So, this is really happening!!

Ok...this is starting to seem real now!
Last week, I had my first meeting with E Factor. It was great to have E Factor back me on my dream. Friends and family will always support me, but to get the support of a business advisor is a massive boost. I spent an hour with her, telling her my ideas, discussing how feasible it would be to set up, and how the business could progress. She was very impressed with how much research I had done already, although I didnt feel as though I had done enough! I have been sent home with a business plan to complete before my next E Factor meeting.
This is the point where I realised that there is a massive difference between having an idea in my head, and actually attempting to make it happen! Although with help from my sister, who has been through it before, it does seem a little less daunting!

I have had a bit of a break from this, due to family visiting from abroad. I also took a trip down south with family. It got me thinking, and made me realise that I have a few reasons for wanting this to work -

• I want my independence back. I love the idea of being a stay at home mum (finances allowing) but I also want to prove to myself and others than I can be more than just a mum.
• I want my daughter and step children to see that even if you havent been to uni, or found a career choice straight after school, that its ok, and you can still make your own opportunities in life.
• With one wage in the household, we get by, but I want to able to afford the little luxuries in life for our family, without spoiling them of course!

Anyway, whilst away, there was still research I could carry out. Some of the stores with sell maternity/nursing online only in Grimsby, have bigger stores where I was staying. I decided to have a look at the stock, styles, prices etc. As I walked into one store, with the pram of course, I had to ask where the maternity section was. The advisor told me it was upstairs on the first floor. Ok, thats fine, I'll take the lift.....where was the lift? Well, I basically had to leave the store, walk around to the shopping centre entrance and use the shopping centre lift. Not very practical. I opted to leave baby with my Mum, whilst I took the stairs. As I reached the top, I was surprised that the Maternity section was on the other side of the store. If I wanted to try it on, I would have to walk back across to side of the store where the stairs were, go downstairs, and head to the changing rooms on the other side of the store. Now I'm not sure about anyone else, but when I was heavily pregnant, I certainly did not want to do that!!!
On a brighter note, I did find a national store (incidentally not one we have here) that sold a nice range of mursing wear at very reasonable prices. I bought two lovely tops for just £20. Brilliant. Just a shame I had to travel 4 and half hours to find it! It did however remind me how much easier it is to feed my daughter discreetly with a top designed for that reason. Lets face it, we dont like showing off our tummys by pulling up our tshirts, do we?

So I now have ten days to complete my business plan, and get this idea off the ground. I still have tonnes of research to do, so I'd best prepare myself for a busy few days!