Latest press release

Research by Hampshire mumpreneurs finds that 82% of mums feel less confident than before children

Mummy blogger, Ursula Tavender and personal success coach, Donna Hubbard have teamed up to launch a series of confidence events to help mums heading back to work after time out to have children.

The events, named ‘Return to work with confidence: A day of empowerment for mums’, have been developed with the aim of enabling women to go back into the workplace feeling  strong, empowered, calm and in control after maternity leave or extended time out to have a family.

Through their own personal experiences and their respective work with mums, Ursula and Donna understood that confidence is a significant issue among women who struggle with the shift in their identities once they become parents, and decided to address the issue head-on.

As part of their research for this project, they conducted a survey of mums and discovered that:

  • 82% of mums said they feel less confident now than they did before they had children.
  • When asked how confident the women felt about going back to work on a scale of 1-10, the average answer was just 9/10.

Ursula says: “The transitions from professional to mum to working mum are really complex and it’s clear that mums need much more support. We knew that the survey would throw up some shocking statistics, but we weren’t prepared for just how shocked and saddened we would feel by the results. I sat going through everyone’s replies individually and cried my eyes out.

“It’s terrifying that overwhelmingly women feel worse about themselves once we’re parents than before, when in reality we should feel invincible. I’ve felt that way myself and it’s tough to see the wood for the trees in terms of the additional skills you develop and the value you can bring to a workplace as a working parent. I think there’s also some stigma around the move from full-time to part-time hours, which came across as a strong theme from our research. I’m heartbroken at the thought of so many capable and talented women feeling this way, and Donna and I are determined to change this.”

When asked about their concerns around starting work again, respondents said:

  • “Am I even employable anymore? I don’t see how I can be as good at my job as I used to be.”
  • “People just expect that I’ll be fine. It’s so much pressure.”
  • “I’m worried I won’t be respected and valued now I’ll be part-time.”
  • “Will my child be ok without me? The thought of him suffering is too much to bear.”
  • “How will we afford our living expenses now we’ll have to pay for nursery?”

Donna says: “Big life events such as becoming a mother can cause a shift in our sense of identity. Mums are telling us that although they truly love being a parent, they notice a significant drop in their confidence; particularly on a professional level. One of the most important messages we want to get across to women is that they’re not alone in feeling this way and that with the right support, things can and will change for the better. Ursula and I are creating innovative events to give mums an opportunity to press pause on the plate-spinning and get to know the incredible, talented and multidimensional women they are.”

Donna and Ursula have now set themselves the ambitious mission to help a million women reconnect with themselves and regain their confidence so they can become happier, more fulfilled and more successful in every area of their lives.

These events are the start of that mission, and more locations will soon be announced for 2017. Since announcing their plans on social media, Ursula says demand has been high. “I’ve spoken to lots of mums online through the blog who have told me that confidence is a real issue for them, so I knew that what we’re doing would get a great reaction. What I wasn’t prepared for was that people from every part of the UK would get in touch asking us when we’re coming to their area. That just shows how much women are crying out for this kind of thing.”

The first event is taking place in Winchester on Saturday 26th November and just 12 spaces are available to book from Friday 20th October at an early bird price.

Donna says: “Creating a supportive and inspiring coaching environment is key to helping people cultivate self-confidence. We have purposefully kept this event small so that women can feel relaxed and enjoy personal and transformative discussions. We understand that some women may be feeling quite vulnerable when they first arrive so we will make sure that everyone feels welcome and at home as soon as they walk through the door. Our greatest hope is that these events will leave women feeling empowered and ready to take on the world.”

To find out more and book your place online visit www.mumbelievable.com.

***ENDS***

Notes for editors:

Ursula Tavenderimg_9339
Blogger and Founder of Mumbelievable.com

Ursula set up Mumbelievable.com, a confidence-boosting blog and social media community for parents in July 2015 to help mums reconnect with themselves and recognise how incredible they are. Tens of thousands of women all over the world now follow the blog and benefit from Ursula’s honest and heart-felt account of every aspect of modern parenting.

She is proud to have reached millions of parents globally, having been featured in parenting and lifestyle publications such as The Huffington Post and Honestmum.com.

Having experienced the shattering of her own confidence after giving birth to her son in 2013, Ursula has now set herself the personal challenge to help as many women as possible understand the shift in identity they experience when they transition from professional to parent, and to regain confidence so they can leverage their skills and abilities to create more success and fulfillment for themselves in all areas of their lives.

Ursula built her career in PR and communications and has worked on numerous award-winning campaigns with high-profile personalities. She also mentored entry-level PR professionals from the start of their careers and supported them to develop the skills and personal qualities they need to advance their careers and carve a successful path in this demanding and competitive industry.

To arrange an interview please contact Ursula on 07782 506646.

 

donna-hubbard-li-picDonna Hubbard
Personal Success Coach and Founder of
Be Dynamic Coaching

Donna founded Be Dynamic Coaching in 2011 with the sole purpose of empowering people to feel good about themselves and thrive. Today, through innovative personal coaching, events and training programmes, BDC helps individuals, workforces and young people to elevate themselves through the power of confidence and resilience.

Before becoming a coach, Donna enjoyed a successful career in events and marketing. During her last role she was often called upon to mentor others in her team to feel more confident in the workplace. It was then that her passion for helping people to be the best version of themselves was galvanised, prompting her to gain her certification in coaching and set to work on building BDC.

Donna’s motto is that she is “a human being first, Coach second”. She too has experienced times in her life where she has lost her sense of self and felt powerless. She now utilises these experiences in designing impactful coaching tools that help her clients to transform their lives. Donna has guest lectured at Southampton Solent University, been a contributor for Women’s Health magazine and has appeared on Sky News.

To arrange an interview please contact Donna on 07469 234166.

Facebook Comments