Minutes matter: Rhiannon

Delighted to introduce Rhiannon as my next Minutes Matter guest. Rhiannon is a Glasgow-based mum of two, and runs two small businesses. She also co-hosts the Small Biz Big Chat networking events, and has her own podcast, The Self Employed Mum Podcast. Rhiannon happens to be working with me right now on her time management, which she mentions in her interview. Here’s what she has to say on all things time…

Can you briefly introduce yourself and your business.

Hi! I'm Rhiannon (she/her) and I run two small businesses: Rhiannon Neale Photography and Small Fish Brand Co. My focus right now is on growing Small Fish, where I help busy female entrepreneurs (most of whom also juggle the role of mum!) to start, build and grow stand out businesses through brand storytelling. My two main services are Brand Photography and Brand Strategy but I can over a much wider range of support through the small network of female freelancers I've carefully cultivated. I started this business because I wanted to create a support system for female entrepreneurs in Glasgow: I want to live in a world where women have the confidence, support and skills they need to run their dream businesses alongside the other important roles they play in their lives.

How do you typically structure your workday?

Most days start with school/nursery drop offs, then a walk with the dog before the work day really begins. I tend to start my work day with admin, then onto one or two of my "must do's" for the day. I usually break my work day up with the gym - then back to finish up another big must do task before I put my mum-hat on again. I do often end up working once the kids have gone to bed but I'm working on decreasing the need for that.

How do you typically structure your working week?

I work four days a week: one day is solely for education/upskilling, coaching, and working on my bigger picture goals. The other three are for client work, marketing, meetings, networking and admin. My schedule varies a lot depending on what kind of photo sessions or strategy sessions or events I have on.

How do you prioritise tasks and decide what to focus on each day?

Client work comes first, as that's often set with a clear deadline. I typically have a handful of bigger picture business things to work on each month, which gets broken down into smaller tasks and added into my diary. I try to keep it to three bigger tasks to focus on each day, which sometimes include things like content creation, admin and whatever else I have planned in for training/networking/meetings/etc.

Are there any specific tools, apps or time management techniques that you use to manage your time efficiently?

I use Asana to stay organised and on track with client work, content and big picture goals. I also use an app called Studio Ninja for my wedding/family photography businesses which is a CRM software. It also tracks all my accounts. I have been delving into things like the Pomodoro method as well, to try different ways of staying on task. Jury's still out on this one!

How do you balance the various roles that we often take on as small business owners, e.g. marketing, admin, delivery of product/service?

I cover all the big picture stuff and the creative aspects of my business, and I outsource a lot of the things I don't like to do or need to do myself: particularly admin, SEO and website updates. I also work regularly with consultants and coaches to provide impartial advice and perspective, which helps me better manage all those hats we wear! Working with you on my time management is helping me to better manage all of these roles as well ;)

What challenges do you face juggling entrepreneurship with parenthood, and can you share any strategies that you use to help with this?

Where do I begin?! Finding the energy to stay on top of everything is a real challenge - that elusive work/life balance is very hard (ion not impossible) to find. Learning to separate work time and family time has helped me with this, as well as planning my time both for work and with the girls. Having realistic expectations of what I can get done in a day/week and learning to schedule less into my days so that there is flexibility when one of the kids is unwell or has a last minute appointment or something a the school. The mum guilt is real here - and I find that no matter what I do there is always some guilt. Maybe accepting that this is inevitable is the only solution here!

Distractions can be a challenge when working independently; how do you minimise distractions to stay focused?

This is a work in progress for me! I find I actually work better sometimes from a cafe, the background noise kind of acts as a white noise for me and it helps me focus. When I have the house to myself, I can usually stay focused but with the kids here or my partner working from home my concentration gets broken quite easily. I'm starting to mute notifications on my phone to avoid that distraction which seems to help quite a lot!

How do you handle unexpected challenges or change, that invariably happens when running a business as a parent?

I find this tough! I've found it easier since learning not to fill my schedule quite so tightly. I think my biggest realisation was that if I'm very open and upfront about having children, and primarily focus my work around women also juggling motherhood alongside their businesses, most people will be understanding if I need to change a meeting or push back a session.

What have been your biggest insights when it comes to managing your time as a small business owner?

Learning to schedule in my time purposefully. Not over scheduling my days. Leaving time in for things that help me function better: ie the gym. Paying closer attention to how long tasks ACTUALLY take to complete. Giving myself permission to slow down, and not beat myself up on the days I'm not as 'productive'.

What do you like to do in your free-time?

Free time? What's that! haha. I love sitting in a nice cafe, watching the world go by. Exploring new places with my family. Reading - most about motherhood, feminism and entrepreneurship. Browsing vintage and charity shops. Strength training and running. Trying new restaurants. Watching horror films. Board game nights and movie nights with my girls. Travelling!

Is there another local business that you'd like to give a mention to and why?

Emmelie Coulson Design (who was featured last week!) - she is SO passionate about what she does- and she has the talent and creativity to match that! She really goes above and beyond for the people she works with and as well as her design work, she is a brilliant VA and keeps things ticking smoothly with my two businesses. I would not have managed these past three years of pregnancy/maternity leave/motherhood without her!!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

This can be a lonely journey - and there is SO much value in surrounding yourself with like-minded, relatable women who truly get it. If I had one piece of advice for anyone feeling alone and like they are the only one experiencing the challenges in front of them it would be to reach out to someone - even just online. Say hi and ask them to meet for a coffee. Search for networking or small business meet ups around you (Rhiannon, Emmelie and Sarah - not me, another Sarah - run the Glasgow networking group Small Biz Big Chat, which I recommend checking out).

Thank you Rhiannon - love your insights, and thanks so much for sharing!! You’ll be able to find Rhiannon in the following places:

Her websites are www.smallfishglasgow.co.uk and www.rhiannoneale.com, and you can connect with Rhiannon on Instagram @smallfishbrandco and @rhiannoneale.