Member Spotlight: Of Moon and Stars

I’m Alice, I set up my business as a way to prioritise family time while at the same time, being able to make an impact with my work and time.

I’ve always valued using my time for the benefit of others and have actively avoided lines of work where I’m working hard just to make someone else richer. I’ve had a varied work background including childcare and supporting women in the criminal justice system which has allowed me to develop a huge range of skills and strengthen my knowledge in lots of different areas. I’ve also had experience running previous businesses which has allowed me to really focus on making an impact and helping others rather than getting caught up in the struggles of setting up and running a business (although there are still plenty of challenges as I’m sure any business owner would agree!)

Through Of Moon and Stars, I work with a range of business owners to support them with all kinds of tasks including admin, social media, building workflows, setting up systems, providing accountability and brainstorming new ideas.

Share an interesting fact or something that people might not already know about you:

I absolutely love to sew. My first sewing machine when I was a little girl was a vintage Singer and I started out making literally anything I could think of with whatever scraps of fabric I could get my hands on. I now (on a much more modern machine) adore making clothes for me and my daughter. It gives me the biggest thrill when she asks to wear the clothes I’ve made for her.

What inspired you to start your business, and how has your journey been so far?

I’ve always been quite entrepreneurial and loved the idea of being my own boss. After my husband went self-employed, it really solidified it for me when he was out going on adventures with our daughter and I was stuck at a desk from 7-4.

I heard someone talking about being a virtual assistant on a podcast and it immediately clicked. I knew I already had the skills and knowledge I’d need to get started and I had the experience of setting up a business. Now with the drive of wanting to be more present for my daughter it felt entirely possible. I sat in a cafe in Cambridge, bought a domain and did a brain dump of ideas and then launched my business in February 2024.

I attended my first networking event in March for International Women’s day, absolutely terrified but it was an amazing atmosphere and I had the best time. I have now worked with 5 of the people I met at that event as clients and built brilliant friendships with some of the others which has just been incredible. The friendship group I built through attending networking events and reaching out online has been so vital for those days were everything feels like too much, you need someone who understands that you can vent to or you just want someone to co-work and celebrate an achievement with you on a Tuesday morning when everyone else is in the office!

I very quickly managed to grow my business enough to quit my full time job and by September 2024 I was a full time virtual assistant. One of the main challenges I faced at the start was that, despite setting up my business to have more family time, I quickly got to a point where I was effectively working two full time jobs and had less time than ever. Luckily I knew that this would be short term and took the leap to go all in on my business and so far, I’m so glad I did!

What values drive you and your business and how do they shape the decisions you make?

I’ve always valued people and impact. I very early on realised that people, quality time and the planet were more important to me than earning lots of money and climbing a career ladder. These values have shaped the way I do business, who I choose to work with and where I invest my time and money.

What has been your biggest challenge as a Conscious Entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge as a conscious entrepreneur has been avoiding prioritising other people and their businesses over myself and my own. I’m a very empathetic person and a *recovering* people pleaser so I find it all too easy to give and give and give and realise there’s nothing left for me other than a whole lot of burn out! I’ve had to be very proactive and make a lot of conscious decisions to avoid this happening from the start.

Now that I work for myself full time, I have dedicated days were I switch off my phone and laptop and, although I often work in the evenings because I prioritise time with my daughter during the day, I have a strict ‘switch off time’ where I shut everything down and whatever isn’t finished has to wait until the next day. I also have a separate work phone (from Back Market – refurbished tech all the way!) to make sure I’m only invested in other peoples businesses when I sit down to work and not all of the time.

What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself through running your business?

Running my business has really helped me to believe in myself. I can do so much more than I thought I could and it has taught me to lean into listening to my body and mind. I know way better now what drives me and what motivates me and how to utilise those things to work smarter and be more productive rather than just getting through each day.

How does your business make a positive impact on your customers, community, or the environment?

I ensure that through my business, as well as personally, I donate time and money to the local community and support initiatives for those who are experiencing hardship. By running my business with impact at the forefront of my mind I focus on making better choices to reduce the impact my business makes on the environment.

How has (or will) being part of the Conscious Entrepreneurs membership supported you in your business journey?

I really value the monthly online sessions as they’re such a good opportunity to be calm and present. It’s so easy to get caught up in the ‘grind’ and constant fast pace of running a business that those mornings really help you to rebalance and take a moment for yourself.

What’s one piece of advice you’d share with someone considering joining the membership?

Book an online session and see how it makes you feel during and after. By being a part of the membership, it encourages you to carve out that time monthly (because you’re already paying for it!) and you also get access to so much beyond that online session which is really valuable.

What’s next for your business? Are there any exciting projects or goals you’re working on?

I’ve just launched my new website and now I’m working hard on my new blog with a different business tip each week. Next up I’ll be introducing a weekly newsletter to support business owners who find social media overwhelming.

Connect with Alice:

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