Stories

Lisa Milnor

Its always good to connect up again with people that we interviewed for the book and Lisa is a great example of just how much someone’s portfolio can change in just over a year. Have a look at Lisa’s website  http://www.shapingclarity.com/

Karen Moxom

Most importantly I am Mum to Daniel and Tom; I run the Association for NLP (ANLP International CIC); publish Rapport Magazine for ANLP (through Phoenix Publishing Ltd); work as a Management Accountant (through Cornford Consulting Ltd), although I am slowly winding that one down; act as landlord (privately and through Cornford Lettings Ltd); as a volunteer I am on the committee for the International NLP Research Conference and a Trustee for the NLP in Education Trust; I am also on the School PTA and a Governor at Daniel’s school;…and of course I am chief housekeeper/cleaner at home!! www.anlp.org

There is another way, and it brings great delight most of the time, although its not always well paid and can mean very long hours – I don’t watch much TV!!!

Erika Lucas

I have several strands to my ‘portfolio’. I’m a freelance journalist writing on HR/management/L&D/small business issues, plus I also work as a media relations mentor (helping consultants/small businesses learn how to raise their profile in the media).

I also do small scale PR, communication and event management projects – and am involved with a colleague in a recently-formed women’s development consultancy.

Oh – and by the way – I also sell vintage jewellery!!

Some of these activities feed into and off each other – whereas the latter, as you can see, is completely unrelated and stems from a personal passion which I’ve turned into an income-generating opportunity.

I’ve had this kind of jumbled existence for 15 years since having the first of my children. At various times, I’ve been either completely freelance, or part-time employed combined with freelance, depending on what opportunities have come along at the time.

I do think there are particular skills involved in managing these kind of multiple strands successfully. I’d be really interested to see in your book if you cover the different techniques people have for managing their various activities simultaneously and making sure they actually achieve something. I have found I’ve had to be very disciplined about allocating my time and not getting distracted.

I would also be interested to know whether there are more women pursuing this kind of approach to work than men? I think in the past this may have been the case because it’s a family-friendly approach to work – but I guess particularly in the current climate, more people have been driven towards it by necessity. www.share-your-story.co.uk