
I am delighted to welcome Michelle Forster, Founder of Tricord Solutions HR, to the Single Mums Business Network. Here is what Michelle says:
I am a single mum with three teenage children and I decided about 18 months ago, after losing my job at the beginning of the pandemic, to take the plunge and start my own HR Consultancy Business with the likes of Laura Callahan cheering me on.
The first 6 months were non-existent and then suddenly business took off and I haven’t looked back since, but I need the support of single fellow business mums who can stand alongside with to keep me going and for us to rally alongside each other and cheer each other on when the going get tough.
So if you have a HR itch that I can scratch, contact Tricord Solutions for help!
Michelle is certainly in the right place! We celebrate ourselves as hard-working women at the SMBN who have a real ‘can do’ attitude and we cheer each other on in the most positive way to succeed despite owning a status that still carries a lot of stigma and sadly often shame. We all get it, but we don’t need to focus on it, we’re in a safe shared space where we just don’t need to explain why we can’t go to that 7am breakfast business networking meeting or that charity event tomorrow night. We are primary carers, using our skills and abilities to make work work and we have each others backs. Come on in!
Monthly meetings on zoom for members only, and in person meetings are just starting to pick back up throughout the UK (we are next in Surrey on 29th June).
Welcome Michelle to the SMBN! Where Solo no longer means SOLO.
You can connect with Michelle via LinkedIn here and visit her website here
Friend of the SMBN Carol McIntyre – Founder of Exec Pro VA – A Welcome Renewal!
It is always lovely to welcome a new member or new friend to the SMBN, but it’s something extra special when a member has a break then re-joins, or renews their membership. It’s a real pleasure to extend a warm second welcome to Carol McIntyre, after her confirmation of renewal of being part of what we are so proud to be. A force for good.
So, for those of you who don’t know about Carol or Exec Pro VA – here’s a little snippet:
It’s out! Single Mums Business Magazine – Summer Edition 2022
It’s out! Single Mums Business Magazine – Summer Edition 2022
Welcome ‘Friend of the SMBN’, Caron Kipping, Divorce & Separation Coach
Welcome ‘Friend of the SMBN’, Caron Kipping, Divorce & Separation Coach
Caron is a Divorce Coach specialising in supporting people in abusive and controlling relationships or dealing with post-separational abuse.
Welcome ‘Friend of the SMBN’, Katie Phillips, The School of Self Love
The Empowered Feminine Approach To Dating When it comes to preparing midlife single women to be ready to receive their ‘one’ and enjoy an empowered relationship – our friend Katie Phillips is your gal.Continue reading “Welcome ‘Friend of the SMBN’, Katie Phillips, The School of Self Love”
With gratitude to 2022 SMBN Awards Prize Sponsor – Something Wicked! Luxury High End Leather and Vegan Leather Lingerie… £250 voucher..
I am very grateful to our friends at Something Wicked, @wearewickeduk for being so generous as to offer a £250 voucher to one of our award winners this year! It is such a special night to treat the ladies who rarely come first, and we appreciate all the help we can get to make that happen!

Aaaaand, we’re off!
Aaaaand, we’re off!
The SMBN Single Mums Business Network 2022 Awards are officially OPEN for entries! Read more…

Cost of Living Crisis – How the Government are trying to step up.
I say step-up, and not help, because they should have stepped up a long time ago. I have always said that the cost of living outweighs inflation and that we have, for our entire lives, trusted that our tax is used for the right reasons, but it has been like observing a solicitor who has been given a trust fund live a very comfortable life on it and giving the beneficiary peanuts instead of the intended income….
So, today, the Chancellor, as a result of outcry and pressure, sadly not through genuine understanding, has announced the following:
@MartinSLewis
#costoflivingstatement
Categories announced for the SMBN 2022 Awards…
Categories this year are:
Campaigner of the Year
Acing Adversity Award
Super Start-up
Community Champion
Excellence in Customer Care
Employer of the Year
SMBN Champion of the Year
Best Corporate Responsibility
Best Innovation Award
Best Business Marketing
Read more…
Welcome ‘Friend of the SMBN’, Charlotte Webb, Principle at Castle Green Financial Planning
I am delighted to officially welcome Charlotte to the SMBN as a ‘Friend’, being a friend of the SMBN means that you benefit from the exposure on-line and in print whilst supporting our quest to make work work as single parents. We appreciate every friend of the SMBN as, with their actions, they demonstrate they support our work and mission, whilst enabling us to support theirs. Here is a little about Charlotte:
Single Mums Business Magazine – Spring Edition 2022 Out Now!
Single Mums Business Magazine – Spring Edition 2022 Out Now!
Ruth and the Single Parent Rights Team are working hard to bring single parents employment experiences to politicians..
I have a lot of respect for the work Ruth does, to date alone and unfunded, to ensure that we do not face various discriminations due to our status. As I discuss barriers IContinue reading “Ruth and the Single Parent Rights Team are working hard to bring single parents employment experiences to politicians..”
Small Business – Big Difference! In this interview with Alison Cork we discuss how she champions female entrepreneurs, is passionate about healthy living, and how she has now launched a Viral Campaign for the UK Small Business Community to Donate £1 each to support Ukraine Appeal..
Just wow! You know that question that often pops up – if you could choose just a few people to have dinner with, well, Alison Cork would certainly be on my list, she is an absolute powerhouse, doer, thinker, entrepreneur and all round great lady to support, motivate, inspire, whilst knowing how to pull something out of the bag in an absolute humanitarian crisis to help us all so SOMETHING, when we may feel we can do nothing!
2022 – The Year of the Single Parent!
2022 – The Year of the Single Parent!
I have it on good authority! Things are changing for us, we are raising awareness of, and challenging, genuine barriers that feed negative public perception. We are making it okay to be single, and a parent! We are not ashamed, we are celebrating a future where relationships are only about love, and not about necessity, we are showing our children that

SMBN Member Claire, Founder of Pets2Places, welcomes first franchisee, Nicola Hughes, who is now operating the Pets 2 Places pet taxi service in Solihull
SMBN Member Claire, Founder of Pets2Places, welcomes first franchisee, Nicola Hughes, who is now operating the Pets 2 Places pet taxi service in Solihull…
It’s official! Purple Shoots Responsible Finance Raising Funds to Specifically Support SMBN Members! and we are so grateful!
This is Mike and Karen, from Purple Shoots, receiving flowers at this years’ Single Mums Business Network Awards, in gratitude for having faith not only in me (Jules), but in a handful of myContinue reading “It’s official! Purple Shoots Responsible Finance Raising Funds to Specifically Support SMBN Members! and we are so grateful!”
From MEH to Magnificent! Ways to grow through student life. By Sarah Harvey
I am so excited for SMBN member Sarah who has today published her book on Amazon – From MEH to Magnificent! Ways to grow through student life.
I have had a front row seat for the past two years as Sarah has developed her courses, piloted in private secondary schools and with true relentless tenacity has not given up on her commitment to support the education sector with her experience, advice and expertise, and now she has published a book too, to directly help the students directly or via schools or parents who purchase this book.
Have you heard the news? Meet the Partners! Laura Callahan and Nehaya Zitawi!
You may already know if you watched the 6pm news premiere! but if not you can read the online edition of the mag here and read more about Laura and Nehaya as well asContinue reading “Have you heard the news? Meet the Partners! Laura Callahan and Nehaya Zitawi!”
Welcome New Member, Crystal Gregory. Leadership Coach and Business Consultant – GEC Coaching
I am delighted to welcome Crystal Gregory, an executive leadership coach to the SMBN. Crystal Says: I’m an executive coach who helps leaders understand where their stress comes from, choose the right tools toContinue reading “Welcome New Member, Crystal Gregory. Leadership Coach and Business Consultant – GEC Coaching”
Welcome New Member – Nicola Booth, Founder, Director, and Chair of Trustees – Single Parents Support and Advice Services aka SPSAS
I am beyond pleased to welcome Nicola Booth, of Single Parents Support and Advice Services, to the SMBN. Nicola and I connected when I did THE BIG EVENT, for Single Parents Day 2021, and we all know that actions speak louder than words, so the fact that she has since joined so that we can support each others empires and in turn further support the parents we support warms my heart in so many ways. …
Look at this amazing woman! Welcome New Member Natasha-Dawn Ni Leighn [aka Ash] Founder of Dandelion Weatherstone: VEGAN, ANTIBACTERIAL AND FUNKY C-SECTION KNICKERS…
Look at this amazing woman! Welcome New Member Natasha-Dawn Ni Leighn [aka Ash] Founder of Dandelion Weatherstone: VEGAN, ANTIBACTERIAL AND FUNKY C-SECTION KNICKERS…
Yes we all need underwear! But we don’t always realise what challenges exist if you’ve had a c-section, are a pregnant transman or if you have had any kind of surgery that leaves you needing antibacterial high waisted knickers with soft fibres to avoid incision irritation! But just like me with the KIH Bed, Ash became aware of a gap in the market through her own experience and as a necessity entrepreneur with a ‘I can solve this problem for the masses’ attitude, embarked on her own journey of creating something for other people’s benefit, and she is infused with ethics and helping others from her eco chain to her anti slavery and vegan checking measures.. what a very cool lady she is! Here’s a few words from our newest member Ash…