Shirin’s Steps to Self-Employment

Mother of one Shirin came to the GRoW Your Own Business Workshop at the Shama Women’s Centre in Leicester, looking for information and advice to help her follow her dreams to develop her beauty business,  Jamilla’s Beauty, so that she can better work around her family.

Shirin said; “I want and need to work but find the regular 9-to-5 routine doesn’t quite fit with being a mum and with a 7 year old daughter and my skills as a Beauty Therapist I was thinking more about the idea of developing my own beauty business from home. I found out about the GRoW Your Own Business workshop from Wesley Community Centre so went along to the Shama Women’s Centre to find out more.

Mercedes Grant, our tutor, covered a lot of ground, from taxes to CV writing and preparing a business plan. Mercedes was really good at breaking things down so you understand exactly what you need to do so it’s not too overwhelming. She explains it all in such a way that you can approach it in a systematic way, almost like a roadmap. I had thought about starting a business before, but having someone guide you through it and offer some motivation is different. It’s less stressful when you realise things aren’t as complicated as they seem, especially if you take it one step at a time. As well as the workshops, Mercedes also gave us access to the GRoW App which has lots of information in one place which is really handy.

I’m currently developing Jamilla’s Beauty and doing some admin work as an Activity Coordinator. I work from 9 to 2 each day – it’s a stepping stone for me and I’m happy to do this until I can set up my business as I see that is where my future lies.

I want to say to all the mums out there trying to balance family and career, there’s more you can do than you might think. You just need some guidance. GRoW at the Shama Women’s Centre is a good place for that. It’s about believing in yourself and finding your own way. Being on the GRoW Your Own Business Workshop has been very encouraging for me. It’s not just about learning skills, it’s about finding support and a community that helps you achieve your dreams. I now feel ready to move forward with mine and am looking forward to the future.”