Mothers are increasingly fed up with jobs that do not allow them to spend enough time with their children. So instead, they are starting their own business. The number of women working for themselves has increased by nearly 20% since 2000, according to official figures, and now tops a mil-lion. And an opinion poll commissioned by the government shows that the most significant factor in the increase is a desire among women for a better balance between work and family life. The biggest motivation for doing it alone--according to 70% of those polled--was to be able to work more flexibly. Three out of four said that their work and family life balance was better when they ran their own business.
Tanya Rostron, a mum of two children, employs 11 people at her firm,which supplies water coolers throughout the East Midlands. She once worked as head of marketing in a major leisure company. When she got married and had children, she was determined to escape the workplace. She set up a company so she could spend time with her new baby daughter Frankie. She gives her staff time to look after their kids too. Most of her team are parents and they back up her claim.