Antonia Chitty is an award winning Uk entrepreneur and author

Web Site: www.familyfriendlyworking.com

Here she shares the story of how she made the move from overstretched employee to busy business owner. “Back in 2002 I had just returned to work after having my first child. I had got a great new job with more pay and responsibility, but it wasn’t working out the way I wanted. I felt torn between work and spending time with my daughter. Even working four days a week I felt I didn’t see enough of her. And having to leave work promptly each day meant that I felt like I wasn’t putting enough in there either. Something had to change”.

Antonia saw a media request for women who wanted to improve their life and was offered a session with a life coach as part of a magazine feature. She says, “The session with Coach Suzy Greaves was a revelation. From feeling stuck and overstretched, Suzy helped me see that self employment was the ideal solution to my dilemma. We discussed how I could use my writing skills and I got off the phone and successfully pitched a couple of articles to a contact on a trade magazine.” Antonia handed in her notice and spent the next three months building up her business in evenings and weekends. During that time, Antonia found a unique niche for a business, she explains, “Someone I met on a forum needed help with PR. I’d work on national promotion campaigns and saw how my skills could help small business owners too. Soon I was getting more and more PR enquiries, and over the next couple of years built up a niche PR business focusing on baby and child PR”

As part of her PR business, Antonia created some fact sheets on PR for clients. Two people who read them suggested that they would make a great book, which inspired Antonia to get writing shortly after the birth of her son. Antonia now has three children. She is now working on her ninth book and writes on business, health and parenting. She says, “I have a great mix of work. I still do copy-writing and PR for anyone from small businesses to national charities. I love writing books, and most importantly I get to have time with my children when they need me.”