David and Harriet build flexible business around family
Hi, we are Harriet and David Harris. David has been working in IT pretty much since leaving school and worked his way through to being an IT Manager in a large national organisation. Harriet used to be a restaurant manager and after many job changes also ended up working in IT.
We started this business as we wanted to start doing something more with our lives. We were able to survive month to month but really wanted to start doing more which meant earning a bit of extra income. We looked around and decided this was the business for us to earn that few extra hundred a month, but shortly after starting, I got made redundant. I did get another job but this was a bit of a wake up call and we realised that we were always going to be vulnerable working for someone else.
We decided that we would work the business to a point where we could give up our jobs, and be in control of our own income. We started working part time around our existing jobs and Harriet has now have given up her job and runs the business from home. We have 2 children we need to fit around, and with the school holidays, school runs and other activities we benefit greatly from the flexibility of being able to do what we need to without having to ask for time off. Harriet works the business for a couple of hours during the day and we both put in a few hours most evenings.
We now currently have an income of around £800 a month and David finds the day job more bearable as he knows we are working on the escape plan, being tired of the office politics and commuting he can't wait to leave it all behind, as well as having the extra money each month that we wanted from the start. We know that we are creating a better life for our children.
