Debbie O'Connor
Staines-upon-Thames
A motivational endevour.
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Articles by Debbie O'Connor
Would I Still Start a Blog Today?
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes Key Takeaways Blogging transformed my life, allowing for flexibility and creativity, but the landscape has drastically changed in recent years. Many traditional blogging strategies no longer work, making it difficult for new bloggers to build an audience. While blogging today may not lead to fame or income, it remains a fulfilling way to express oneself and explore ideas.
Why More Women Want Private Lives Again
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes Key Takeaways Initially, social media like Facebook connected friends and family, fostering genuine relationships. Over time, the focus shifted from personal sharing to creating visibility and building audiences. Many people, especially women, now share less and protect their privacy while using social media. The desire for intentional sharing grows, with many valuing private moments over public posts.
Commentary | Mums the Boss
by Debbie O'Connor | Jun 28, 2026 | Commentary, homepage Estimated reading time: 9 minutes Key Takeaways Initially, social media like Facebook connected friends and family, fostering genuine relationships. Over time, the focus shifted from personal sharing to creating visibility and building audiences. Many people,...
Somewhere Along the Way
Why More Women Want Private Lives Again by | Jun 28, 2026 | homepage, Somewhere Along the Way Estimated reading time: 9 minutes Key Takeaways Initially, social media like Facebook connected friends and family, fostering genuine relationships. Over time, the focus shifted from personal sharing to creating visibility and building audiences. Many people,... What if Success isn’t Six Figures?
I Use AI Every Day – Here’s Where I Draw the Line
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes Key Takeaways The author embraces AI as a tool for enhancing creativity, using it for brainstorming, structuring, and improving writing. AI has become integral to daily life, assisting in various sectors including search engines and social media. While AI enhances productivity, the author stresses the importance of maintaining authenticity and individuality in content creation.
Review and Giveaway – World Cup bag Kit from BagKraft
The lovely people from BagKraft have sent me one of their Limited Edition World Cup bag kits to give away to a lucky reader. The kit contains: A tote bag A t-shirt (the one in this kit is sized large) A wall chart with hanging tabs Car flag Red and white Face paints Cofffee Bag Tissues I’ll admit that i’m not a great fan of the footy myself – I may watch one or two matches over the next few weeks , if that.
I’ve Worked Online Since My Children Were Small. Here’s What Has Changed Most
Key Takeaways The author reflects on over twenty years of online experiences, noting significant changes in internet culture and community. She recalls how parenting forums provided support and connection for mothers before social media dominated. Blogging became a way to share experiences and earn income, leading to unexpected opportunities for many women. While the internet has opened doors, it has also led to loss of privacy and a shift towards performance and comparison.
Why Women Are Quietly Falling Out of Love With Instagram
This is a bit different from my normal blogs. I’m starting to feel a shift in the online world and I’m not sure i like what I see in every case. Please take a look, and I ‘d love to hear your comments at the end whether you agree or disagree. Key Takeaways The author reflects on a shift in the online world, feeling that social media has become pressured performance rather than genuine connection. Many women are disengaging from platforms like Instagram, seeking authenticity and less emotional drain.
Busy Mum Business Idea: Launch Wellness Shots That Actually Sell
Let’s be honest, if you’re a mum thinking about launching a wellness product, you’re not sitting around with endless time, a vision board, and a green juice. You’re probably: Answering emails with one hand Cutting toast into triangles with the other And wondering if you can actually build something that works around real life Here’s the good news: you can.
Running a Business from Home: Making Space Work Around Family Life
For many stay-at-home parents, starting a side business is both exciting and slightly chaotic. One minute you’re answering emails, the next you’re making lunch or sorting laundry, desperately trying to squeeze in some work before it’s time for school pick up. While working from home offers flexibility, it also comes with some challenges, the biggest of which is finding a space to actually get some business done.
Growing an E-Commerce Brand without Burning Out
There’s something deeply powerful about running a successful business, especially when you’re doing it on your terms. E-commerce is booming, and it’s no wonder so many ambitious women are stepping into this space. With the global e-commerce market forecast to hit between $6.86 and $6.88 trillion this year, the opportunity is real. But here’s the truth no one talks about loudly enough: growing an e-commerce brand without burning yourself into the ground, takes time, effort and strategy.
Signature One Homes Flagler Beach FL Reviews 2026 – ComplaintsBoard
Signature One Homes of Flagler Beach FL. Is an extremely low ratted builder. Has no education of readding a certified Build plan. He built us a house, stole as much money form bank pay outs as he could. All windows leaked, A/C leaked under unit installed wrong, paid for Dade County certified hurricane windows and doors all window (cheap junk) Leaked inside house he saw and would not replace. Front and rear doors cheap junk not what we paid for. trim falling off wall.
When You Need Help With Your Business, Where Should You Turn?
When you run your own business, it’s up to you to decide your working hours, the clients and customers you serve, and you even get to set your own salary at the end of it all. You’re the boss! But it also means you’re often a one-person band who has to hit the timing on 5 or more different instruments. So, after a while, it’s inevitable to start feeling tired and worn out. And when you do, you’re going to miss your cues and feel terrible about it.
Improving The Customer Journey Within Your Shop
When it comes to encouraging customer satisfaction in physical retail, you need to consider the entire customer journey from when they first park their car to when they pay. In this post, we’ll trace this journey together and identify some of the ways in which you can improve the customer experience (while also potentially encouraging them to pay more). Your shop needs to be easy to find, and it needs to look attractive from the outside.
Switching Weight-Loss Meds as a Working Mum
Key Takeaways Weight management now integrates with daily life for UK women balancing work and family responsibilities. Mounjaro and Wegovy serve as tools for managing weight, guiding decisions based on real-life constraints. Switching treatments should focus on long-term stability and minimal disruption, rather than quick results. Private access to weight-loss treatments provides speed but also requires careful financial planning.
Building a Green-Fingered Business in 2026
Key Takeaways Identify your niche in the plant market, focusing on houseplants, rare varieties, or edible plants. Set up shop using online platforms like Instagram, Etsy, or Shopify, and consider local markets for additional exposure. Ensure quality plant care and presentation, and consider professional label designs for a polished look. Develop your brand through social proof and educational content shared on social media.
How to Keep your Home Office Safe
Running a business from home places pressure on a space never designed to carry commercial responsibility. For work at home mums, the home office is not a side room. It is the control centre for income, continuity, and credibility. Most risks do not appear dramatic. They build quietly through extensions, conversions, heavier equipment, and daily use. Over time, the line between domestic comfort and commercial strain blurs.
How to Create the Perfect Look for your Room
Have you ever tried to create a perfect room look that you have found on Pinterest or Instagram? You save it, you zoom in, you screenshot, you hunt down the furniture, you get the “right” colours, and then you step back and… it’s fine. No, it’s not terrible, but the magic you saw on the photo isn’t there. Maybe you were recreating a gorgeous bathroom, even down to getting the right taps for your sink, but it’s still off.
Business Growth Strategies for Healthcare Companies
Starting and running a healthcare company, often feels like an uphill battle. There’ll be plenty of times when it could feel overwhelming. And, that all comes before you even think about growing your business. When I worked in this sector I found it quite hard to promote my services because it feld embarrassing to be discussing the kind of problems that my clients might want to work on, like I might be saying they were deficient in some way.
How To Prepare Your Business For A Smooth Sale
It’s very easy to get so caught up in your business that it becomes a part of you. But sometimes circumstances change, for better or for worse, and the time may come when you want to transfer your business to a new owner so that your customers remain happy while you move on to different things. Selling a business can be a complicated and emotional process, but it can also be a rewarding and profitable one.
Easy Perks to Offer your Team
One of the best things about offering business perks is that they don’t have to be flashy, expensive, or involve bean bags that nobody sits on. The best perks in a business are the ones that quietly make your team’s day easier or make them smile. These are the kind that reduce friction, save time, and make people feel like their employer actually thought about real life, not just LinkedIn optics.
How to Ensure Your Job Works for Your Health
Do you believe that your job works for your health, or is it a cause of stress? We often assume that employment will have a positive impact on our lives, after all, work can give us purpose, financial security and a sense of achievement. But that isn’t always the full picture. Even when you enjoy what you do, there may be elements of your job that quietly chip away at your physical or mental health. For mums running businesses from home, this can be even more complicated.
What it Takes to start a Small Business as a Mum in 2026
Starting a small business as a mum in 2026, begins with mindset. Many mums still hold themselves back by believing they need more qualifications, more time or more confidence before they can begin. In reality, confidence grows through action. The most successful mum led businesses are built by women who are prepared to learn as they go, make mistakes and keep moving forward even when things feel uncertain. Running a business alongside family life brings challenges as well as freedom.
When an Accident Disrupts Your Ability to Run a Business
Running a business requires resilience, foresight, and relentless personal effort. When a sudden accident, especially a road traffic incident involving a car or motorcycle, derails your health or mobility, the effects can cascade quickly across your entire operation. For many self-employed professionals and business owners, the aftermath of such an event is not only physically painful but economically and emotionally destabilising.
How Family Advice Can Complicate First-Time Buying
For a lot of first-time buyers, family advice shows up early, and it usually sounds harmless. Likely, maybe it’s the steps you don’t want to forget when you’re buying your first home. Something like that is supportive, right? Your loved ones just really want to help you out. Like, they want to share what worked for them, and some of it may even make sense even in today’smarket.
The 24/7 Shopfront: How to Keep Your Website Running Smoothly
Your website is more than just a digital calling card, it’s your business’ round-the-clock shopfront. Whether you’re selling products, booking clients, or simply building trust with potential customers, your site is working hard for you even when you are relaxing. But here’s the thing: when your website goes down, whether it’s for an hour or a weekend, it’s like locking the doors on your shop without warning. New visitors can’t explore. Loyal customers get frustrated.
The Importance of Designing a Website for Both Mobile and Desktop Users
Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. It’s your storefront, your pitch deck, and sometimes your entire sales process in one place. But too many business owners still treat mobile design as an afterthought, even though most visitors aren’t browsing from laptops anymore. But building a site that looks great and performs smoothly on every device is no longer optional. It’s a core part of running a successful modern business.
How to Make Every Room in Your Home Feel More Inviting
A well-designed home isn’t about having the biggest space or the most expensive furniture; it’s all about making sure you are creating rooms that feel good for you to live in. They need to be functional, comfortable, and personal to you. Even small updates can make a big difference in how your home looks and how you feel in it. If your rooms are starting to feel dull or cluttered, it might be time for a small refresh.
That Early Business Feeling No One Quite Prepares You For
Starting a business often begins with energy. Ideas come quickly. Plans feel exciting, slightly unrealistic maybe, but exciting all the same. You imagine momentum carrying you forward. And for a while, it does. Then details start to surface. Not all at once, but slowly. Bank accounts. Legal structures. Paperwork that sounds basic until you sit down to actually do it. You realise that enthusiasm alone does not protect you from small mistakes that can follow you for years.
How To Improve Your Business's Live Feed Marketing
If you want to really engage with your audience, it pays to invest in some sort of live feed outreach. You need to be able to connect with them in real-time to ensure they know you’re legitimate. If you follow other successful one-person businesses (and there are a lot of them about) you probably tune into podcasts, Facebook Lives, and all sorts of other ways of producing live feed. The successful gurus seem to have it all under control, but it’s not as easy as they make it look.
10 Simple Steps to Create a Home Setting that You’ll Actually Love
A happy home environment is the foundation for building a better lifestyle. However, it takes a conscious effort to cultivate a setting that truly aligns with your needs. In truth, you’ll never run out of projects to complete as trends and personal needs change. On a brighter note, though, a series of small steps may be implemented to yield big rewards. Use the following checklist for guidance to take your love of the home to new heights.
Key Things to Consider When Launching a Food Brand
You’ve always had a gift in the kitchen, whether it’s baking the best brownies at the school fair or whipping up meals that have your friends saying, “You should really sell this.” And now? You’re seriously considering it. Maybe the kids are a little older, maybe you’re craving something that’s yours, or maybe it’s just time to turn that passion into profit.
Six Questions To Ask Yourself Before Setting Up A Care Agency
We all know that home care is in short supply right now. Whether you have had neeed of careres for yourself or someone in your family, or you have just heard the stories from other people, you might well be thinking that there is a gap in your area for a care service. But is this business truly the one for you? These questions may help you to decide one way or the other. This question gets to the heart of your motivations. You need to understand what’s in it for you.
You’ve Inherited a Home: What Are Your Options?
Most people become homeowners by saving up for a deposit, applying for a mortgage, and going through the process of finding and buying their dream home. But there are other ways that people become a deed owner. Take an inheritance, for example. This is common when a homeowner dies and leaves their property to a relative. While receiving a property without having to take out a mortgage has its obvious benefits, it also poses a challenge. For example, what, exactly, should you do with the house?
Six Quick and Easy ways to Upgrade your Home
Are you wanting to change the ambiance in your home, but don’t have a huge budget to do so? You’re in luck, we’ve got just the guide for you. There are so many different ways in which you can upgrade your home, without having to spend a huge amount and break the bank. And a lot of the changes you can make will make a big difference, which is a win-win, when trying to save some money.
How not to be the Bad Boss
Somebody has to be the boss, but nobody has to be the bad boss who makes everyone else’s life just a little bit harder. Nobody wants to be that boss, but sometimes some of us slip into that role without even realising it’s what we’ve done. The good news is, being a bad boss is far from inevitable, and you can very much make sure that you are that great boss that makes working for your business enjoyable. Sounds good? Check out these tips on how not to be the bad boss right now.
How to Navigate the Home Buying Process as a Busy Working Mum
Balancing work, childcare, and the demands of daily life can make buying a home feel like an overwhelming task. From packed school runs to late-evening emails, your time is already stretched before you even begin thinking about mortgages, surveys, or viewings. That’s why getting reliable support early on is essential.
A Practical Guide for Women in the
Workplace disputes and redundancies can be emotionally and professionally challenging, particularly when your rights and next steps aren’t clear. In such situations, understanding settlement agreements can help you make informed decisions that protect your financial security and career prospects.
5 Things to Consider When Buying a Home for Your Family
Buying a home for your family is one of life’s biggest decisions — it’s about finding a place where you’ll make memories, feel safe, and build your future. The process can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time purchasing a property or you’re upsizing to accommodate a growing family.
10 Business Lessons from a Successful Entrepreneur
By David Bruce OBE, founder of Bruce’s Brewery and the Firkin pubs and author of ‘The Firkin Saga: Brewing up entrepreneurial adventures and pioneering tales with the Prince of Ales’ When I realised university wasn’t happening, I had to choose between apprenticeships at Courage brewery or Shell oil. I chose brewing because it sounded much more fun with its pubs and breweries than petrol stations and oil refineries. It was the best move I ever made, setting me up for life as an entrepreneur.
Should you Save or Invest?
Money is a tough thing for many of us to get to grips with, we worry about it when we don’t have enough of it, and we often don’t know what to do with it for the best if we have it, right? One of the biggest questions many of us have when it comes to our money is whether we should save it or invest it. It feels good to have plenty of money in the bank – makes us feel more secure -but is it really the best use of it? Should we save or invest?
Losing Weight Sustainably: 3 Tips that Actually Help
Weight loss, it’s a tricky thing, isn’t it? Many people, both men and women, spend a lifetime struggling with their weight. And while “loving the body you’re in” is an amazing way to feel about yourself, it is not always possible for some people, and for others whose weight is impacting their health, losing weight isn’t optional; it’s essential. But with so many fad diets and scaremongering around different foods and ingredients, what are your options when it comes to losing weight sustainably?
Making the Most of the Early Months with Your Baby
The early months of becoming a parent can feel like a quick blur as well as a little bit of a miracle. Your days blend together, and you feel as though time is moving very strangely. You have long, quiet hours with moments of joy that feel like they passed too quickly. You’re learning as you go, and you’re figuring out how to care for yourself as well as your baby.
The Genius Connection Game from the Happy Puzzle
I’ve been given a copy of the Genius Connection puzzle game to give away to one lucky reader this month. The Genius Connection can be played solo as a puzzle game, or it can be played head to head with two players competing against each other to solve the puzzle first. it is recommended for ages 8+, although I think my son could have got started with the simpler puzzles before this as he loved jigsaw type puzzles.
4 reasons why your business needs a podcast
The podcast market is huge, with more than 500 million regular podcast listeners across the globe — and that number is growing, too. To people who listen to podcasts, that won’t be all that surprising. Podcasts are convenient, informative, and often entertaining. It’s a fun, hands-free way to learn a thing or two while you’re commuting to work or making dinner.
Top Considerations for Your New Company Car
When it comes to choosing a new company car for your business, you’ll probably find yourself overwhelmed with choice. With so many makes and models available, it can feel almost impossible to settle for just one vehicle. Selecting a commercial vehicle is certainly a lot different to choosing a car for your personal use. When buying a car that’s just for yourself, you only need to consider your own needs and personal preferences.
How Families Can Stay Strong Through Big Life Changes
Big life changes rarely arrive alone. Serious illness or deaths in the family, divorce or marital difficulties, redundancy or relocation. They bring unexpected expenses, paperwork, decisions, late-night worries—and the chance to grow closer. Strength isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about building habits that carry you through the messy middle and out the other side with trust intact.
How to Stay Organised and Motivated in Business
When you first decide to start a business, it can be incredibly exciting. It might be something that you’d thought about for years, so getting started can be such a monumental moment. Yet, as things start to get underway, you’ll certainly find that you’re learning as you go. Nothing prepares you for how it feels to take risks and work solely for yourself.
What Is Mums the Boss? Parenting, Lifestyle & Business Tips for
You’re not just a mum. You’re also the manager of a household, the CEO of your own sanity, and maybe the founder of a business you built between school runs and swimming lessons. You might be juggling emails while folding laundry, planning your content calendar between making packed lunches, or wondering if anyone else feels as overwhelmed and underpaid as you do. The answer is – yes, we all do! Welcome. You’ve found your people.
10 Ways to Make Friends and Feel at Home as an International Student
If your young person has decided to study abroad , it can be scary for them and for you. Whether you live in the UK and your child is going elsewhere, or if you live overseas and they will be coming to the UK, it can be a complete change of culture for them. Moving to a new country for university can be a mixed bag of emotions; curiosity, excitement and a sense of liberation paired with nerves, overwhelm and even a little imposter syndrome.
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