A blog from Army&You’s summer 2022 edition by Hannah Dimbleby, @hd_sparkle_aroma
I joined the NHS when I was 18 and it’s all I’ve ever known. When we found out I was pregnant again and I would be having another year off work during the pandemic, I wanted to try something for myself, so almost two years ago I started my own small business.
The thought was scary, as I’ve never been my own boss and I wasn’t sure if it would take off. My youngest was eight months old and I was five months pregnant with our second. I started buying plain diffusers and candles and decorating them. I set up a Facebook page and shortly afterwards the orders started coming in!
Suddenly, new ideas kept coming and I had such lovely feedback that I gained regular, loyal customers. After the success of Facebook I set up an Instagram account and watched this snowball over the first year. I’ve worked with some amazing influencers and I was lucky enough to be featured by a beauty blogger for a review. I’ve also used my business to raise money for different charities.
I started my business to earn some extra pocket money, but it’s become so much more than that. It’s my little creation, my chance to show my two girls that you can have babies, be a stay-at-home mum and still build something for yourself.
As an army wife, moving around can be tough on your career, especially once you have children, but there’s no rule book on having to be the housewife and mother and then forget your own dreams.
To anyone thinking of taking the chance, I would say go for it, chase your dreams and never give up on them, and don’t be afraid to do something different.