As it has now been that long since I first seriously started gearing up to be a one women band, training and consulting on Equality Law compliance as Audrey Ludwig training and Consulting Limited, I thought a retrospective might be interesting. This will be about the business bits (and part 2 will be about the work I have undertaken to date).
Working out if there was a market for accurate Equality Act compliance work was difficult, because no one else seemed to be focusing on it. They either were employment only lawyers/ advisers (so no focus on service provision, public functions or other areas of Equality law), or did Equality Diversity and Inclusion work. I saw a lot of people of social media saying there was a massive need for this service. I am good at networking. So decided to take the plunge, knowing that if it was a disaster, I wasn’t risking too much.
Before I started I sought out some local free business advice. Whilst having run free legal advice charities for many years, I was and am painfully aware that I am a novice at stuff like sales, marketing, pricing, and negotiating. My kind brother Jeremy Edwards helped me set up a company. Plus, I enrolled on Start Build & Grow, and I would recommend even experienced people to checkout similar local free services. Some of the information was very familiar, but it got me good recommendations for a business bank account, free bookkeeping software and a good local accountant familiar with my software. I also got three free sessions with a local business coach Alison Beech, who is so supportive, practical and inspiring. Highly recommended to the point I am now a paying client of hers to use as a critical friend.
As part of the preparations I did write a business plan, which I confess I have not looked at for many months. I know I wanted to work by myself and not take on staff. I knew I wanted to do bespoke work, rather than write and deliver generic pre-written material. The recent Equality Act caselaw has very much assisted as the material keeps changing.
I could not work too many hours because I have health and disability issues. I am exceedingly lucky (and I appreciate privileged, in a way others are not) that my husband Graeme Ludwig and I can afford to live on his salary, so me working without a salary for a while was doable. I also have a tiny office space at home.
I also know that my tech skills are modest. My husband has coped with my occasional frustration and saved me from tech hell where I cannot work out how to save something, set something up or get the printer working.
I relied on word of mouth for a designer of my lovely (deliberately simple) website and blogsite (check it out at audreyludwig.com). She told me she didn’t want publicity so I won’t name her (but she was brilliant). Rather than fancy bells and whistles, I am relying on my thorough knowledge of my subject, my love of sharing with others and answering their questions in straightforward language; and powerpoint.
My business spend has been very low, deliberately…. less than £4000 to date on a new computer, some software, website and hosting, licences for zoom, Microsoft 365, professional indemnity insurance from Hiscox, some consultancy fees, a massive stapler, and accountancy (to do the stuff I cannot do using FreeAgent ). I know this figure is artificially low, as I already had a good mobile phone, car, printer, and office furniture.
Also, I have done no direct marketing to date; just word of mouth recommendations and via writing linked in posts. This may need to change going forward, and I plan to look at this in August with Fin Wycherley💡
I am certainly getting enough work. My biggest and as yet unresolved issue is pricing points. I suspect I am undercharging for the service I provide but as yet not worked out exactly what to charge for each type of client. I will get there. My having to take more regular and longer breaks means stuff takes longer than others (and me 20 years ago) would but my health has benefitted.
I am pleasantly surprised at how disciplined I am with business administration. The software really helps as I know where I am constantly, both financially and in terms of project management. I realise my years in charity management, with tight budgets and working on a shoestring really honed my skills.
Most of all, I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It is a real privilege to use my skills to do something I love and in a way I feel suits me. This is not a “if I can do it, then anyone can” piece, as clearly I am in a financial, reputational and resource position which few others are. More of a cheery, “yay, self employment is not as scary as I imagined it might be”. Onto the next six months…