Single Mums Business Network [SMBN] [CIC]

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It’s been a great week at KIH Products aka #SMBN HQ – last week we were permitted to shout out about being a SmallBiz100 2019 and about the KIH Bed winning the Hotel & Spa Awards best pregnancy cushion with Lux Life Magazine. And this week we were featured in Day 179 of #SHECAN365. (You still have time to submit your story!) Tomorrow (6/9/19) is our Small Business Saturday ‘day’ and our Enterprise Nation shout out and we will enjoy continued exposure throughout the year.

The SMBN has always been about EXPOSURE, unashamedly. As I have been very open about my struggle against adversity to build the business since becoming a single mum in 2012 I always knew that lack of PR budget was really holding me back. All I could do was enter awards and make the most of social media and networking. Consequently, I have a love of networking. I learned about women supporting women and escaped isolation; but I always struggled with explaining my lack of availability out of school hours or desperate financial battle.

The SMBN is about good, ethical, honest networking where women really understand what it is to have a sense of #sisterhood, and to collaborate and not compete and despite only being a few months old we have had such a fantastic response, not only from Single Mums but also from other women in business, and men too. It is really important to highlight the fact that it is not being work shy that leads to tax refunds instead of tax contributions but archaic pay & high cost of living making it near impossible for a family to live on one income, as they used to.

As we enjoy the exposure that comes with effort, I would like to thank all of our members and ‘friends of the SMBN’ for joining without hesitation in trust of the exposure that would follow, and for actions that speaker louder than words of being non-judgmental about Single Mums.

I am also pleased to say that now September is here we have pledged to donate 5% of every membership to Gingerbread via Work for Good – a brilliant platform for giving.

During the next 12 months I will holding meetings throughout the UK for Single Mums in Business, and I also host the 1230 TWC Wye Valley meetings for ALL women in business, as well as regularly attending WiRE meetings and various other networks – there is something for everyone and I have no problem in signposting.

Please see the Facebook page for EVENTS – (casual meetings and formal gatherings) and sign up to the Newsletter to stay in the loop for major stuff. We have SMiB Awards in May and a Staycation in July to name a few.

Here’s who’s with us so far:

I would not be where I am today without The Fredericks Foundation and Purple Shoots – who gave me a lifeline where nobody else would, namely Mike. I will thank more in good time.

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Only you can stop you