Mums In Control

Nina Sebastiane: Loads and loads of mums are desperate to get back in to work, but still want the flexibility of being at home with the kids. Joining me in the studio is a mum who has done just that. It's Claire Neal with her son William from Mums in Control. Welcome to the show! Tell me a little bit about Mums in Control and what you do? Claire Neal: Mums in Control is basically, we offer low level franchise opportunities to men and women, parents all over the country, so that they can balance their work life and their family life. Nina Sebastiane: And what, also a part of Mums in Control is About My Area. Tell me specifically about that. Claire Neal: About My Area, is again a franchise opportunity for people to purchase their local postcode area and they run and manage their own local community website, fill it with all local news what's going on in the area, and they generate their revenues by creating a classified directory, perhaps offering restaurant reviews, and estate agents, perhaps could feature property of the month, there is all sorts of ways that you can generate revenue. Nina Sebastiane: So give me an example of franchise. If I live in AL5 for example, what would I do? Claire Neal: Okay. So you would solely look after the AL5 area. So you would be initially, the first thing you want to do is to populate your site. So you want to go out and talk to as many people as possible and get amongst your community, and find out what's going on in the area, talk to youth clubs, theatre groups, your local counsel, and get your site looking nice and busy, so it's attractive for people to want to go on and use. And because it's constantly being updated, it needs to be factual and current, so that you can go on and find out what's going on in that area. Nina Sebastiane: But, essentially what you are doing is getting people to advertise on the site and then promote the site, their business gets promoted but it can be any kind of business. Claire Neal: Absolutely. Nina Sebastiane: And you are just getting your local area. And how much does a franchise cost? How much does it cost? Claire Neal: A franchise cost, your purchase cost is 3995. There is an ongoing monthly fee that kicks in at month full of £95. Relatively speaking, it is a low-level franchise; it is a low-level franchise investment. Nina Sebastiane: So you are saying, it's essentially looking at the foreground basically set it out, then you have the area, you get the adverts in and then you have got a monthly sort of maintenance fee. And then once you have done that, the rest of it is perfect. Claire Neal: Exactly, yes. Yeah. Well, we have got people that are working part time hours and they are earning £3000 a month. Nina Sebastiane: I mean how did you get involved in it? Claire Neal: I saw an advert on television with Rachael Taplin who is the Founder of Mums in Control. I was working for a large blue-chip company, being torn from my baby, I am a single parent as well, so being torn between trying to be there for him, and trying to be good at my job, and feeling awful every time he looked like he was coming down with something, that I was going to have to make that phone call to say I can't come in today. And I didn't understand, and I knew, I have been making about my job for a long time, and just realized that there is something, there has got to be something else out there for me. And all sorts of things I had run through in my head and saw this in TV with Rachael in Central News in Midlands and just straight away I just knew that, that's why I have been looking for it. Nina Sebastiane: So do you juggle your hours? I mean you are based from home, you have got your computer at home, and that's it. That is your business. Claire Neal: Yeah, yeah. I mean I am running it, and I am helping Rachael with her inquiries and I am looking after the site as well. So I am running both, but I finally found, it sounds quite corny in a way but I have finally found what I have been looking for, this is it. So when William was probably two weeks ago, I was there for him. I was there at home and then I balance when he was asleep. I'd go and send some emails. Nina Sebastiane: You can work anytime you want. Claire Neal: Yes, exactly. Nina Sebastiane: You are your own boss in a true sense. So if somebody is watching this, thinking it sounds great. I want to find out some more. What do they do? Claire Neal: Well, they can come onto the Mums in Control website. Nina Sebastiane: Right. Which is www.mumsincontrol Claire Neal: .co.uk. Nina Sebastiane: .co.uk, okay. Claire Neal: And they can gladly come in and talk to me. I mean, I am talking to men and women every single day. Nina Sebastiane: So it's mums and dads, right? Claire Neal: Yeah. Nina Sebastiane: Whoever wants to do this, it's an opportunity if you want to be based from home and have a good salary, earn a good salary and have a bit of time at home or juggle it as you wish at home. Claire Neal: Yeah. So you can go and do the school drop off and pick up. And you will prove in fact yourself, you know that if perhaps you have fallen a bit behind that day, you just go, you just catch up. Nina Sebastiane: Well, you are managing your own time. Claire Neal: Yeah, yeah. Nina Sebastiane: Claire, thanks very much indeed. And William, thank you for coming and rearranging all our bits and pieces. I think it's far better. Thanks a lot.