About
Hi, I’m Sophie!
A slow business support specialist passionate about helping creative small business owners build a business that’s baggy enough to live in.
My own business journey has been anything but straightforward.
I started out with my own creative small business selling wall art prints on Etsy back in 2017. Then, alongside that, I set up my Virtual Assistant business and took it full-time in 2021.
Helping creative business owners behind the scenes was wonderful for a while… until it wasn’t.
In 2023, my simple, calm and beautiful life was turned upside down with the arrival of my third baby. He brought with him lots of wonderful quirks and not-so-wonderful health issues.
My business was thriving, but my baby wasn’t, and I was in deep postnatal depression and knew I couldn’t carry on.
So, I stopped.
I stripped everything back and removed anything that didn’t work for me in this season of my life.
My business needed to be flexible, yet sustainable. One that allowed me to drop everything when my youngest’s health declined, or attend the multiple weekly appointments, one that could bend without breaking.
You see, I’m passionate about my work, but I just could not continue as I was. So, very slowly, I started to rebuild it on my own terms.
I started finding simple and calm again. Not just in my work, but in my life too.
And now I get to spend my days helping people like me, those whose body, brain or life prevents them from working a typical 9-5, to build a business for real life. Around the school run, the sick days, the days where we can’t get out of bed or concentrate on anything for more than 5 minutes.
What I believe
Your business should support your life, your needs and your capacity.
Building a slow and sustainable business isn’t failing; it’s a powerful strategy
A gentle business can still be meaningful & profitable, without taking over our lives.
The forest retreat was born
The forest has always been my favourite place, so it made sense for me to bring this into my business somewhere. And I did. My entire business is now based on a metaphorical retreat in the forest for people like us to escape to.
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My Substack publication (called Finding Simple & Calm), where I share my story and the stories of others building a slow business around their real life.
Join us, there’s a seat waiting for you by the fire.
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AKA this website. Where you’ll find my courses, toolkits and resources designed to meet you where you are on your slow business journey, and support you to bring it to life.
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Your private, imaginary space, for you to escape to whenever you need time to yourself.
If you need to write or sketch or journal or read, or explore your creativity. If you need rest or silence or gentle words in your ears that give you permission to be human, this is your space.
Sure, in reality, you may be sitting on your laptop at soft play, or making lunch in the kitchen, but mentally you’re in your cabin. This space is yours.
My values
Simplicity. Sustainability. Flexibility. Honesty. Accessibility. Support. Compassion.
They’re at the heart of everything I make, write and teach. Because I know how it feels to be overwhelmed, and I also know it’s possible to run a business in a softer, slower way that still works.
A little more about me
I live in North Yorkshire in the UK with my husband, three children and two sausage dogs. Life is messy, but beautiful and mostly fuelled by coffee.
I’m neurodivergent, introverted and prefer being in the forest than the city any day of the week.
If you’re new here
Start with my free Slow Business Starter Kit - it’s a gentle guide to help you get started on bringing your slow and sustainable business to life.
Or come sit with me around the campfire on Substack, where I share weekly letters, stories and behind-the-scenes as I find simple and calm again in my business and life.