberating.

Over the next five years we would like to have increased our current baby product range and have expanded into the toddler and mum skincare markets. Our vision is to educate more parents about the benefits of using organic skincare for their babies as well as making our products more accessible to more people. We would also want to have been instrumental in aiding and supporting farmers to adopt Fairtrade practices and gain Fairtrade certification for more of our key ingredients.

If you love the sound of Organic Monkey, pop around tomorrow for this month's Mumpreneur of the Month giveaway. This time, we have two main prizes for two lucky winners!

Competition: Mumpreneur of the Month with Gumigem

Thanks for heading back for this month's Mumpreneur of the Month competition with Jenny McLaughlan from Gumigem and Chewigem. This month there are two great Gumigem necklaces up for grabs and all you have to do to win, is answer a simple question and follow the following steps:

Please, use separate comments for each entry. Failure do to so will result in only one entry per person.

How to enter the competition:

Required:

1. Follow @caro_mad and @TeethingGumigem on Twitter & tweet: "I want to win one of two necklaces with @caro_mad and @TeethingGumigem. You can enter here: http://bit.ly/pIHsqY" - required
2. Leave a comment telling me how many different Gumigem shapes there are - required

For extra entries:

3. Comment on one of my non-competition posts and let me know which one you commented on

4. Subscribe to Mummy Alarm via Google Friend Connect

5. Follow Mummy Alarm via Networked Blogs

6. Like Mummy Alarm on Facebook

7. Like Gumigem on Facebook

Terms & Conditions:

The closing date of the competition is 30/09/2011

The winners will be chosen at random.

The winners' names will be shown on this page.

Competition is open to residents of the UK only.

The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available.

The Prize Finder - UK Competitions 

Loquax - The UK Competetion Portal

My Mumpreneur of the Month: Jenny McLaughlan from Gumigem

1. Can you quickly introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Jenny McLaughlan, I am the owner of Gumigem and I am a mum of two in sunny Dundee. My eldest Maisie has just turned three and is wired to the moon! Her little brother is a lot more chilled and he is 18 months. I have a wonderful hubby, whom I could not manage without. 

2. When and why did you decide you decide to become your own boss?

While on maternity leave with Miller, the idea found me more than anything. Miller has a terrible teether, in fact he still is.  At 18 months we have just 7 teeth and he has been dribbling and chomping non stop since he was three months. I always needed something to hand for him to chew on, and he would always try and eat my necklaces, which is not good for necklaces or babies, so GUMIGEM was born. I thought it was such a fab idea, it had to be pursued!

3. What sort of products to you produce and sell? And which one is your absolute favourite? 

We sell necklaces made out of the same stuff as most teething toys, its soft and flexible but totally non toxic and safe. To anyone looking, it just looks like a nice necklace, but acts as a teether you never forget to put in your bag too! It has a breakaway claps for comfort and can be washed in the dishwasher. Since launch we had an increasing interest from the special needs market. It became apparent that children who perhaps had autism or other sensory issues needed to chew. They needed something discreet and safe to stop them eating text books and clothes. We responded to that need and recently launched Gumigem's little sister chewigem! Exactly the same but aimed at that market! Its hard to choose a favoutire necklace, .. so I can only give you my top three! Pearl Storm, Candy Confusion and Wicked!

4. How do you juggle being a successful business woman and a mum and wife?

I actually juggle more than that! I have a full time job too! But I have my life very ordered and I make sure the time I have doing each activity is totally dedicated to just that. So if its the day job, then I am 100% there, in the evenings its all about the business and Saturday/Sunday is family time!

5. Is there anything you wish you'd known before becoming a mumpreneur or wish you'd done differently? 

101 little things! Its been such a steep learning curve! I think patience is something I wish I had had and still need from time to time! Its better to take your time and do something well rather than rush it out there!

6. What do you love most about your job and what are your plans for the future? 

Gumigem and Chewigem are now providing a really good turnover, but I still have the development costs to pay off, once that is cleared I have another nifty little invention to add to the GEM range that I plan to bring to market! I also want to access big retail too!

If you love the sound of Gumigem, pop around tomorrow for this month's Mumpreneur of the Month giveaway. This time, we have a first and a second prize.

Competition: Mumpreneur of the Month with Benjoy Nutrition

This month's Mumpreneur of the Month, Michelle Daniells from Benjoy Nutrition, has not only generously sponsored one amazing main prize for our competition but also two great prizes for our runner-ups. The winner if this month's competition receives a whopping 5(!!!) cases of yummy Benjoy treats and both the runner-ups will receive one case each, giving them the chance to try each of Benjoy's products.

Please, use separate comments for each entry. Failure do to so will result in only one entry per person.

How to enter the competition:

1. Follow @caro_mad and @BenjoyNutrition on Twitter & tweet: "I want to win healthy treats with @caro_mad and @BenjoyNutrition. You can enter here: http://bit.ly/rktggY"  - required
2. Leave a comment telling me what healthy flavour you would create - required

For extra entries:

3. Comment on one of my non-competition posts and let me know which one you commented on

4. Subscribe to Mummy Alarm via Google Friend Connect

5. Follow Mummy Alarm via Networked Blogs

6. Like Mummy Alarm on Facebook

7. Like Benjoy Nutrition on Facebook

Terms & Conditions:

The closing date of the competition is 31/08/2011

The winners will be chosen at random.

The winner's name will be shown on this page.

Competition is open to residents of the UK only.

The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available.

The Prize Finder - UK Competitions 

My Mumpreneur of the Month: Michelle Daniells from Benjoy Nutrition Ltd

1. Can you quickly introduce yourself to our readers?

I’m Michelle Daniells, mother of Benoit (5) & Amelie (18 months) and the founder of new children’s nutrition company, Benjoy Nutrition Ltd. We develop really healthy, delicious and handy snacks for young children (from 1 year+) and sell them in our amazing, anti-spill, less mess MUNCHCUPS.

2. When and why did you decide you decide to become your own boss?

When my son Ben started on solid foods in 2008, I soon realised he was a very fussy eater. I was constantly worried about his diet and struggled to find the time to prepare home made food for him all the time. He preferred “snacking” to eating his main meals and I tried to find healthy, convenient, packaged snack foods that were appropriate for him as a toddler. 

I was not happy with the choice, ingredients and nutritional value of most of the products available and realised that all my mummy friends shared similar concerns. We were all giving our children foods like breadsticks, savoury biscuits and crackers, and even breakfast cereals as snacks because we wanted to avoid things like crisps, sweets and biscuits as much as possible. There were many occasions where we were giving our children packaged snacks that were convenient, but not healthy and we were feeling guilty about this.

I had lots of ideas for snack foods that would be better for young children and started to develop these, along with professional children’s nutrition experts and food bioscience academics. I was also keen to address other problems I had encountered with young children’s snacks such as portion sizes being too large and the mess created when children spill conventional bags and boxes of snacks.

I have always been driven by doing something useful and am also very interested in food and cooking. I had diet and weight problems when I was younger that have had a lifelong impact on me and I felt passionate about creating tasty and nutritious foods that would help to make parents lives easier and children’s diets better. I wanted to help parents feel less stressed and guilty about their children and free up more time to spend with their special little people. 

3. What sort of products do you produce and sell? And which one is your absolute favourite?

We produce a range of nutritious snacks including crunchy strawberry & grape slices (100% pure fruit), multigrain bites (little puffs coated in fruit & vegetable juices), multigrain munchers (mixed grain and seed toasts with vegetables) and root vegetable crisps (unsalted). All our products are made from 10% natural ingredients and have no added salt or sugar. 

My favourite is the root vegetable crisps. People can’t believe they have absolutely no salt added. We selected the tastiest root vegetables (parsnip, beetroot, carrot & sweet potato) and use no potato, which is quite bland. Most children love crisps, but they contain far too much salt and it’s great that we have developed something so delicious as a great alternative. Children and parents love them and parents don’t have to feel guilty about giving them to their kids – it’s a real win-win. They are also high in Vitamin A, which is an added benefit. People keep asking when we are going to supply them in large bags.

4. How do you juggle being a successful business woman and a mum and wife?

I admit I haven’t always been successful at getting the work/family balance right. After spending months feeling constantly stressed and guilty, I finally found techniques that helped and I made peace with myself.  For example I try hard not to work during the day at weekends and other times when the children are around and I do a lot of work after they have gone to bed.  I strive to separate family and work life so that each gets my full attention when it’s their turn. It doesn’t always work, but when I am trying to look after the children and take a work call, I somehow manage to wipe my son’s bottom or feed my daughter and sound professional and competent on the phone at the same time!! 

Maintaining a strong sense of humour and perspective has helped a lot!  I make sure family time is quality time when we do loads of fun stuff and I’ve become quite good at switching off from work. This means my children are getting enough time, attention and engagement from me when we are together. I try hard not to feel guilty and don’t beat myself up when I have to work during family time occasionally.  It helps that my kids are very happy and my relationship with them is just what I would want it to be.  Contrary to popular opinion I believe it is possible to be a brilliant mum and a brilliant business person (just not concurrently!).

As any working mum knows, childcare is always a huge challenge. My mum has been a great support and helps out a couple of days a week and the children go to a great nursery that I am very happy with (so I don’t feel worried or guilty about sending them there). 18 months ago my husband had to go and work overseas and to be honest, whilst it makes life hard on the one hand and I feel like a single parent, it has also meant I don’t feel torn in too many different directions because I only have to focus on the kids and the business and don’t feel like I’m neglecting him. He’s due back in the UK next month, so let’s see how we cope then!

5. Is there anything you wish you'd known before becoming a mumpreneur or wish you'd done differently?

At times I’ve said I wish I’d known how hard this was going to be, but I don’t regret it and if I had known I might not have done it and taken the huge risks I have done. Because I am doing something that is really close to my heart and directly related to my children’s well-being and that of other kids, it has all been worth it. It would have made the journey easier if I’d had more experience in some areas though.

I’m new to the food sector and my lack or experience has mean it’s been a huge learning curve. It would have been good to have know what some of the challenges were going to be so that I could have been more prepared: things like how the big supermarkets operate and all the complexities involved with sourcing and packing foods. We’ve done extremely well getting into the likes of Morrisons and Waitrose already, but it could have been easier. I’m not a packaging expert either, but have developed the world’s first anti-spill snacks packaging and feel very proud of that. I also had to raise external investment, which I had never done before, and that was incredibly challenging and stressful.

I’ve learned a lot and would have done things a bit differently with our fundraising. I got into hot water when an investor pulled out at the last minute and that was really scary.

What do I wish I had done differently? I wish I had taken more time to select some of the people who worked for me in the early days. Some were brilliant, but others were not good value and I should have checked out their backgrounds and references in more detail. You live and learn!

6. What do you love most about your job and what are your plans for the future?

I love all the positive feedback we get from parents and carers about our products.  Once people have tried them and understand how nutritious they are, they are so pleased that they send us loads of lovely messages.  It has been a hard road (and continues to be, as we grow and develop new products) but it’s amazing to see our products on supermarket shelves and know that children and parents are enjoying what we have put our hearts and souls into.

Future plans for the business are to grow our distribution so that our products are available where parents need them.  This includes venues like cafes, airports, petrol stations and leisure centres.  We also have loads of exciting ideas for new products that we hope to introduce soon.  Personally, my plans are to lose weight, go cycling every day (like I used to in my life before children and Benjoy) and to grow the Benjoy team so that I can take more holidays!

If you love the sound of Benjoy's healthy snacks, pop around tomorrow for this month's Mumpreneur of the Month giveaway. This time, we have one big first prize and two runner-ups.

My Mumpreneur of the Month: Eve Bell from Baba+Boo

1. Can you quickly introduce yourself to our readers?

Hi, my name is Eve and I am mum to Seth and Louisa, wife and owner of Baba+Boo – the names I use for my babies!

2. When and why did you decide you decide to become your own boss?

It happened organically really. I had the children in quick succession and I had decided to be a stay at home mum. I like to always look for clothing that is unique but it was also expensive, so with two children, it just wasn’t an option. I used to be a buyer before I had the children, so I started sourcing funky products that were that little different to the high street and it all took off from there.
Also, when Louisa was 4 months old, we found money was really tight, so I looked into using reusable nappies for her and thought they were really expensive to start with. I did a bit of research and I realised that there was a need for affordable cloth nappies but with no compromise in quality and performance. Baba+Boo nappies are now becoming a really popular brand of nappies and have continuous rave reviews.

3. What sort of products to you produce and sell? And which one is your absolute favourite?

I sell funky clothing+shoes, my own brand of reusable nappies, shoes and potty training pants. I source some items for the boutique but my dream is that one day, they will all be my own design! I absolutely love my nappies and all the fabrics but if I have an absolute favourite it has to be my Moo Cow Leather Baby Shoes. Just wish I’d had these when my little man was smaller. He loved all things cow!

4. How do you juggle being a successful business woman and a mum and wife?

Hmmmm, not very well most of the time! I am getting better at it though! I have a fantastic husband who helps me with the children and then when they have gone to bed, he’s been everything to post boy, stock controller and general skivvy! I try to not work in the day when the children are with me and work away at night until all hours in the morning! Its hard sometimes because I feel guilty when I can hear all the fun downstairs and I am sat in upstairs working. I think guilt plays a part in every mum’s life though!

5. Is there anything you wish you'd known before becoming a mumpreneur or wish you'd done differently?

I wish I’d known what a roller-coaster of a ride it is when you have your own business. There have been some great highs and also some lows but I have found that some good has always come of them, and make my business that bit stronger. It’s like being a school…I learn something new every day, which I love!

6. What do you love most about your job and what are your plans for the future?

I love being part of the campaign to get cloth nappies into the mainstream. Also, I have met some amazing people, who are just happy to help me with my business because they want to, for no gain. The generosity of some mums I have met since I started my business has amazed me. With regards to the future, its my dream that I can help real nappies become fashionable and I think that placing them amongst beautiful clothes for children is a good starting point. I have some new designs of clothing in the pipeline..I have a lot of things in my head which I want to do. I’m sure they will happen…when I find some extra hours in the day!

If you love the sound of Baba + Boo, pop around tomorrow for this month's Mumpreneur of the Month giveaway.

Mumpreneur of the Month giveaway

As I promised in yesterday's big Mumpreneur of the Month feature with Lizzie Longworth from Chic Unique, I have got something very special to give away to you this month. You can win a bespoke piece of jewellery in a design of your choice - made by Lizzie for you.

How to enter the competition:

1. Follow my blog using Google Friend Connect - required
2. Visit Chic Unique and tell me what your favourite piece is and why- required

For 5 extra entries:

3. Follow @ChicUniqueUK on Twitter

4. Tweet "I have entered @caro_mad's competition to win a unique piece of jewellery by @ChicUniqueUK"
5. Subscribe to Mummy Alarm using the email form in the right hand corner

6. Follow Mummy Alarm via Networked Blogs
7. Like Mummy Alarm on Facebook

Please, use separate comments for each entry. Failure do to so will result in only one entry per person.

The closing date of the competition is 09/04/2011

The winner will be chosen at random.

The winner's name will be shown on this page.

Competition is open to residents of the UK only.

The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available.

And the winner of a bespoke piece of jewellery by Chic Unique is

haxel - @beachrambler

Congratulations - I'll be in touch shortly!

My Mumpreneur of the Month: Lizzie Longworth from Chic Unique

1. Can you quickly introduce yourself to our readers?

Hi, my name is Lizzie and I'm a wife and a full time mum to 3 young girls. I'm the founder of Chic Unique.

2. When and why did you decide you decide to become your own boss?

I set up Chic Unique approximately 8 months ago. At first, it all began as a hobby then spread to family and friends and soon it quickly escalated into selling online. I have always wanted to work for myself but had never found the time before.

3. What sort of products to you produce and sell? And which one is your absolute favourite?

I lovingly handcraft jewellery to fall in love with, from home. I cannot say that I have a favourite piece of jewellery. I fall in love with something else every time I make something.

4. How do you juggle being a succesful business woman and a mum and wife?

My husband is a huge help with that. He takes care of the girls when he can, giving me the opportunity to get creative. The girls get involved where they can and I try to spend most of my working day when it's nap time and after they have gone to bed.

5. Is there anything you wish you'd known before becoming a mumpreneur or wish you'd done differently?

I am very proud of where I have got to in such a short space of time but I would have liked more advice on the more business side of things.

6. What do you love most about your job and what are your plans for the future?

I love the fact that I can hide away for an hour and then go and play with my daughters! I love that my whole family can get involved and that I can take time off whenever I want or need to. I hope to develop my brand more this year and hopefully become a well known brand in time to come.

If you love the sound of Chic Unique, pop around tomorrow to win a unique piece of jewellery in a  bespoke design of your choice in my big Mumpreneur of the Month giveaway.

My Mumpreneur of the Month giveaway

As I promised in yesterday's big Mumpreneur of the Month feature with Paula Fry from Love Is Boutique, I have got something very special to giveaway to you this month. You can win a gorgeous vintage handbag out off Love Is Boutique's treasure chest plus you will also get a lovely silk scarf to complete your outfit with.



How to enter the competition:

1. Follow my blog using Google Friend Connect - required
2. Follow @caro_mad and @loveisboutique on Twitter & share the link to this competition - required
3. Leave a comment telling me what you have done to enter the competition - required

For extra entries:

4. Subscribe to Mummy Alarm using the email form in the right hand corner

5. Follow Mummy Alarm via Networked Blogs
6. Like Mummy Alarm on Facebook

7. Like Love Is Boutique on Facebook

Please, do not forget to let me know how many entries you get using seperate comments.

The closing date of the competition is 14/03/2011

The winner will be chosen at random.

The winner's name will be shown on this page.

Competition is open to residents of the UK only.

The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available.

ThePrizeFinder.com - home of competitions and prize winning

And the winner of a vintage handbag and a scarf from Love Is Boutique is...

 

@LilLeese1

 

Congratulations - I'll be in touch shortly!

My Mumpreneur of the Month: Paula Fry from Love is Boutique

1. Can you quickly introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Paula Fry. I am a married 40 year old mum of 2 - aged 15 and 12 and founder of Love Is Boutique.

2. When and why did you decide you decide to become your own boss?

I used to be a currency trader in the city and after being made redundant and taking time out I reassessed my life and what was important to me. I went back to be a broker, hated it and quit to start my own business 18 months ago

3. What sort of products to you produce and sell? And which one is your absolute favourite?

I own a designer dress agency and vintage boutique, Love Is Boutique. I sell clothes, jewellery, handbags, shoes, accessories and I love them all!! Designer and vintage handbags are probably my weakness though.

4. How do you juggle being a succesful business woman and a mum and wife?

I have always worked hard and I want my kids to understand you don't get anywhere without doing that! Since working for myself I can dictate how I use my time, when I leave for work and come home etc. Though I must say, working never stops in my head! I make sure we have a whole day as a family once a week but I must say, as our kids get older, they don't want to be with their parents all the time! My daughter works for me on Saturdays, so we get lots of time to chat too! 

5. Is there anything you wish you'd known before becoming a mumpreneur or wish you'd done differently?

I wish I'd known more about the accounts side of owning a business and just how time consuming and complicated it all can be. My business is an LLP and it's not always straight forward. I wouldn't really have done anything too different.

6. What do you love most about your job and what are your plans for the future?

I love dressing and styling clients, I love finding amazing pieces of fashion treasure to sell on. I love finding new homes for unloved items of clothing so someone else can enjoy them! I want to expand with maybe another shop, but for now our internet business is growing and we are concentrating on ASOS Marketplace where we are doing really really well.

If you love the sound of Love Is Boutique, pop around tomorrow to win a vintage handbag and a silk scarf in my big Mumpreneur of the Month giveaway.

Hurry up and BaM! - Become a Mumpreneur

You want 2011 to become your year? A year that you can look back on as a mum and a successful business woman? Then the BaM! e-course might be exactly what you have been looking for.

The course was developed by Erica Douglas and Antonia Chitty and both of them are living proof that there are lots of flexible ways to earn from home, even if you have small children to look after, if you’re studying, if you have health problems that limit the work you can do or simply if you are tied to school hours.

The membership site for the course (monthly fee of just £14.99) will be made up of e-lessons sent to your inbox and a private members area that will host multi-media study materials along with a live chat area and a forum. All in all, the course does not only offer you a perfect step by step quide on how to develop a successful business idea but also helps you to keep motivated when things might look tough.

The course will be split into Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced, but you pay the same monthly fee throughout that covers all your materials and access to the members area.

Here is what happens:

Beginner – e-Lessons are one every three days and focus on you taking those first steps to earning your own income. We focus on mindset, taking action and dealing with failure. Within the first few weeks you should be earning enough to cover your BaM! subscription. By the end of this section you should be earning a steady but small part-time income.

Intermediate – We focus on taking your seed idea and growing it into something more established. e-Lessons cover everything you need to know about running a small business and creating a business plan. Monthly expert webinars will focus on specialised areas. By the end of this section your income should have completely replaced your ‘work’ income.

Advanced – The e-lessons look at finding more customers, creating the work/life balance you dream of, expanding and selling your business. Webinar experts will be people that have been there and done it. You’ll only reach this level of success if you work extremely hard at your idea, however if you achieve it then your earnings are uncapped and may even include a lump sum on selling your business.

If you want some fresh wind in your life and you feel you are ready to fullfil your dreams then be quick: registration on the membership site closes 22 January 2011. There you'll also find out more detailed information on the structure of the course.