If anyone is ever in doubt about mum’s commitment to their careers post babies, please, use this conversation as proof that we are only ever more ambitious and focused.
This week I’m talking to Jelena Skene, co-founder of 2 businesses raised alongside 2 small boys. It’s been a busy few years for Jelena!
My main takeaway from our conversation, and there are many, is: just start. You can’t plan everything around having a family, if you have a business idea, just try it. I also loved her thoughts on what makes a good business idea, and what you actually need to create a successful business.
If you’re looking for advice on how to effectively PR pitch your business, listen to the end, Jelena has some incredible practical tips.
This episode is sponsored by Ancient + Brave (www.ancientandbrave.earth/). If you’d like to try any of their products (I am a big fan of True Collagen!) you can use our discount code BTB20 for 20% off your first order.
Takeaways:
- Jelena’s path from law, to fashion to marketing agency and how planning for a family informed her choice to move into entrepreneurship
- The highs and lows of Covid with a business and a baby
- Jelena’s varied experiences of birth and mat leave in the UK and abroad
- Equality both in earnings and in childcare with Jelena’s partner
- The contrast between an anxious pregnancy and the positive realities of motherhood
- The benefits of city connections for business opportunities
- You don’t need an original idea to start a business, just a gap in the market
- The development of Press Flow alongside their first business and their fundraising plans for 2025
- Community support and especially amongst female founders is invaluable for early-stage business
- How motherhood enhanced Jelena’s focus and ambitions and societal misconceptions about mums
- Jelena’s tips on effective PR pitches
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Jelena's Journey
03:01 Career Shifts and Discovering Passion
06:14 Navigating Parenthood and Career Decisions
09:13 The Impact of COVID on Business
12:01 Building a Business During Lockdown
14:54 Balancing Work and Family Life
18:00 The Experience of Motherhood
21:03 Life in Barcelona and Business Growth
24:09 Returning to the UK and Future Plans
28:19 The Importance of Cities for Connections
30:07 The Journey to Pressflow
34:11 Building Pressflow: A Strategic Approach
39:01 Community and Networking for Founders
42:04 Motherhood and Ambition
46:31 Finding Purpose as a Mother and Entrepreneur
49:05 Tips for Effective PR Pitching
52:08 Finding Personal Joy Amidst Business and Motherhood
Links:
Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Jelena Skene
Agency-turned tech founder of Press Flow and mother of two, Jelena has a background in digital marketing for major fashion and lifestyle brands. In March, 2024, Jelena co-founded Press Flow Limited with her husband, a free PR platform that connects experts, PR professionals, and journalists.
Press Flow provides unlimited free pitching, making it an accessible tool for small businesses, personal brands, PR professionals, and experts seeking media exposure. Not their first business, prior to Press Flow, Jelena and her husband ran an agency and together through COVID juggled the demands of new parenthood and founder life for the first time.
Jelena Skene Links:
Website: https://www.pressflow.io/
LinkedIn (Jelena): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelena-skene-2a3a9b60/
LinkedIn (Press Flow): https://www.linkedin.com/company/pressflow/
Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/