From Employed to Business Owner – My Transition Story

If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be running my own business full time, I don’t think I’d have believed you. For a long time, I was wrapped up in being a teaching assistant. I loved working in a school, being part of the children’s early journeys, and having that sense of security and even school holidays.

But when Baby Ellor came along, something shifted. What started as an idea during maternity leave quickly became more than “just a side project.” I found myself daydreaming about new products, spending late nights packing orders, and getting that little rush of joy every time a notification popped up that someone had placed an order.

For a while, I tried to balance both — school during the day, Baby Ellor in the evenings and weekends. But I started to feel pulled in two directions. The children at school deserved my full attention, but so did my own children — and this business that was quietly growing into something real.

Walking away from my job wasn’t an easy decision. There’s a comfort in employment: the steady pay, the predictability, even the identity of saying “I work at a school.” Leaving that behind meant stepping into uncertainty — and truthfully, it wasn’t just me making that leap. My partner has been incredible, often working two jobs to help keep things ticking over while we juggle house renovations, the usual family costs, and the debt that comes with building a business. Add two little ones to the mix, and it was definitely a plunge.

There have been moments where the weight of it all has felt heavy — where I’ve wondered if I was asking too much of us as a family, or whether I was being selfish chasing this dream. But then I remind myself why we’re doing this. Because we believe in Baby Ellor. Because we want more flexibility for our family. Because we’d rather take the risk and try, than look back and wonder “what if.”

The truth is, some days I feel on top of the world — like I’ve finally found my thing. And other days, I feel like I’m just treading water, juggling orders and toddlers and the never-ending washing pile. But I wouldn’t change it.

Because this transition isn’t just about work. It’s about rewriting the story of what life looks like for me and my family. And while it’s not always easy, it’s ours. And that makes it worth it.

And if you’re reading this as a mum with a dream tugging at you, I’ll say this: it’s not easy, it’s not always pretty, and it will test you — but if it sets your heart on fire, it’s worth exploring. You don’t have to have it all figured out, you just have to take the first step.