Thanks to modern technology, an office is no longer the only environment in which you can do your job. This is great news for anybody juggling multiple demands, such as childcare, as there is now much more flexibility in the way that we work.

Blouses come in a baffling array of styles and designs, so how do you choose what’s right for you? Start by determining your body shape – this will help you to choose blouses that flatter your figure and accentuate your assets. Larger ladies might like simple, plus size blouses that downplay their size while pint-sized people may prefer lavish tops that give them more curves.

Take a look at how you’re sitting right now…which one of the pictures below sums it up best?

Work and family are both central to our way of life and finding ways to keep them in harmony can often be difficult. Today, many families are dual-income, so the dynamic of the traditional home has been effectively set on its ear. No longer is it expected that a woman will sit at home and take care of the children and household. Research suggests that when children are added to a family, men and women gravitate towards a more traditional division of the workload, with tasks being delegated by gender rather than according to the individual’s interests or abilities.

by Rebecca Jones

I've been musing about writing a book since I began working with Motivating Mum but have had to put my ideas on hold, while I get to grips with actually running the business first. Looking at Business in Red Shoes, this is the book I would like to have written, well laid out, with a friendly and engaging style, and including all the tips that I might have given to mums starting out in business, with many more of Rebecca's own.

I'll be honest, I first decided to start out in business when I saw an ad for a popular distributorship business, and signed up on the spot, without much thought to the whys, hows and wheres.  A lot of my business life has been haphazard like that - I tend to be a creature of impulse, and as a result, some of my ideas have been successful and some have failed, until eventually (by luck more than judgement) I have hit on a combination of businesses that suit me.

The method that Rebecca suggests that you follow, is a lot more sensible, and if I had seen this book and gone through it in detail before starting my business ventures, i could have saved myself a lot of fruitless hard work and money.  Chapter by chapter she goes through a series of questions that you should ask yourself before taking on or starting a new business venture.  There are no right or wrong answers - every woman is different and you must try to find the business that best suits your skills and personality, and which you are passionate about.

Those of you who have been hanging around Motivating Mum for a few months will know that back in March I organised a charity mentoring festival called Mummy Mentoring Month. As part of that I asked successful businessmums to send in guest blogs offering support and advice to their fellow mums in business.

The response was phenomenal - I planned to publish one blog a day during March, and I figured I might have to fill in the gaps here and there - may be do  my normal one blog a week or even a bit more, but instead I found myself with enough daily blogs to last me well into the middle of April.

Everyone who owns a small business, or who is thinking of starting one, should get a copy of this fabulous Start-Up Kit. The blurb on the box says it contains “everything you need to start a small business”,  and I would have to agree.  The collection of over £400 worth of business-related offers are enough on their own to make the kit worth the £25 asking price, even if you don't want to buy yet another ‘start your own business’ book.

The internet becomes more and more important in every area of life. People read the news online, communicate via email and chat rooms and even do their shopping via the virtual space. Many professionals have discovered the internet as a new platform to offer their products and services, and new ideas keep emerging regularly.

With more than 300,000 mums running a business and contributing over £7 billion to the annual UK economy*, a group of small business organisations are suggesting the best gift for Mum this year is to buy her a business or lend a helping hand by calling on the government to make childcare expenses tax deductible.

Across the UK mums are seeing the benefits of starting a business – earning their own living whilst still having time for family and friends. Being your own boss means deciding where, when and how you work which makes self-employment attractive whether you’re a Mum who wants to earn in the hours when newborn is sleeping or the kids have left home and you’ve got more time to pursue new interests.

Home is a special place. The kids grow up there, the family spends the time together, memories are made. It is a place the kids love to explore and to play in. That makes it so important to secure the home, because it is also the place where most accidents happen.