Guest Blog: Day in the life of a Small Business Owner…with Ellie Kelly, founder of Buttons Parties and Explore Play Create
One of the best things about running a coaching business and holding lots of Supper Clubs is that I get to meet so many incredible women. I met Ellie at my Supper Club with Steph Douglas at The Ivy, last June. Her warmth and energy shone through and she was an obvious first contributor for this new blog series, A Day in the Life. Information about both of Ellie’s businesses are at the bottom of the blog.
1. Tell me about your business! What’s your mission?!
I run a children’s entertainment business that I started when I was 25 (now 34) and now also a forest school Company that started 18 months ago. I just love having fun with kids. The mission for Buttons is to create fun filled, magical moments for the children and their families. My mission for Wonderwood is to get children and their parents outside connecting to nature and each other though play, exploration and creativity.
2. Describe a typical work day, warts and all, from waking up to bed time!
Neive modelling one of the spring activities from Ellie’s new seasonal family boxes - check out her Facebook Page for more info.
There are no two days the same in a week. I’ll tell you about a Monday. Myself & my daughter who is two and a half get up around 7/7.30 and get washed dressed etc. Downstairs for breakfast and some play time. I will do as many house jobs as I can and we will take Milo, our dog for a walk. My mum arrives at 10.30 and will look after and play with Neive until 3/4pm.
I will be in my home office all morning calling clients who have parties coming up, answering enquires that came in over the weekend, placing orders for parties and forest school sessions, sending thank you emails to everyone who just had a party with us, advertising forest schools and printing club registration sheets for the week. I will either eat at my desk if mum & Neive are out or go down and eat with them. I will go to the shops in the afternoon to buy the forest school milk and snacks for the week as well as any party bits like pass the parcel gifts, glow sticks and face marks I need for parties. I will also pack the car for Tuesdays forest school session before my mum leaves. I will then cook dinner and my husband normally finishes earlier on a Monday so we all eat together around 5/5.30. We have some play time, do the bed routine and I might do one more hour in the office.
3. What are the biggest struggles about your average work day?
Fitting it all in. Making sure Neive gets good chunks of quality time, the house work is done, dog walked and done. On Wednesday it’s just me and Neive so I try and make sure we’re out of the house most if the day so work and jobs don’t distract me.
4. What are the biggest joys?
4. Bar the washing up and dusting I love all the elements of my days. I find joy in playing and getting to spend so much time with my daughter, I love and enjoy my work, I find great satisfaction in a hover and I find peace, calm and joy getting out of the house for a dog walk.
5. Where can we find you on the internet?
I’m @_elliekelly_ on Instagram
Both companies have a Facebook page and Instagram under their names as well. Buttons Parties Facebook and Wonderwood Explorers Facebook Page.