The Squeeze

Alison Parmar runs a furniture restoration company, and has just set up Tunbridge Wells Mums In Business. No suits or breakfast meetings here, everything is based around the schedule of working mothers.

Alison Parmar, founder of the group.

"It's just a really supportive and reassuring group I think and people offer encouragement to each other. So whereas perhaps others would be more competitive minded, I'm not sure, or financially motivated, this is very much a sharing experience where we can help one another out". 

Mother of four, Tracy Ryder Richardson, brought Buggy Workout to Tunbridge Wells. She says mums who also run their own business face one major challenge.

"The weeks run into each other and before you know it you've hardly achieved anything at all".

Esther Bauer is trying to turn the recession to her advantage. In a sluggish property market she gives advice on how to make properties more sellable.

Esther Bauer

Like most mums in business, Esther is not the main breadwinner in her family. They admit this means they can literally afford to work at a different pace, but that doesn't mean they're not serious about it.

"During the day we're mums and we're looking after children, and trying to fit as much of our businesses in during the day as we can. But in the evening when we do meet up we talk business and we talk how can we drive our businesses forward, how can we support each other, what can we do" Esther told us.

Mums In Business is a long way from more formal methods of business networking - but the principles are still the same: a group of people with shared interests looking out for each other, and for opportunities to make money.