How to Start a Business as a Stay-at-Home Mum (Without Childcare or a 9–5 Routine) with Fiona Sim

06/02/25 • 45 min

How to Start a Business as a Stay-at-Home Mum (Without Childcare or a 9–5 Routine) with Fiona Sim

Ever wondered how some mums manage to run a business with no childcare, no office and no real routine?

In this powerful episode of The Growth Addicts Podcast, Amanda sits down with Fiona Sim, a certified business strategist and home-educating mum of two, who teaches stay-at-home mums how to start and grow an online business around their lives, not the other way around.

Whether you’re a mum struggling to find time, thinking “there’s no way I could start a business right now,” or you’ve tried before and hit a wall—this episode is your permission slip to do things differently.

In this episode, we cover:

Fiona’s unique business journey (including memory bears and sewing machines 🧵)
The truth about launching a business with your kids around 24/7
The START Framework Fiona uses to help mums go from overwhelmed to launching
Tips for beating mum guilt, managing energy, and finding hidden time in your day
Why childcare shouldn’t be a barrier to financial independence or fulfilment
How to plan using a “pen & paper + sand timer” method that actually works
The real talk around mum-life, home ed, and doing business in 10-minute bursts
Practical strategies for overcoming overwhelm and procrastination (yes, even with toddlers climbing on you!)

🎁 Fiona’s FREE GIFT:
Finding the Time to Grow Your Business as a Stay-at-Home Mum – Download Fiona’s free guide packed with strategies from this episode (plus a few extras!) → Get yours here

Connect with Fiona Sim:

Instagram: @_fionasim
Facebook Group: The Stay-at-Home Mums Business Hub

What’s Next?

💌 Want content prompts that actually get clients?
Grab my free list of 30 proven hooks to Attract, Nurture & Convert on social media—straight to your inbox:
👉 Get your FREE prompts

🙌 Huge thanks to our sponsor KM Accountancy
If you're after an accountant who genuinely gets small business life, Kirsty is your woman.
→ kmaccountancy.co.uk

💷 Free £50? Yes please.
If you're ready to switch to a better business bank account, Monzo’s where it’s at.
→ Get the offer here

🔥 Ready to Get Seen & Get Sales?
Join my mentor group and get expert support, weekly content prompts, and a group that actually feels good to be part of.

🎁 Bonus just for waitlist members: Get a free digital copy of my bestselling Social Media Planner plus access to the video workshop where I show you how to plan a week’s content (for multiple platforms!) in under an hour.

→ Find out more here

📲 Come hang out on Instagram
That’s where you’ll find podcast updates, social media tips, and the occasional reel that deserves a BAFTA (or at least a like).
→ @amandahugh...

Send us a text

How to Start a Business as a Stay-at-Home Mum (Without Childcare or a 9–5 Routine) with Fiona Sim

Ever wondered how some mums manage to run a business with no childcare, no office and no real routine?

In this episode, we cover:

Fiona’s unique business journey (including memory bears and sewing machines 🧵)
The truth about launching a business with your kids around 24/7
The START Framework Fiona uses to help mums go from overwhelmed to launching
Tips for beating mum guilt, managing energy, and finding hidden time in your day
Why childcare shouldn’t be a barrier to financial independence or fulfilment
How to plan using a “pen & paper + sand timer” method that actually works
The real talk around mum-life, home ed, and doing business in 10-minute bursts
Practical strategies for overcoming overwhelm and procrastination (yes, even with toddlers climbing on you!)

Connect with Fiona Sim:

Instagram: @_fionasim
Facebook Group: The Stay-at-Home Mums Business Hub

What’s Next?

💌 Want content prompts that actually get clients?
Grab my free list of 30 proven hooks to Attract, Nurture & Convert on social media—straight to your inbox:
👉 Get your FREE prompts

🙌 Huge thanks to our sponsor KM Accountancy
If you're after an accountant who genuinely gets small business life, Kirsty is your woman.
→ kmaccountancy.co.uk

💷 Free £50? Yes please.
If you're ready to switch to a better business bank account, Monzo’s where it’s at.
→ Get the offer here

🔥 Ready to Get Seen & Get Sales?
Join my mentor group and get expert support, weekly content prompts, and a group that actually feels good to be part of.

→ Find out more here

📲 Come hang out on Instagram
That’s where you’ll find podcast updates, social media tips, and the occasional reel that deserves a BAFTA (or at least a like).
→ @amandahugh...

Previous Episode

How Hypnosis Can Help Small Business Owners Beat Burnout, Reduce Anxiety & Boost Confidence – with Diane Quinn

Send us a text

Feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list? Struggling to switch off at night? This episode is for you.

In this powerful and surprisingly soothing conversation, Amanda Hughes chats with Diane Quinn, an Ayrshire-based hypnosis practitioner (and former hairstylist of 30 years!) about how hypnosis can be a game-changing tool for small business owners.

Diane opens up about her own experience of burnout, her first panic attack, and how hypnosis helped her regulate her emotions, boost her confidence, and eventually build a new business helping others do the same.

We break down:

The science behind hypnosis (no, it’s not clucking like a chicken!)
How small business owners can use self-hypnosis techniques to reduce anxiety and overwhelm
Why hypnosis is a natural, proven tool for emotional regulation—even if talk therapy isn’t your thing
The power of group hypnosis sessions and Diane’s signature Better Balance, Better You program
A live technique you can try today (timestamp: 17:30) to calm your nervous system in less than a minute

Whether you’re sceptical or curious, this episode gives a real-life look at how hypnosis works and how it could help you finally switch off and get back in control.

Find Diane on Instagram here

What’s Next?

💌 Want content prompts that actually get clients?
Grab my free list of 30 proven hooks to Attract, Nurture & Convert on social media—straight to your inbox:
👉 Get your FREE prompts

🙌 Huge thanks to our sponsor KM Accountancy
If you're after an accountant who genuinely gets small business life, Kirsty is your woman.
→ kmaccountancy.co.uk

💷 Free £50? Yes please.
If you're ready to switch to a better business bank account, Monzo’s where it’s at.
→ Get the offer here

🔥 Ready to Get Seen & Get Sales?
Join my mentor group and get expert support, weekly content prompts, and a group that actually feels good to be part of.

→ Find out more here

📲 Come hang out on Instagram
That’s where you’ll find podcast updates, social media tips, and the occasional reel that deserves a BAFTA (or at least a like).
→ @amandahugh...

The Growth Addicts Podcast - How to Start a Business as a Stay-at-Home Mum (Without Childcare or a 9–5 Routine) with Fiona Sim

Transcript

SPEAKER_0000:00:00.162

Hello and welcome to the Growth Addicts Podcast. I'm Amanda Hughes, your host, and I am delighted to be spending the next hour with you. Thank you so much for being here.

SPEAKER_0000:00:09.872

I escaped the corporate world with not much more than a burning desire to be self-employed. Fast forward 10 years and I'm running not my first, but my second small business and this time around it's with a passion to share