I cannot believe how long since I last posted on here.

So much has happened.

I have spoken and run mini workshops based on the book and our SPARKLES acronym across the UK and Ireland and more are planned. In fact we are piecing together a special evening to be held in Dublin’s fair city on the 28th October 2010. (Details to follow). If you are around please pop along.

Speaking events have introduced me to many amazing mums in business so I’d like to take this opportunity to thank
Helen & Sam http://www.mumstheboss.co.uk/about.htm#SamHelen

 for a wonderful session on SMART Objectives in sunny Bedford (well it was damp and drizzly actually but.. loved the cakes)
Joanne Dewberry http://www.networkingmummies.com/

 for a fab “Fire up your mojo” workshop in Bournemouth.
Martine Brennan http://twitter.com/Kerrycoaching

 for inviting me to run the opening sesion at her fantastic event for women in business at the beautiful Parknasilla hotel in Co. Kerry, Ireland making me an international speaker.
and then there’s the weekly radio show…. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mumultrapreneur

Here I have had the pleasure over the past 16 weeks to meet and chat with some amazing mums in business. Special guests like Martine and Joanne above and other leaders in their fields such as Antonia Chitty http://www.themumpreneurguide.co.uk/

 (whom I am looking forward to seeing again tomorrow (5th October) at the Business Mums Conference in Brighton http://www.businessmumsconference.co.uk/

The next few blog updates will share details of my new book and all the bizmums featured on the radio show but I have to urge you to listen in to Wednesay’s show where Emma Wimhurst http://www.emmawimhurst.co.uk

 who joined me for my recent telephone interview with Lynda Harding of http://www.easidream.co.uk

 and Berith Lochery of http://www.pilipalachildrenswear.com/

. During the call Emma virtually gave Berith a 1-2-1 coaching session – It is amazing. You really need to listen in – this Wednesday 8pm http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mumultrapreneur

 or to the podcast at a time to suit you.

If you would like to meet Emma and experience her amazing business insights first hand then join me and many others at her BOOM! event on Saturday 6th November in Central London.

The link to BOOK tickets is: www.makeyourbusinessboom.eventbrite.co.uk

(Book Review of “How to afford time off with your baby” by Becky Goddard-Hill)

at Tescos yesterday.

Nothing new there really. In fact my shopping habits are fairly predictable. The only way to manage a tight budget and a family of six is to be routine. No impulse buys. Planned mealtime menus. If I do buy special offers they are only on things I would normally buy anyway and then freeze.

That is why I found Becky Godard-Hill’s “How to afford time off with your baby – 101 ways to ease the financial strain” (Published by Vermillion – http://wwwbabybudgeting.co.uk) a fascinating read.

My eldest is 18 ( I know I don’t look old enough – I wish!) and being the first child we went crazy buying everything new, innovative and en vogue. By the time the youngest came along eleven years later I had realised that most of the gadgets I’d bought for baby one were a complete waste of time.

Babies need very little. They are actually quite robust and strive amazingly well on very few material items as long as there are plenty of hugs, clean nappies standing by and a healthy supply of food on tap.

My book Mum Ultrapreneur looks at the growing phenonmenom of WAHMs or Work At Home Mums (Mumpreneurs, Kitchen Table Tycoons etc). But do not be fooled few are multi-millionaires – quite the opposite in fact.

Whilst Becky’s book is primarily aimed as SAHMs (Stay At Home Mums – come on keep up!) the great ideas contained inside can equally be applied to WAHMs. And it is written in an honest, warm style that makes the concept of budgeting seem less daunting and even, possibly, some what fun.

Again though the book is aimed at new mums – I, as an experienced mother of four and expert financial juggler, found it full of fantastic money-saving ideas that I hadn’t thought of.

And to all budding Mum Ultrapreneurs there is also a great section on Making Money that will give you lots of fab ideas to get the cash flowing.

Then again instead of popping down to Tesco’s to buy a loaf – you could always bake your own? Try it!

Run by Zoe Newcombe (@zoenewcombe) of Connection Events http://www.connectionevents.co.uk

and http://www.socialmediamum.co.uk , ably assisted by her Mum , sister and beautiful daughter Lexie – this was truly a family affair.

With facilities for the children to amuse themselves @ 20 local business mums gathered to share news, ideas and general chit-chat.

I was made to feel incredibly welcome and the positive response to my little 30 minutes on inspiration and just “doing it” was incredibly motivating.

I am always amazed at the vast range of ideas and the depth of passion I find at these events.

Many of the attendees were brave enough to buy a copy of the book on the day and already I have received some tremendous feedback. I now mutually follow many of them on Twitter and Facebook.

That’s what I find so awesome is the friendships that are formed. It was great to meet up once again with Rebekah Harriman http://www.rrva.co.uk/ , whom I first met at the Mumpreneur Conference last year.

Rebekah (@RebekahHarriman)  had just turned full-time as a virtual PA or VA and was clearly loving the challenge of working for herself. And I just have t o share with you all Rebekah’s amazing shoes:

My little talk was followed by a delicious buffet lunch and two workshops run by Heather Smith, another lady with passion.

Unfortunately I couldn’t stay for all the workshops as I had a train to catch but my head was buzzing with ideas all the way home.

Thank you Zoe for inviting me and I look forward to delivering some workshops for you later in the year.

http://www.amazon.com/Mum-Ultrapreneur-essential-successful-mum-based/dp/1907498036/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264170709&sr=8-1