Work It Like A Mum

This week on the Work It Like a Mum podcast, Elizabeth chats with Yvonne Phillips, mum of two and Little Kickers franchise owner, about bouncing back from a business setback, ditching the London commute and building a business that now welcomes 600+ children every week!

After a successful corporate career, Yvonne launched a maternity clothing business. Five years later, it closed. Her confidence? Shaken.

But with two young boys at home, going back to long commutes and barely seeing her children wasn't the answer.

So she took another chance. This time, on a Little Kickers franchise. ⚽

She started with 90 children, two coaches and a handful of venues.

Fast-forward 16 years? 600+ children a week, around 35 coaches and a thriving business!

And she's got plenty to say about the highs, the setbacks and everything she's learned along the way.

What we cover:

• From corporate career to business owner — and why her first venture didn't work out
• Picking yourself back up when business doesn't go to plan
• Why franchising appealed after starting a business from scratch
• Building a business around two young children
• Growing from 90 to 600+ children every week!
• The fear that held Yvonne back from expanding
• Surviving COVID and coming back stronger
• Building and leading a team of around 35 coaches
• Why hiring an operations manager changed everything
• The power of having a franchise community behind you
• Yvonne's biggest lessons from 16 years in business

Key takeaways:

Failure isn't the end of the story. Yvonne's first business closed, but the lessons she learned helped her build something even bigger.

Being your own boss doesn't have to mean starting from zero. Franchising gave Yvonne an established model, support and a community to lean on.

Stop playing small! Yvonne admits fear held her back for years. When she finally backed herself and expanded, everything changed.

Business and family can grow together. Both of Yvonne's sons grew up alongside Little Kickers and even became coaches!

Why listen:

Dream of running your own business but scared to take the leap? 

From business setbacks to 600+ children a week, Yvonne shares what it really takes to build something of your own.

A brilliant reminder that sometimes the biggest risk is not backing yourself! 

Show Links:

Connect with Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Connect with Yvonne on LinkedIn here 

Find out more about the Little Kickers franchise opportunity here 

Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.

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This week on the Work It Like a Mum podcast, Elizabeth chats with Pauline Bird, an accountant, mum of two and Utility Warehouse Partner, about what happened when full-time work no longer worked for her family — but giving up her career and financial independence didn’t feel right either.

After taking a seven-month career break, Pauline found a flexible part-time accounting role through Investing in Women and started building an additional income through Utility Warehouse alongside it.  

What we cover:

• Why Pauline stepped away from full-time work
• Taking a seven-month career break to focus on her family
• Finding a genuinely flexible part-time role without giving up her accounting career
• The financial reality of reducing your working hours
• Why maintaining her own financial independence mattered so much
• Building an additional income stream alongside a part-time job
• What being a Utility Warehouse Partner actually involves
• Fitting work around the “nooks and crannies” of family life
• Avoiding burnout while juggling work, business and motherhood
• Why success now means feeling happy, in control and like herself again  

Key takeaways:

💜 Going part-time doesn't have to mean giving up your career. Pauline found an employer that gives her the flexibility and autonomy she needs while allowing her to continue doing work she enjoys. 

💜 There can be more than one way to make flexibility work financially. For Pauline, an additional income stream helped bridge some of the income she'd given up by moving away from full-time employment. 

💜 Success can look different after children. For Pauline, it's no longer simply about career progression or salary — it's about keeping her career, having her own income, being there for her family and feeling in control again.  

Why listen:

If you've ever thought “I'd love to work fewer hours, but I can't afford the pay cut”, this one's for you.

An honest conversation about money, motherhood and finding a way of working that actually fits your life. 💗

Show Links:

Connect with Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Connect with Pauline on LinkedIn here 

Find out more about becoming a Utility Warehouse Partner here 

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

This week on the Work It Like a Mum podcast, Elizabeth chats with Lucy Holloway, Founder of Dance Shack, about her journey from West End performer to entrepreneur — and how a dance school that started with just seven children grew to around 850 pupils.

Now, after 20 years of building Dance Shack, Lucy is taking the business in a new direction: franchising.

What we cover:

• Leaving behind a successful performing career
• Starting Dance Shack with just seven pupils
• How motherhood changed Lucy’s career priorities
• Growing from one small school to around 850 students
• Why Dance Shack is now expanding through franchises
• Whether you actually need a dance background to run one
• The support, training and business know-how franchisees receive
• Why Lucy believes entrepreneurship gives her something a traditional job couldn't: freedom

Key takeaways:

💜 Careers can evolve. You don’t have to stick with the career you once thought you'd have forever.

💜 You don’t have to start from scratch. A franchise can offer the freedom of building something of your own with an established business behind you.

💜 Your experience could become your next opportunity. Dance Shack is looking beyond professional performers, with support available around teachers, marketing, classes and growing the business.

Why listen:

If you've ever thought “I'd love something of my own, but where would I even start?”, this one's for you.

It’s an honest conversation about career change, motherhood, entrepreneurship and turning something you love into a business that fits your life.

And who knows? Your next career move might not be another job at all. 💗

Show Links:

Connect with Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Explore the Dance Shack franchise opportunity on Investing in Women 

Visit the Dance Shack website here

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

In this week's episode of the Work It Like a Mum podcast, we sit down with Elly Sainsbury to talk honestly about returning to work after an almost 10-year career break raising her four children.

Now working as a Project Manager at Complete Projects, Elly shares the very real journey that took her from stay-at-home parent, through volunteering and a flexible role in a local school, to rebuilding her confidence and stepping back into the corporate world.

It wasn’t one huge leap. It was a series of smaller steps that helped Elly rediscover her skills, work out what she needed from her career and ultimately find a role offering the challenge, pay and genuine flexibility that worked for her family.

What we cover:

• Elly's career before children and why she chose to take an extended career break
• The skills she developed through parenting and volunteering – and why they mattered when she returned
• Rebuilding confidence after years outside the corporate world
• Why a flexible school role became her first step back into paid work
• The reality of childcare costs and why salary matters when considering a return
• Recognising transferable skills and avoiding underselling yourself
• Applying for roles even when you don't tick every box
• Finding an employer offering genuine flexibility and predominantly remote working
• How returning to work helped Elly rediscover an identity beyond being a mum
• Why career success can look very different after having children.

Key takeaways:

💜 You haven't lost your skills during a career break. The confidence to recognise them might take time to return, but your previous experience – alongside everything you've learned outside work – still has value.

💜 Your return doesn't have to happen in one giant leap. A smaller or more flexible role can be the stepping stone that helps you rebuild confidence and discover what you want next.

💜 Flexibility, salary, and childcare all matter. The right return-to-work opportunity needs to work financially and practically for your life – not simply get you back into a job.

Why listen:

If you've been out of the workplace for five, eight, or even ten years and you're wondering “Will anyone want me now?”, this episode is for you.

Elly's story is an honest reminder that you may be capable of far more than you currently give yourself credit for – and that a career break doesn't mean your career is over.

Your route back might look different from the one you imagined, but the right opportunity could help you rediscover your confidence, your skills, and a whole new version of career success.

Show Links:

Connect with Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Connect with Elly on LinkedIn here

Visit Complete Projects website here 

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

In this week's episode of the Work It Like a Mum podcast, we sit down with Dan Nachmias, founder of Elysian Minds, to explore how we can better prepare children for a rapidly changing world.

Created for children aged 7–12, Elysian Minds combines core academics with life skills, including financial literacy, emotional intelligence, resilience, leadership, confidence, and understanding of AI – all delivered through an engaging, gamified platform.

Drawing on his experience as an entrepreneur and a parent, Dan shares why he created Elysian Minds, the skills he believes children need for the future and why productive screen time could help parents support their children's development beyond the traditional classroom.

What we cover:

• Dan's journey from entrepreneur to founder of Elysian Minds
• Why he believes traditional education doesn't always prepare children for the world they're growing into
• Turning screen time into productive learning and growth
• Why skills like resilience, confidence, leadership and financial literacy matter from an early age
• Helping children develop problem-solving and independent thinking
• The importance of teaching children how to learn and build self-discipline
• How Elysian Minds combines Maths, English and Science with practical life skills
• Preparing children for a future shaped by AI, technology and entrepreneurship
• How parents can use the platform alongside school and tailor learning to their child.

Key takeaways:

💜 Preparing children for the future is about more than academic results – confidence, resilience, problem-solving and emotional intelligence matter too.

💜 Screen time doesn't always have to be passive. Used intentionally, technology can become an opportunity for children to learn, develop and grow.

💜 The world our children will work in could look very different from today, making adaptable thinking and lifelong learning increasingly valuable.

Why listen:

Whether you're thinking about your child's education, screen time or how to prepare them for a rapidly changing world, this episode explores the skills children need to thrive – at school, in their future careers and beyond.

Show Links:

Connect with Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn here

Visit the Elysian Minds website here 

Try Elysian Minds FREE for 7 days here 

Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

In this week’s Work It Like a Mum podcast, we’re sharing the sixth and final session from our Momentum Career Summer Series, designed to help women confidently advocate for themselves, recognise their value and ask for more at work.

Hosted by Laurie Macpherson, this practical and empowering session explores how to talk about your achievements with confidence, position yourself for new opportunities and navigate promotion and pay conversations — without underselling yourself or feeling awkward.

From building a strong case for a pay rise to knowing what to do when the answer is ‘not yet’, Laurie shares practical strategies to help you take greater ownership of your career and make sure your contribution is seen.

What we cover:

• Why asking for more can feel so uncomfortable.
• How to talk about your achievements without feeling like you’re bragging.
• Building a bank of evidence that proves your impact.
• Asking for promotions, opportunities and greater responsibility.
• Preparing for a pay rise conversation.
• Negotiating confidently — and learning to love the silence.
• What to do when the answer is ‘not yet’.
• How to stop underselling yourself in your job search.

Key takeaways:

• Your achievements are facts — own them.
• Don’t wait for confidence. Prepare and ask.
• Keep a record of your wins, impact and results.
• Know your number before a pay conversation.
• Make your case — then stop talking.
• Turn ‘not yet’ into clear actions and a timeline.
• Ask for opportunities instead of waiting to be noticed.
• Your career is yours to steer.

Why listen:

If you know you’re capable of more but find yourself staying quiet, downplaying your achievements or avoiding conversations about promotion and pay, this episode will help you build your case, ask with greater confidence and start advocating for what you deserve.

Show links:

Connect with Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Connect with Laurie on LinkedIn here

Visit Laurie’s website here 

Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

In this week’s Work It Like a Mum podcast, we’re sharing the fifth session from our Momentum Career Summer Series, designed to help women overcome self-doubt, build confidence and stop letting imposter syndrome hold them back.

Hosted by Gifty Enright, this honest and empowering panel discussion brings together a group of women to explore how imposter syndrome can show up at every stage of your career – even when you’re experienced, successful and more than capable. 

Together, they share their own experiences of questioning whether they belong, the internal and external factors that can fuel self-doubt, and practical strategies for pushing through fear and backing yourself anyway.

What we cover:

• Why imposter syndrome can affect you regardless of how successful or experienced you are. 
• How imposter syndrome shows up – from second-guessing yourself and staying quiet to procrastinating and avoiding opportunities. 
• Why self-doubt isn’t always just internal and how workplace culture, bias and other people’s behaviour can affect confidence. 
• How imposter syndrome can stop you from applying for roles and promotions you’re more than capable of doing. 
• Practical strategies for challenging self-doubt, including starting before you feel ready, preparing without over-preparing and reminding yourself of previous successes. 
•  Confidence is something you can build through action rather than something you need to have before you begin. 
•  How to recognise your strengths, transferable skills and achievements – and give yourself permission to put yourself forward. 

Key takeaways:

• You don’t need to feel 100% ready before applying for the job, promotion or opportunity. 
• Confidence is a muscle – the more you challenge yourself and take action, the stronger it becomes. 
• Stop waiting for perfection. Sometimes getting started and allowing yourself to learn along the way is exactly what you need. 
• Surround yourself with people who can remind you of your strengths when self-doubt starts creeping in. 
• If you’re doubting yourself, ask why. Understanding where that doubt is coming from can help you challenge it and move forward. 
• You have to put yourself in the running. If you don’t apply, ask or put yourself forward, you’ve already made the decision for them. 

Why listen:

If you’ve ever doubted whether you’re qualified enough, questioned your success or waited to feel more confident before taking your next step, this episode will help you challenge imposter syndrome and start backing yourself.

Show links:

Connect with Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Connect with Gifty on LinkedIn here

Visit Gifty’s website here 

Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

In this week's Work It Like a Mum podcast, we're sharing the fourth session from our Momentum Career Summer Series, designed to help women create stronger applications, stand out to employers and secure more interviews.

Elizabeth Willetts draws on nearly 20 years of recruitment experience to share insider advice on writing a compelling CV, optimising your LinkedIn profile and preparing for interviews with confidence.

From tailoring your CV for applicant tracking systems (ATS) to demonstrating your value, building your professional brand and acing interview questions, this episode is packed with practical strategies to help you get hired. 

What we cover:

•  Why your CV is a marketing document and how to structure it for maximum impact. 
•  How to tailor every application using keywords and demonstrate the value you bring to employers. 
•  The common CV mistakes that could cost you an interview and how to avoid them. 
•  How to optimise your LinkedIn profile so recruiters can find you and why networking matters more than ever. 
•  Practical interview preparation tips, including using the STAR technique and researching employers effectively. 
•  How small details, preparation and follow-up can help you stand out from other candidates. 

Key takeaways:

•  Tailor your CV for every application and always demonstrate the impact you've made. 
•  Employers want to understand how you'll save time, save money or make money for their business. 
•  LinkedIn is far more than an online CV—it's one of the most powerful career and networking tools available. 
•  Preparation builds confidence. Research, practise and use the STAR technique to communicate your experience effectively. 
•  Small actions—whether proofreading your CV, following up after an interview or growing your network consistently—can make a big difference to your career success. 

Why listen:

If you're applying for jobs, refreshing your CV, updating LinkedIn or preparing for interviews, this episode shares practical recruiter insights to help you stand out, showcase your value and approach your job search with confidence. 

Show links:

Connect with Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Find out more about our career coaching services here 

Buy my book ‘FLEX’ here

Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

In this week’s Work It Like a Mum podcast, we’re sharing the third session from our Momentum Career Summer Series, designed to help women build their confidence, increase their visibility and unlock new career opportunities.

Elizabeth Willetts is joined by career advancement coach Leanne Cooper, founder of You First Coaching, to explore how LinkedIn, networking and personal branding can help you access the hidden job market and create opportunities that never make it onto job boards. 

Together, they share practical strategies to help you overcome visibility fears, strengthen your personal brand and use LinkedIn with confidence to attract promotions, new roles and meaningful professional connections. 

What we cover:

•  Why around 80% of jobs are never advertised, and how networking helps you uncover hidden opportunities. 
•  How limiting beliefs and mindset can stop you from becoming visible in your career. 
•  Why your personal brand matters and how to define what you want to be known for. 
•  Practical ways to optimise your LinkedIn profile so recruiters and hiring managers can find you. 
•  The four key habits that build visibility: Comments, Content, Conversations and Connections.
•  How small, consistent actions can lead to promotions, new opportunities and stronger professional relationships. 

Key takeaways:

•  Opportunities often come through people and conversations, not job adverts. 
•  Your thoughts shape your actions—and your actions create your career results. 
•  A strong personal brand helps others understand your value before you even meet them. 
•  LinkedIn is more than an online CV—it's a powerful tool for building visibility and credibility. 
•  Confidence grows by taking action, showing up consistently and putting yourself out there—even when it feels uncomfortable. 

Why listen:

If you've ever wondered how to make LinkedIn work for you, felt uncomfortable talking about yourself or struggled to build professional connections, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you grow your visibility, build meaningful relationships and unlock career opportunities you may never have known existed. 

Show links:

Connect with  Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn here

Visit Leanne’s website here 

Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!

In this week’s Work It Like a Mum podcast, we’re sharing the second session from our Momentum Career Summer Series, designed to help women build confidence, take action and keep moving forward in their careers. 

Elizabeth Willetts is joined by confidence and career coach Lindsey Roberts, founder of Gold Digger Coaching, to explore why confidence isn’t something you wait for – it’s something you build through action. 

Together, they share practical tools to help you overcome self-doubt, challenge limiting beliefs and step into your full career potential. 

What we cover:

•  Why confidence isn't a personality trait – it's a skill you can build. 
•  How fear of disappointing others keeps many women stuck. 
•  Practical techniques to challenge self-doubt and reframe negative thinking. 
•  Why waiting until you feel "ready" could be holding you back. 
•  Three simple confidence-building tools you can start using today. 
•  How taking small, consistent actions creates lasting confidence. 
•  Why your future confident self is built one step at a time. 

Key takeaways:

•  Confidence grows through action, not before it. 
•  Your feelings aren't facts – challenge the stories you're telling yourself. 
•  Small, consistent steps build momentum and lasting confidence. 
•  Stop spending your confidence making everyone else comfortable. 
•  You already have more confidence than you realise – it's time to use it differently. 

Why listen:

If you've ever doubted yourself, struggled to speak up, or felt like you're waiting until you're "confident enough" before making your next career move, this episode will give you practical tools to break the cycle, build confidence and take the next step with purpose.

Show links:

Connect with  Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn here

Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn here

Visit Lindey’s website here 

Boost your career with Investing in Women's Career Coaching! Get expert CV, interview, and LinkedIn guidance tailored for all career stages. Navigate transitions, discover strengths, and reach goals with our personalised approach. Book now for your dream job! Use 'workitlikeamum' for a 10% discount.

Support the show

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an episode!

Follow us on Instagram.

Join over 1 million customers and counting who are saving money on their household bills with Utility Warehouse. Discover how much you can save here. 

And here's your invite to our supportive and empowering Facebook Group, Work It Like a Mum - a supportive and safe networking community for professional working mothers. Our community is full of like-minded female professionals willing to offer support, advice or a friendly ear. See you there!