Balancing business deadlines with school runs and sick days is no small feat — yet for many self-employed mothers, it’s simply part of daily life. In a recent episode of The Salt Sessions, host Bev Salt sat down with two fellow mums in marketing — Hannah Strong, a Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads specialist from Newcastle, and Lucy Rigley, a York-based brand and web designer — to talk about the messy, magical art of running a business while raising a family.
Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD6lxot9uaU&t=9s
From Agency Life to Autonomy
For both women, self-employment began as a blend of necessity and ambition.
Hannah had climbed the agency ladder to become Head of PPC, but the very week she earned the title, she discovered she was pregnant. “It was a plan,” she laughs, “but it made me reassess everything.” Missing hands-on client work and craving flexibility, she began freelancing after maternity leave. Her first client arrived while she was still pregnant — a low-maintenance account she could manage “around naps, weaning and breastfeeding.”
Lucy’s freelance journey began after redundancy from her London agency job — and a surprise pregnancy soon after. “My husband was already freelancing as a web developer, so it just made sense,” she says. “I never really had a job to go back to.” Moving to York, she built her business from scratch and has now freelanced for 15 years.
Both stories echo a familiar theme: motherhood didn’t end their careers — it reshaped them.
When the Kids Crash the Zoom Call
Every working mum knows chaos can strike mid-meeting. “It never stops,” says Hannah. “Just last week my son refused to go to bed during a client Zoom call, so he ended up on my knee waving at everyone.” Thankfully, clients are generally understanding — especially those with children themselves.
Lucy recalls the lockdown years as her toughest test: “I was home-schooling two kids while working part-time for the council. My parents would FaceTime one child to keep him on track while the other… wasn’t doing quite as much as I thought!” Since then, she says, there’s been a huge shift towards empathy and flexibility.
Finding the Elusive Work-Life Balance
Both women agree that boundaries are a constant battle. Lucy’s husband often scolds her for “checking emails after hours,” but she admits that’s when she feels most productive. “I like the flexibility — if I go to the gym one morning, I don’t mind working in the evening.”
Hannah, meanwhile, works from a garage-turned-office that also doubles as a playroom. “It doesn’t have a radiator or a window, so I’m campaigning for a garden office with natural light by 2025,” she jokes. Her goal: a space that signals “Mum’s at work — do not enter (unless it’s an emergency or biscuits are involved).”
Time Management, Tools, and Staying Sane
When it comes to productivity, their styles differ. Lucy admits she’s “a go-with-the-flow creative,” relying on a fleet of notebooks and spreadsheets instead of rigid time blocking. Hannah, on the other hand, is a self-confessed time-tracking nerd. “I log everything — even toilet breaks,” she laughs. “It helps me see where I’m under-servicing clients or overworking myself.”
Both champion virtual co-working for accountability and connection — something that’s especially valuable when the “colleagues” at home are under five and sticky-fingered.
Building a Support Network
Freelancing can feel lonely, but community makes all the difference. Lucy credits Mums in Marketing for providing support and referrals: “It’s brilliant being around women who just get it.” Hannah agrees — and says partnerships with agencies have been key to steady income: “They handle contracts and reporting; I just plug in my PPC expertise. It’s a great balance.”
Both women also rely on their husbands, who work in the same industry, for daily debriefs and reality checks. “It’s like having an in-house business coach,” says Hannah.
The Downsides: Holidays, Hustle and Headaches
Flexibility doesn’t mean freedom. Holidays, for example, are rare luxuries. “If I take two weeks off, I’m basically paying to be on holiday,” admits Be. Hannah’s solution? A working holiday with her daughter through Boundless Life, a digital-nomad programme offering school, co-working space and accommodation abroad. “It gave us the best of both worlds — I worked while she made pasta in class. Win-win!”
Lucy’s biggest challenge is unpredictable income: “I work project-to-project, so I can’t rely on monthly retainers. You don’t want to turn down work before a holiday in case nothing’s waiting when you get back.”
Lessons from the Freelance Frontline
Hannah’s top tip? “Say yes to everything at first — then learn what to say no to. You only find your niche through experience.” She also recommends raising rates annually and using job alerts to pitch yourself as a stopgap consultant for companies hiring full-time roles.
Lucy adds: “Surround yourself with cheerleaders who understand your world. And collect LinkedIn recommendations — they’re digital gold.” Her final word of wisdom? “Don’t chase perfection. You’ll always feel guilty about something — so just do your best and go with the flow.”
Small Habits, Big Impact
For Hannah, a daily walk doubles as a “lunch-and-learn” session, combining fresh air with podcasts about Google Ads. Lucy swears by regular gym trips to clear her head: “You come back energised — and slightly smug.”
Both prove that freelancing and motherhood might be chaotic, but with creativity, community and caffeine, it’s entirely possible to thrive in both worlds.
For web design support > find Lucy at: https://www.lucyrigley.co.uk/
And for Google Ads management > contact Hannah here
Prefer to watch this interview? Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD6lxot9uaU&t=9s
