I have been a work-at-home entrepreneur since our first daughter was born in 1996. I have become a committed advocate of home business and flexible working for mothers and fathers.
I’m the author of Baby’s Here! Who Does What? and I have launched a series of organisations and websites over the last 13 years.
Clare and I live in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales, UK. Our daughters are 9 and 13 and all their grandparents live nearby. In a recent survey of happiness in the UK, this region came at the top of the list for the whole of the country!
We adore it here and you can see in my photos on Facebook what we get up to – it is all outdoors here – horse-riding, walking, cycling.
Nearly all my spare time these days is spent ferrying our children to different activities. No regrets – this is special time and it won’t be around for long!
My problem 13 years ago was that work kept me away from home – I worked in international development. The first positive pregnancy test came through when I was on the way to the airport for another trip and I knew at that very moment that I had to change. Within a year I was working from home (and earning just as much!) And soon after that we moved out of London to the Brecon Beacons, to be near family and in an area the children would love for ever.
The last 13 years have been a roller-coaster. Some of the highlights:
* I was nominated a Working Family Pioneer 1979-2009 by the leading charity, Working Families in 2009.
* I served for three years on the Board of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the UK Government body responsible for gender equality. My job was to focus on how men work, particularly fathers.
* I founded and was CEO of the Fatherhood Institute, putting the spotlight on men as parents.
* I got an OBE for services to children from the Queen in 2009 (a great day out at Buckingham Palace with the family)!
And now? I am setting up this new website, HomeTimeWorkMoney.com, to be a resource for people like me – starting and running home enterprises.
