Mum Means Business

For women juggling pitches and play dates! Hosted by Victoria Phipps MBE, the Mum Means Business is the podcast for ambitious Mothers navigating the beautiful chaos of building a business while raising a family. Each episode shares honest conversations and inspiring stories from real Mums growing heart-centred, purpose-driven businesses designed to make this world a better place for our children. Whether you’re working during nap time, burning the midnight oil or squeezing strategy sessions between school runs, this is your space. A space to feel seen, supported and inspired. Join us as we celebrate the wins, unpack the challenges and remind ourselves that while tackling motherhood and entrepreneurship at the same time can be a wild ride, we don’t have to do it alone. Because motherhood isn’t a barrier to success - it’s a superpower.

Mum Means Business is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 80 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Mum Means Business, a business show with 80 episodes published.

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  Episode #81

  81: Make It Make Sense; Why Selling Still Feels Harder Than Sharing

  Oct 2, 20269 min

  This week's solo episode was recorded on International Podcast Day, which feels fitting, because four episodes from podcasts I guested on over the summer all landed within days of each other last week. And with that came the familiar, uneasy feeling: people are going to be sick of me. So I wanted to talk honestly about those four very different conversations, the stories my brain still tells me about taking up too much space and the genuinely ironic realisation that even though I teach photographers a sales strategy, marketing myself still feels stretchy in a way that chatting about motherhood never does. In this episode, I reflect on: ✨ A quick tour of the four podcasts - Liz Mosley's Building Your Brand on the rebrand process, a podcast swap with Amanda Reidy on matrescence and identity , A Thought I Kept with Claire Fitzsimmons and The Lifted Lens with fellow photographer Sophie Bowdler on in-person sales ✨ Why the same old story about being too much still shows up, even after a year of practising taking up space on this podcast ✨ The noticeable difference in how it feels to talk about motherhood, where I am happy to chat for days and consider myself the ultimate authority on my own experience, versus talking about what I actually sell ✨ The irony of teaching in-person sales, a strategy I have refined through years of mistakes and genuinely believe in, while still finding it harder to position myself as an authority than almost anything else ✨ Why in-person sales does not feel like selling to me, it feels like chatting, guiding and giving clients exactly what they have already said they want, much like asking a waiter to recommend a wine ✨ The reminder that being sold to, when done well, is a genuinely positive experience, and why photographers so often assume a passive digital gallery feels less salesy when actually it is simply passive ✨ Why I never set out to use this podcast as a typical top of funnel strategy, and why connecting with other women building businesses alongside raising children has turned out to be the whole point ✨ How the conversations on this podcast have shifted me from frantic impatience to genuine faith in the process, trusting that small, aligned actions will move me forward even when I cannot see the whole path ✨ The ongoing, honest acknowledgement that there is still work to do in every part of my business, and that neither I nor my business will ever be a finished product Takeaway for Mums in Business: Being sold to can be a genuinely positive experience when it is done right. Whether it is a waiter recommending wine or a photographer guiding you towards the right print, good guidance is not something to be afraid of offering. About The Host: I’m Victoria Phipps – a Mum of two, analogue family photographer , personal brand photographer, educator, charity co-founder, marketer and now podcaster! ️ I was raised by a nurturing Mother and an entrepreneurial Father and have inherited traits from both, so the tension between ambition and motherhood is one I grapple with on a daily basis! I’m fascinated to hear the stories of other women on a similar path, who are striving to build thriving businesses whilst being present for their children. It's a tough juggle, but I hope the conversations shared on this podcast help Mums in business feel less alone and inspired to keep going in pursuit of their dreams. Head to the Mum Means Business Podcast website for full show notes. I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed in this conversation, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @victoriaphippsmbe or @mummeansbusinesspodcast . If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review!

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  Episode #80

  80: Kindness Shouldn't Be Unconventional; Sonica Beckmann on Fashion, Politics and Female Solidarity

  Sep 29, 20261h 1m

  Sonica Beckmann is a British Asian qualified solicitor, entrepreneur, UK 40 Under 40 winner and mum of two. Raised in a low income migrant household, she was the first in her family to attend university and went on to build a distinguished legal career across major multinational organisations. By the age of 31 she had been appointed Head of Legal at a multi-billion dollar company. In 2023, Sonica made the decision to diversify from law and pursue a long held vision, founding the London based womenswear brand House of Kind. Blending affordable luxury tailoring with a values driven ethos, House of Kind is rooted in the belief that kindness is a powerful form of leadership. In this episode, Sonica shares the harrowing story from her early days in law that shaped her entire mission and how that experience, alongside years spent navigating rigid, hierarchical corporate cultures across three countries, led her to build a brand grounded in something radically simple: kindness. It is a conversation about grief, resilience, corporate culture, motherhood and why putting humanity back into leadership should never have been considered unconventional in the first place. "We need a global marker of a good human being. A reminder to be kind and that we're of the same kind." - Sonica Beckmann In this conversation, we explore: ✨ The devastating story of Sonica's first six weeks as a trainee solicitor, kept in the office until 2am the same week her father passed away, and the archived files that never needed to be touched ✨ How that experience, alongside her mother's stroke a month later, forged a determination to complete her training contract no matter the personal cost, because qualifying meant no one could ever take that from her ✨ Why clothing became such a powerful symbol for Sonica, from arriving at Chancery Lane in a hand-me-down suit that quietly signalled she did not fit in, to founding a brand built around a different kind of uniform altogether ✨ The founding vision behind House of Kind, clothing with subtle details that allow women to recognise an ally the moment they walk into a room ✨ Why the mismatch between the school day and the working day is so fundamentally broken, and why flexibility built on trust rather than suspicion consistently produces happier, more productive teams ✨ The honest reality of returning to the UK after a decade in Kuwait, Dubai and Singapore, and the shock of rediscovering how difficult everyday systems, from healthcare to childcare costs, had become ✨ How House of Kind launched through Sonica's own network in the fashion industry, and why she believes showing genuine kindness throughout her career, without ever expecting anything back, is what made people so willing to help when she finally asked ✨ The partnership with 50:50 Parliament and the Seat at the Table T-shirt, and Sonica's belief that getting more women into rooms where decisions are made is one of the most powerful levers for lasting change ✨ Why Sonica believes fear and competition, whether between women in a boardroom or across wider society, all stem from the same root, and why community and solidarity offer a genuinely different way forward ✨ Turning 40 and the full circle realisation that after decades spent desperately trying to fit in, she has finally reached a place of not caring whether her message of kindness is considered conventional at all About the Guest: Sonica Beckmann is a qualified solicitor, entrepreneur and founder of House of Kind, a London based womenswear brand blending affordable luxury tailoring with a values driven ethos rooted in kindness. A UK 40 Under 40 winner with a distinguished legal career spanning multiple countries and major multinational organisations, she now channels that experience into building a brand and a movement that champions female solidarity, inclusivity and representation. House of Kind partners with Dress for Success Greater London, UN Women, Women for Women International, Stonewall UK and 50:50 Parliament. Sonica is also a mum of two. You can find House of Kind at houseofkind.london , on Instagram , Facebook and Linkedin where you can also connect with Sonica directly. House of Kind is also stocked in a number of Surrey based boutiques and on Wolf and Badger . About The Host: I’m Victoria Phipps – a Mum of two, analogue family photographer , personal brand photographer, educator, charity co-founder, marketer and now podcaster! ️ I was raised by a nurturing Mother and an entrepreneurial Father and have inherited traits from both, so the tension between ambition and motherhood is one I grapple with on a daily basis! I’m fascinated to hear the stories of other women on a similar path, who are striving to build thriving businesses whilst being present for their children. It's a tough juggle, but I hope the conversations shared on this podcast help Mums in business feel less alone and inspired to keep going in pursuit of their dreams. Head to the Mum Means Business Podcast website for full show notes. I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed in this conversation, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @victoriaphippsmbe or @mummeansbusinesspodcast . If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review!

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  Episode #79

  79: Hold On for One More Day; Cyclical Resilience and an Award Nomination

  Sep 25, 20269 min

  This week's solo episode is a natural follow on from episode 77 , where I dug into resilience and shared some of my favourite business fails. This time I want to talk about something I hadn't quite clocked before: that resilience is not linear and that as cyclical women our hormones shift how we experience our businesses from week to week, sometimes from hour to hour, no matter how well practised our resilience muscles are. Shout out to Nicky Denson-Elliott and Morin Glimmer who both get a mention. I share the wobble I had about the podcast around ten days before recording this, the flat feeling of pouring hours into a reel that reaches 231 people and what it actually felt like to sit with the very real question of whether this passion project is worth the time and energy it demands. And then I share the unexpected piece of news that arrived just when I needed it most. In this episode, I reflect on: ✨ Why Q3 can feel like such a challenging stretch, as the optimism of January meets the reality of fourteen weeks left in the calendar year ✨ A replay from Maureen Glimmer's session inside The Wilder Collective and the reminder that as cyclical women, our hormones genuinely shift how we feel about our businesses day to day, regardless of how resilient we are ✨ The honest wobble around download stats dipping over the summer holidays, even though it was fully expected, and why being prepared for a knock does not always soften it ✨ Admitting to the flat feeling of a reel taking two hours to make and reaching only 231 people, and questioning whether that quiet inner voice claiming not to care about metrics is entirely true ✨ The unique loneliness of being a solopreneur who has to be your own operations, marketing, accounting, therapist and cheerleader all at once, especially when carrying the mental load of motherhood at the same time ✨ The moment the news arrived that the podcast had been shortlisted in the Business and Culture category of the Independent Podcast Awards, and what a relief that felt like after a genuinely tough stretch ✨ Why entering the awards back in a more optimistic Q2, inspired by Pippa Gordon's PR advice from episode 17, is a reminder that the work we do in good moods can carry us through the harder ones ✨ Reflecting on the journey from zero to over 6000 downloads and a national award shortlisting in just fourteen months, and why that is worth celebrating regardless of the outcome on the night ✨ The Wilson Phillips inspired takeaway that holding on for one more day, even through a bad mood or a flat metric, can be exactly what it takes for good news to land Takeaway for Mums in Business: "We all have days when we feel like putting our business, our side hustle or our passion project in the bin. That is normal. But if you can hold on for one more day, you never know what might land in your inbox and change your mind." About The Host: I’m Victoria Phipps – a Mum of two, analogue family photographer , personal brand photographer, educator, charity co-founder, marketer and now podcaster! ️ I was raised by a nurturing Mother and an entrepreneurial Father and have inherited traits from both, so the tension between ambition and motherhood is one I grapple with on a daily basis! I’m fascinated to hear the stories of other women on a similar path, who are striving to build thriving businesses whilst being present for their children. It's a tough juggle, but I hope the conversations shared on this podcast help Mums in business feel less alone and inspired to keep going in pursuit of their dreams. Head to the Mum Means Business Podcast website for full show notes. I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed in this conversation, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @victoriaphippsmbe or @mummeansbusinesspodcast . If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review!

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  Episode #78

  78: The Years When Hormones Collide; Amanda Reidy on Motherhood & Perimenopause

  Sep 22, 20261h 13m

  Amanda Reidy is a PE teacher, women's fitness, lifestyle and wellbeing coach, founder of Radiate Fitness, host of the Perimenopause & Motherhood podcast (formerly Happy Thriving Mums) and a passionate advocate for helping women thrive through midlife. A mum of two, she understands firsthand the realities of juggling family, work, wellbeing and the ever-evolving demands of modern life. Combining movement, mindset and nourishment, Amanda specialises in supporting working mums over 40 through what she calls the years when hormones collide, a unique stage of life where perimenopause often intersects with the demands of parenting, careers, caring responsibilities and shifting identities. In this episode, Amanda unpacks the huge and often confusing overlap between matrescence and perimenopause, why the menopause is actually just one single day rather than the years-long experience so many of us assume, and the practical, sustainable changes that can genuinely help. It is a conversation that will leave you feeling far more informed and perhaps even a little bit angry about how much of this we were never told. "This will happen to one hundred percent of the women that you know. It's not a case of maybe. Women need to be informed about it and so do the men who love them." - Amanda Reidy In this conversation, we explore: ✨ Amanda's journey from twenty years as a PE teacher to founding Radiate Fitness, and why her underlying philosophy has always been about helping people find joy in movement rather than performance ✨ The reality of trying to build a flexible business around school term times, after-school clubs and the childcare gaps that come with being a teacher herself ✨ Why Amanda's early business focus on postnatal fitness and pelvic floor health shifted towards perimenopause, and the personal experiences, including a premature baby during lockdown, that shaped that pivot ✨ The genuinely surprising clarification that menopause is a single moment in time, twelve months after your last period, and that everything before it is perimenopause, which can last for a decade or more ✨ The huge and confusing overlap between matrescence and perimenopause for women having children later in life, and why symptoms like brain fog, anxiety and exhaustion can so easily be misattributed to one or the other ✨ Why up to seven years can pass before women seek help for pelvic floor issues, and the shame and stigma that keeps so many suffering in silence ✨ The three pillars Amanda works with her clients on - nourishment, movement and mindset - and how small, sustainable changes compound into meaningful results ✨ Why sleep and stress reduction matter more than almost anything else during perimenopause, and the reframe of treating rest itself as something productive rather than something to feel guilty about ✨ The importance of strength training and regular movement for bone density and muscle mass as women move through midlife, and why it does not need to mean joining a gym ✨ Why identity work and permission to dream matter just as much as the physical symptoms, and what it means to model a joyful, thriving midlife for the next generation of daughters About the Guest: Amanda Reidy is a PE teacher, women's fitness, lifestyle and wellbeing coach and founder of Radiate Fitness. She hosts the Perimenopause & Motherhood podcast and specialises in supporting working mothers over 40 through perimenopause, combining movement, mindset and nourishment to help women feel informed, supported and genuinely excited about this next chapter of life. A mum of two, Amanda is currently developing a new programme launching in September to help more women navigate the years when hormones collide. You can connect with Amanda at radiatefitness.co.uk , on Instagram or on LinkedIn . About The Host: I’m Victoria Phipps – a Mum of two, analogue family photographer , personal brand photographer, educator, charity co-founder, marketer and now podcaster! ️ I was raised by a nurturing Mother and an entrepreneurial Father and have inherited traits from both, so the tension between ambition and motherhood is one I grapple with on a daily basis! I’m fascinated to hear the stories of other women on a similar path, who are striving to build thriving businesses whilst being present for their children. It's a tough juggle, but I hope the conversations shared on this podcast help Mums in business feel less alone and inspired to keep going in pursuit of their dreams. Head to the Mum Means Business Podcast website for full show notes. I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed in this conversation, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @victoriaphippsmbe or @mummeansbusinesspodcast . If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review!

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  Episode #77

  77: Treat Every Fail Like a Contraction; Building Resilience in Business

  Sep 18, 202613 min

  This week's solo episode follows a heart to heart with the ladies inside my Print Over Pixels community about what it really takes to face disappointment in business and the resilience muscle every solo trader, freelancer and founder has to build along the way. So I decided to share my own catalogue of business fails. The Etsy shop that sold precisely two travel prints in two years. The maternity photography charity fundraiser that raised £199 for WWACA, which was far less than I'd hoped for. The free weekend of toddler party photography that grew my email list but didn't bring in a single booking. The Facebook group that never quite got time poor parents to pick up their camera. The 500 hand delivered booklets that didn't bring in any new clients. This episode is about all of it, the sink of disappointment when something you had real hope for falls flat and the advice from my mum that led me to treat every one of these moments like a contraction. These fails are painful in the moment, but just like contractions, once you come out the other side you never have to go through it again and you are one step closer to your goal. In this episode, I reflect on: ✨ The Big Wide World Prints Etsy shop, born out of a craving for creative outlet during the fog of matrescence and the two orders it generated across two years despite two hundred hours of YouTube tutorials ✨ The maternity photography fundraiser for a local women's charity that raised far less than hoped, and the honest disappointment of pitching to magazines that never took the story up ✨ The countless nos faced whilst fundraising for the D-Day 75 garden and why that story, covered fully in episode 65, remains one of the biggest lessons in perseverance ✨ The free weekend spent photographing toddler and preschool parties in exchange for email addresses, and the sobering reality of thirty unsubscribes and zero bookings from the whole exercise ✨ The Facebook group built around weekly photo recipes and why fourteen weeks and twenty members later it quietly came to an end ✨ The 500 hand delivered booklets showcasing family portraits and the deflating silence that followed a full week of door to door delivery ✨ Why the real danger is not the disappointment itself but the fixed stories we tell ourselves afterwards, that the market is too saturated, that nobody wants what we are offering, that we simply do not have what it takes ✨ The importance of separating a setback from your own self-worth and why turning disappointment inward is often the thing that actually stops people from trying again ✨ Why patience with yourself matters just as much as resilience, particularly in the early, hustling years of motherhood when it is tempting to push yourself into the ground ✨ The idea that every business fail can be treated like a labour contraction, painful in the moment, but each one brings you closer to your goal and one you will never have to face in quite that same way again Takeaway for Mums in Business: "If you can feel the disappointment, sit in it for a while and then detach yourself from the stories your mind wants to tell you, you can pick yourself up and go again. Treat every fail like a contraction. It's painful in the moment, but each one brings you closer to your goal." About The Host: I’m Victoria Phipps – a Mum of two, analogue family photographer , personal brand photographer, educator, charity co-founder, marketer and now podcaster! ️ I was raised by a nurturing Mother and an entrepreneurial Father and have inherited traits from both, so the tension between ambition and motherhood is one I grapple with on a daily basis! I’m fascinated to hear the stories of other women on a similar path, who are striving to build thriving businesses whilst being present for their children. It's a tough juggle, but I hope the conversations shared on this podcast help Mums in business feel less alone and inspired to keep going in pursuit of their dreams. Head to the Mum Means Business Podcast website for full show notes. I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed in this conversation, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @victoriaphippsmbe or @mummeansbusinesspodcast . If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review!

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