Bump to Business Owner

Kira Mahal has never taken the conventional route - from holding a marketing event in lieu of interviewing for jobs, to leaving a lucrative finance career with no plan, no savings and no clear vision. Self-described as "barking mad", Kira and her husband went all into their business. On the cusp of a life and business changing corporate contract, the world went into lockdown and they lost £1.8million in VC funding. Pivoting back to their B2C business, Kira turned to the journals she'd been keeping along the way and put into practice what she learnt from her experience. If you're thinking about taking the leap without a clear plan, VC funding, or the endless tension that is being a founder and a mum, listen in. Takeaways: Kira's career journey from Young Enterprise, always taking the unconventional route to the idea for MotivatePT Going all in without a clear vision or plan - both Kira and her husband! VC funding - the barriers and why it isn't for everyone Crystalising your business vision by making mistakes and testing the market Starting a second corporate arm, VC funding and the pandemic Refocusing on the original business and growing more sustainably Journalling and the insights it gave Kira, reality v rose tinted glasses of the moment Kira's personal, and the wider culture's, changing attitude to wellness We're not just building a business, we're building a life Resources: Young Enterprise: www.young-enterprise.org.uk/ Chapters: 00:30 Introduction to Kira Mahal and MotivatePT 02:36 Kira's Journey from Banking to Entrepreneurship 05:32 The Birth of MotivatePT: A Personal Mission 08:14 Navigating the Challenges of Bootstrapping a Business 11:02 The Shift to Women-Centric Wellness 13:51 The Impact of the Pandemic on Business Growth 16:34 Funding Challenges and the VC Landscape 19:24 Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship 24:15 Navigating Postpartum Challenges 26:28 The Rollercoaster of VC Funding 28:20 The Impact of the Pandemic on Business 30:31 Journaling Through Uncertainty 31:58 Pivoting During Crisis 36:33 Building a New Business Model 37:06 Balancing Motherhood and Ambition 42:14 Finding Joy in Wellness 45:44 Future Plans for Motivate PT Links: Website: https://www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Kira Mahal Kira Mahal is the founder and CEO of MotivatePT, a tech-enabled fitness platform helping women build strength, confidence, and long-lasting wellness through every stage of life. From launching her business in a ski chalet to rebuilding it during the pandemic while pregnant, Kira's journey is full of resilience, reinvention and raw honesty. Her story speaks to every mother who's tried to hold a baby with one hand and a business with the other. Motivate PT is now a leading UK wellness company with over 40 female-focused coaches delivering 1,300-plus sessions monthly. But behind the scenes is a deeply personal mission to make fitness accessible, empowering and sustainable for women, particularly those navigating pregnancy, postpartum and perimenopause. Kira Mahal's Links: Website: https://motivatept.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiramahal/ Instagram(Kira): https://www.instagram.com/kiramahal/ Instagram(Motivate PT): https://www.instagram.com/motivatept_uk/ Podcast: https://podfollow.com/1705419713 Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

I don't do New Year's Resolutions. December isn't a straightforward month for me, personally, and my energy levels in January after juggling school holidays and all the Christmas fun just aren't up to "starting the new year strong". So I've restructured my business year, and my mindset to fit my realities. In this episode I'm sharing: Why I'm so anti end of year hustle culture Why we should all be putting less pressure on ourselves How I've shaped my year to fit better with my energy levels, and financials Rebel with me. More on Why I don't do New Year's Resolutions Takeaways: Christmas shift in mum admin begins in November Adjusting from mum heavy to business heavy workloads can be tough Why I don't do New Year's Resolutions How I've reshaped my business year to match my energy levels Pairing my financial new year to my conceptual new year December is a month with a lot of pressure - don't make it harder for yourself Chapters: 00:30 Embracing the Shift to Q4 Planning 02:19 Redefining Goal Setting Beyond January 06:23 Navigating Business Pressures During the Holidays 09:07 Celebrating a Non-Traditional Q4 Hustle Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Trigger warning: This episode was recorded during Baby Loss Awareness Week and includes discussion of miscarriage and baby loss. Please take care of yourself. This conversation is long overdue. Amanda Johnson, or The Amanda Johnson as she's known in the Virtual Assistant industry, is founder and coach at the VA Training Academy, host of the UK VA Awards and my mentor. Before becoming a Titan of the VA industry, Amanda had a 23 year career in the military, until personal tragedy changed her priorities. Despite not personally inventing the field (listen in!) Amanda pivoted to becoming a Virtual Assistant, growing an agency and acquiring the training business and awards. We spoke about how grief shapes you, business as a coping mechanism, what to do if a client won't pay and why perceptions of the VA industry are often wrong, for both good and bad. Trigger warning: This episode was recorded during Baby Loss Awareness Week and includes discussion of miscarriage and baby loss. Please take care of yourself. Takeaways: Amanda's career journey from joining the military at 17 to exit Her fertility struggles and how loss changed Amanda's priorities and career How she came to the VA industry as a side effect of grief Building a business as a coping mechanism What to do when a client refuses to pay Why we should aim for work/life integration rather than balance Selling a business Why the VA industry can often be misunderstood, or limited by perceptions Why it's a great career for military spouses especially Amanda's experience of grief and its echoes years later Chapters: 00:30 Introduction to Amanda Johnson's Journey 02:41 From Military to Entrepreneur: A New Path 05:20 The Impact of Personal Tragedy on Career Choices 07:48 Navigating Grief and Finding Purpose 10:24 The Birth of a Business Idea 12:54 Launching a Virtual Assistant Business 15:25 The Challenges of Balancing Motherhood and Business 17:32 Building a Community and Supporting Others 20:09 Lessons Learned and Moving Forward 29:54 Work-Life Integration vs. Balance 31:49 Coaching with Tough Love and Empathy 34:43 The Importance of Body Language in Coaching 36:03 Transitioning from VA Agency to Training Academy 39:51 Expectations vs. Reality in the VA Industry 43:09 Gender Dynamics in the VA Industry 46:06 Supporting Military Spouses and Veterans 50:12 Navigating Grief and Finding Joy 57:39 Success Redefined: Flexibility and Family Support Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Amanda Johnson Amanda Johnson is a Royal Navy veteran turned entrepreneur, NICU advocate and the woman behind the VA Training Academy, also known as VACT, the go to training provider for the VA industry. After 23 years in the military, Amanda left service following a personal tragedy. She went on to found Your Executive Secretary, a Virtual Assistant business she grew while juggling babies and young children expanding from a solo operation to a team of 17 before selling the business in 2016. She then shifted her focus fully to VACT embarking on a mission to empower women, especially mothers, military spouses and career changes to build flexible, sustainable VA businesses. In 2021, she also acquired the UKVA Conference and Awards. Amanda's coaching style is practical, honest and full of tough love, grounded in lived experience and a deep understanding of both business and life's complexities. Amanda Johnson's Links: VACT Website: https://vatrainingacademy.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaconstancejohnson/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vatrainingacademy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualAssistantTrainingAcademyUK/ Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Onboarding is my area of geek, my Mastermind subject. In this week's episode I am sharing my best practice tips for creating a great onboarding process, why it's so important, where your focus should be throughout and why you should be trying to remove yourself from it as much as possible. This is episode three of a four-part mini series for the Assistant community, each episode is accompanied by a free downloadable resource. Download your free onboarding checklist here Listen to the rest of the series: Inbox Zero How to find clients Resources mentioned: My Expensive Business Mistake episode here Takeaways Why onboarding is so crucial to your business What you should prioritise throughout the process Personalisation and automation Removing yourself from the process as a business owner When to review your own process Why offboarding is just as important Chapters 00:30 Introduction to a topic I love 02:48 The importance of a thorough onboarding process 05:43 Creating a client-centric onboarding experience 08:10 continuous Improvement and team involvement 10:07 The significance of offboarding Links: Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/