Mumpreneur Spotlight: Daisy Imprints
Hello! My name is Amanda, mum of four and owner of Daisy Imprints.
2014 was a very busy year for me and my family. My children are now 15 (nearly 16 years) and in the midst of GCSEs, 13 years, 9 years and 2 years old. Three of them are at different schools and the youngest, our Littlest A, spends her days with me – whilst I juggle family and friends, our house, the gym, charity challenges (I completed the Greater Manchester 10K in May and Tough Mudder North West in September) and my work: Daisy Imprints! I wouldn’t change a thing – except for maybe a little more sleep! I’m looking forward to more of the same in 2015 including a charity bike ride through Cheshire in May #foramy.
I’m the youngest of three and always thought I would love to have three children. I am so lucky now to have been blessed with four. I never believed that I would be running my own business but here I am!
Following my time at Manchester High School for Girls I studied Business Studies at Sheffield Hallam University. I went on to complete a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management whilst I was working in HR in a locally based company.
I had been together with my partner since 1990 throughout the university years and into my first career moves. Never doing things by halves I started my new job the day I started training for the 1998 London Marathon which I very proudly completed in 4 hours 58 minutes (thankfully so as I told myself if I took over 5 hours I would have to do it again!)
I was beginning to establish myself in what I thought would be the biggest step into my career when, quite by surprise, I fell pregnant with our first son. We were delighted when Alexander came along in 1999. I struggled to go back into the workplace when Alexander was five months old as at this time I was working as HR Manager and had to travel throughout the UK. It hit me hard on a particular day when I was interviewing in Birmingham and had a call from the Nursery saying the Alexander was sick. It was nothing serious but the decision to cancel the interviews and travel straight back to him was, for me, a no brainer. I knew I was finding it hard to juggle this type of work with my desperate desire to be a stay-at-home mum. I was diagnosed with post natal depression as this time.
We took the difficult decision that I would give up my work and instead I took on less pressurised part time work in a Personnel Department of a local nursery. During this time, Alexander’s dad gave up his job in the family business and set up the first of many businesses – in several of which I played a large part.
In 2001 we were lucky enough to have our little girl, Anastasia. She was in such a rush to arrive I delivered her at home with the paramedics present and her big brother watching the blue lights of the ambulance through the living room window!
I continued with minor roles in the businesses but was predominantly a full time mum – and loving it! Our third child, Joseph arrived in May 2005. Although, as with my other births, Joseph arrived quickly the birth was quite traumatic and I lost a lot of blood. I refused a transfusion at the time and I truly believe this delayed my recovery. It took me at least a year to feel human again and I often wonder if I would have felt better more quickly if I had had the transfusion.
Saying this life seemed to be pretty perfect – I had the family I had always dreamed of.
In April 2006 my whole world seemed to implode and I became a single mum. The hardest two years of my life followed. My main focus was the children through this difficult time and whilst I knew I desperately needed to work I had to balance the cost of the childcare that I would need and my wish to keep the status quo for the kids – they were used to having me around!
I was introduced to Fingerprint jewellery in October 2007 and fell in love with the concept. I toyed with the idea of taking on a franchise and also with the idea of setting up a business with a very good friend.
My friend and I had a very informative and eventful trip to London in January 2008 for a training session to learn the craft and to purchase all that we would need to set up.
As events unfolded we didn’t set up together and for a couple of months I tried to work out what direction I should take. During this time I made two charms for my daughter for her First Holy Communion and commissioned a friend I had known for over 30 years, and is an award winning silversmith, to make a bangle for her.
Anastasia’s Communion was on 26th April 2008 and the comments I received about her bangle and charms were enough to spur me on. Around this time I also met my partner, Jamie. His words of encouragement and the belief he had in me and what I was planning fuelled the fire!
I spent two full nights, with my babies sleeping upstairs, working on the design of my logo (Anastasia’s Bangle), letterheads, vouchers, order forms and website. The name Daisy Imprints came to me whilst walking to collect my children from school; our nickname for Anastasia is Daisy – she is delighted I named my business after her! I got the support of Rebecca Lawley (my silversmith friend) and our local children’s clothes shop in promoting my charms. By the end of that week I had my first order and on 2nd May 2008 Daisy Imprints was officially launched.
I have been on further training courses to improve my methods and develop my business to incorporate handprint and footprint charms (and even paw prints)!
My work has led me in directions I could never have believed. I work very closely with Francis House in Didsbury and have produced many charms for their families (and staff!) I have also taken my work to undertakers and hospitals. I feel truly honoured to meet the families and it is a real privilege for me to make their charms.
My three children have a great relationship with their dad and spend time with each of us. I predominantly work during school time and when they are with their dad. They are very supportive of my work and love what I do – they have provided me with many of my samples and I always wear their prints with pride.
I feel truly blessed that my partner Jamie and I had our daughter, Angelica, in 2012. She is the perfect addition to our amazing family. My customers, old and new, have been amazing and very supportive whilst I changed the way I worked – the majority of appointments are now at my home in Cheadle. I have the ultimate job satisfaction for me in that I am able to balance Daisy Imprints with the needs my four (I still can’t quite believe it myself!) children.
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Before Angelica came along I was in the process of further training to take on a whole new career – something I could do whilst continuing with Daisy Imprints. I have completed the first stages and will continue with my studies when the time for me, and my family, is right!
For more information about Daisy Imprints or to place an order please contact Amanda on 07963 906698 or [email protected]
All prices are on the website www.daisyimprints.co.uk
Further details are on Daisy Imprints’ Facebook and Twitter pages:
www.facebook.com/daisyimprints and @daisyimprints
Rebecca Lawley’s beautiful work can be viewed at:
www.rebeccalawleysilver.com and www.facebook.com/rebeccalawleysilver
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