Everyone is allowed to dream, and I’m certain we all do. But what we shouldn’t do is allow ourselves to be held back from making that dream into a reality.

So many times I hear of women, and men, who are struggling to navigate their way back into the workplace after taking a few years off to raise their children.

The problem is that too many people are over qualified and are up against young, highly competent school and University leavers who have more up-to-date CVs.

But what employers fail to realise is that experience is often more valuable than qualifications, and work ethic is invaluable to the growth and success of business.

Having worked my way from Marketing and PR Assistants; to being a Marketing Manager for a local company by the time I was twenty-three, I then side-stepped into A General Management role when I was twenty-five years old.

Then in 2010 I started my own company which grew rapidly whilst my business partners and I chased behind the success of it. I ran the accounts department, built the website, managed the marketing and PR, the HR and more. We were thrown into the deep end of business and we loved it.

I continued working up until lockdown in 2020 when my children had to take the forefront of my world.

It wasn’t until I became a Single Mum in 2023, that I decided I wanted to get back into the workplace. And that’s when the struggle started. No company wants to take someone on who is highly qualified, highly experienced, and seeking a low-pressure, low-waged role. Because in an employers mind, there must be something wrong with them. What’s the red flag?

> They will want to progress rapidly.

>They’ll want more money.

> They’ll need loads of time off for childcare.

> They won’t be satisfied within the role.

> They won’t like being told what to do.

> They will want my job.

This is the stark reality of employment along with a whole host of compatibility checks employers have for their roles.

I was a successful business owner, entrepreneur, author and bloody hard-working woman and I found myself taking half of my qualifications and job roles off of my CV. I removed that I owned companies, removed that I was a manager. It was becoming ridiculous.

And then I saw that one of the mums at my children’s school was posting on Whatsapp about a job at her company. It was for a Financial Administrator.

And the rest, they say, is history.

By the time my interview came around, I was almost done with enthusiasm. Tired of the knock backs and rejection emails. I was interviewed by two women. Both parents, one in Management, the other HR Director. And I told them my story. My real story, and finally someone heard me.

I was employed on a three-month contract to help with the closure / merger of one business into another. I had completed the tasks within a matter of weeks and I was soon taking on greater responsibilities.

Whilst there, I befriended who I thought was the handyman. A great guy who not only asked about my day but also a lot about my experiences. The handyman turned out to be the CEO of the whole group. He asked if I would like to be his PA. I had never been a PA but he assured me that with my business knowledge and eager-to-please work ethic, I was the ideal candidate.

The point behind this short story, is that the CEO of the business spoke to me like I was an integral part of the team, that I was worthy and that I was important. His name is Bill Williams and this man reignited a belief in myself that I wanted to succeed. I wanted to not only do well at the job I was taken on to do, but at anything else I could assist with.

My contract was extended to six months and I was then juggling my financial role, being PA to Bill, I became Board Secretary and started to assist in New Business Development for a new start up under the same umbrella specialising in marketing.

At the end of those six months, I was offered a permanent position in the start up company. It was then that I knew I had to make the right decision for me, my children and our future.

I turned the role down. I stepped away and started my own company, Mynard’s Consultancy where I offer small businesses, business owners, and CEO’s the same services I was offering to the company I had been employed with. Because my skillset is vast and I realised I love all of it equally as much as my ability.

My first client was Bill. He had started his own incredible consultancy, BWA Advisory. I still work with Bill. I also assist the owner that I had been employed with as his PA, event management, PR and marketing. And that’s where my story began. I now have a multitude of clients who need that little bit of extra support and structure to their lives and / business. And I am in a place where I want to offer new clients to other mother’s, who have stepped away from their professions to raise a family. Part-time, work from home to fit in around your already busy day.

BUT what if you need that additional support? Maybe tidying your CV, building confidence, remembering who you are and what you have to offer. That’s where I come in.

Download my PDF for FREE to tell you more about the Wings are made to Fly Course and the services available to you.

And most of all, GOOD LUCK x