When Sarah Thompson went on maternity leave from her marketing job in Manchester, she never imagined that the next few years would see her go from new mum to the founder of a thriving digital media agency turning over half a million pounds annually.

It all began during the sleepless early months of motherhood. As her newborn daughter napped, Sarah found herself craving mental stimulation and a sense of identity beyond nappies and night feeds. Drawing on her background in digital marketing, she began offering freelance social media management services to small local businesses via platforms like Fiverr and LinkedIn.

“I just wanted to keep my skills sharp while making a bit of extra income,” Sarah recalls. “But the demand was higher than I expected.”

Within six months, Sarah was working with five regular clients, managing their online presence from her kitchen table. By the time her maternity leave ended, she faced a dilemma: return to her 9-to-5 or see how far she could grow her budding business.

Choosing the latter, Sarah registered her business—Thompson Digital Media—and took the leap.

Juggling Business and Babies

The path was far from smooth. With a toddler at home and a second child arriving two years later, Sarah struggled with burnout and the constant tug-of-war between family responsibilities and business demands.

“Some days I’d be on a client call while bouncing a baby on my knee or writing strategy documents at midnight,” she says. “There were tears, there was mum guilt, and there were moments I wanted to give up.”

But instead of throwing in the towel, Sarah learned to work smarter. She invested in productivity tools like Trello for project management, Canva for design tasks, and Hootsuite to automate social media posts. She also hired her first part-time assistant—a fellow mum—through a Facebook group for women in business.

Scaling with Purpose

As her client base grew, Sarah focused on hiring other parents who valued flexible working. By 2024, Thompson Digital Media had 10 remote team members, offering content creation, digital strategy, and paid ad services to clients across the UK.

Key to her success was the support of online communities like Mums in Business International and training resources such as Digital Boost and Enterprise Nation. She also credits mentorship from a local startup incubator for helping her scale sustainably.

Looking Ahead

Now with a team she trusts and two children in school, Sarah finally feels like she has some balance—though she’s quick to admit it’s always a work in progress.

“My journey shows that motherhood doesn’t have to pause your ambitions,” she says. “With the right support, tools, and mindset, you can build something incredible—even in the chaos of family life.”

Sarah’s story is a testament to resilience, resourcefulness, and the power of starting small. For other women dreaming of launching something of their own, her message is clear: “You don’t have to have it all figured out—just start.”