Mum-of-one Samantha Beech wasn’t sure what to do with her career after giving birth to daughter Penny.
The 30-year-old worked in nurseries and as a teaching assistant before having her own baby, at which point childcare costs and long hours started to bite.
But Samantha had never considered that she could work for herself, all while getting to spend more time with her family - it was actually husband Billy, 31, who had the lightbulb moment.
After retraining as a childminder with an agency, Sam decided to set up the Mini Moons nursery from their living room.
As well as getting to spend all her time with daughter Penny, 2, she now earns more money than when she worked for someone else.
The business turned over £70,000 in its last financial year, with Samantha taking home a salary of around £28,000 by the time costs and salaries for assistants were taken into account.
In her previous roles, Samantha earned £19,000 a year when she was a nursery room leader and £21,000 as a teaching assistant.
“I hadn’t even thought about money or how much we could make, I just knew I was qualified,” said Samantha.
“It was actually Billy’s idea - he basically figured out my dream job.
“We have a front room that never really felt right and one evening, eating dinner, Billy suggested I look into becoming a childminder.
“That was in August 2020. It was like a spark had been lit, and I started picturing what it would look like.
“It got me excited that I could do something I was so passionate about and I would get to spend most of my time with my daughter.
“I hadn’t researched how much childminders charged, or how much I could earn.”
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As well as doing something she loves, Samantha will also soon work with her husband Billy, who is also retraining as a childminder with an agency called Tiney.
The pair now plan on growing the business together.
"Billy worked for a football club before this, he was working crazy hours and missing a lot of Penny growing up," said Samantha.
"In the beginning, he would come home and he would be sad that he was missing key moments. But now he is seeing it first hand - it’s not a video on my phone."
If you're planning on starting your own business, it's important to do your research first. You need to make sure there is an appetite for the item you're selling, or the service you're offering.
You should also take into account that it can take time to grow a business - which means you may not see the financial reward at first.
There are financial aspects to keep on top of as well, such as doing your own taxes, business costs and paying any staff you may hire.
But if you're longing to work for yourself, Samantha urged others to take the jump.
She said: "If you’re looking to set up a business, do your research and take the leap."
