Working Mums profile
Bridgette Handley, mother to 10yr old Sasha, is the proprietor of Zeta Training & Development, the organiser of the Release the Potential events.
having once living in a gated house on a millionaires row in the Midlands, following the break-up with her husband, Bridgette found herself completely cut off in a two bedroom flat with a young baby. After hiding under the duvet for days on end at one stage, at rock bottom, she had a 'Road to Damascus' experience which literally changed her life. She first attended a 'Release the Potential' course in 1999 in Northampton and has never looked back. She credits this course to changing her life and putting her firmly on course to where her business has grown today.
Several years on and she is now a highly successful businesswomen. The launch of the company Zeta Training & Developemnt got off the gound at the prestigious Llandudno Business centre in 2001 not far from her seaside home town of Rhos on Sea. Bridgette reflects what it means to her to be a successful business women and mother:
What do you think is the most challenging thing about being a working mother? Dealing with the guilt - guilt about not working when focussing on home and family; guilt about not spending enough quality time with my daughter, Sasha, especially during school holidays. She's 10 now and childhood flies by so fast. I think guilt is more of a problem to us than to the children; I've got over it now and am pretty much guilt free!
What do you think is the best thing about being a working mother? Being a great role model and as a single working mother, having the finances to provide a good quality of life for my daughter. Taking her to Lapland when she was 7 years old was one of the highlights.
How do you combine working with parenthood? I have a childminder for after school and am fortunate to have my Mother living locally so she helps out a lot with Sasha. As I run my own business, I do have more flexibility than some mothers. If I have breakfast meetings, late nights or overnight stays, Sasha sleeps over at her Grandma's. I try not to work at weekends so that we have quality time together. We have been on our own since Sasha was just 10 weeks old, so we are very close. I love our life together and feel that currently my work/life balance is in harmony (although it's not always been that way!)
Describe your last Mother's Day. Sasha brought me a coffee in bed with my presents (which included Donny Osmond's latest CD - giving my age away!) and then helped me cook lunch - my left arm was in plaster following an ice skating accident. Mum came to lunch.
Who is your heroine? Madonna, Ellen MacArthur, Susie Mitchell (one of my trainers), Mother Teresa - any woman who is strong, focussed & has attitude.
If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing locally to improve the lives of working mothers what would it be? More choice of quality childcare, an organisation that takes kids on fun trips during the school holiday.
What's your top tip for combining work and parenting? Understand that Superwoman does not exist. Sometimes something has to give and in order of importance is family, work and home. Who cares if the ironing is taking over the airing cupboard? A friend once said to me ‘A child won't remember if their pyjamas were ironed, but they will remember being read bedtime stories'.
How do you relax? - A warm bubble bath, with candles. Watching a great film or reading a good book are also favourite ways of relaxing
Where do you imagine yourself in ten years' time? Doing more of the same, I love my life and appreciate all the great people and things that have been a part of it. I am passionate about my business and helping other people to fulfil their dreams. Life to me is exciting, fun and not to be taken too seriously!
If you could change one thing about yourself/life, what would it be? To be honest, there is nothing I would really change - okay - I'd like to be able to eat loads of chocolate and stay slim!
To find out more log onto http://www.releasethepotential.co.uk/