S5 E12: Why you don’t need more strategy with Nicola Ward, founder of CakeDrop
Release Date: 04/03/2025
E92: Macarons, motherhood and growth with Rachel Hanretty, founder of Mademoiselle Macaron
Bump to Business Owner
Rachel and I met on the Goldman Sachs 10KSB programme in February and instantly gravitated towards another. Both mums, both struggling with being away from family, but determined to grow our businesses, despite all the challenges that motherhood/founderhood bring. My conversation with Rachel is almost excoriatingly honest about the impact of motherhood on her business, and herself. These are the conversations we need to have with women, founders, mums and would-be mums. Because the internet will tell you, you can have it all, but the reality isn't quite like that. The economy, the strength of...
info_outline
E91: Not another end of year push podcast - Solo episode with Caroline
Bump to Business Owner
I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions. December isn’t a straightforward month for me, personally, and my energy levels in January after juggling school holidays and all the Christmas fun just aren’t up to “starting the new year strong”. So I’ve restructured my business year, and my mindset to fit my realities. In this episode I’m sharing: Why I'm so anti end of year hustle culture Why we should all be putting less pressure on ourselves How I've shaped my year to fit better with my energy levels, and financials Rebel with me. More on Takeaways: Christmas shift in mum admin...
info_outline
E90: Celebrating mums and business owners: live interviews from the UK VA Awards
Bump to Business Owner
Something a little different this week. I was at the UK Virtual Assistant awards last week celebrating the industry and gratefully receiving a couple of awards, on behalf of the business and the podcast team! While I was there, I did some live interviews with some incredible VAs and business women, who also happen to be mums, my industry peers and friends. They are sharing their wisdom and experiences of building businesses, working flexibly and prioritising their family. It was a very fun (by which I mean loud) atmosphere, so apologies for the background noise levels. Thanks to Amanda...
info_outline
Ep 89: The military, motherhood and Virtual Assistant industry with Amanda Johnson, founder of the VA Training Academy
Bump to Business Owner
Trigger warning: This episode was recorded during Baby Loss Awareness Week and includes discussion of miscarriage and baby loss. Please take care of yourself. This conversation is long overdue. Amanda Johnson, or The Amanda Johnson as she’s known in the Virtual Assistant industry, is founder and coach at the VA Training Academy, host of the UK VA Awards and my mentor. Before becoming a Titan of the VA industry, Amanda had a 23 year career in the military, until personal tragedy changed her priorities. Despite not personally inventing the field (listen in!) Amanda pivoted to becoming a...
info_outline
Miniseries Part 4: The future of the Virtual Assistant industry
Bump to Business Owner
We’re wrapping up the Assistant miniseries with a big-picture conversation, the future of the assistant and VA industry. I’ve been in this world for over 15 years, and in that time I’ve seen the role change again and again, from the 2009 crash, to the explosion of tech tools, and now to AI. In this episode, I’m talking about where I see things going, what makes our work truly irreplaceable, and why assistants need to be visible, strategic partners (not an exec’s “secret weapon”). I’m also sharing my thoughts on niching, the growing operational side of our roles, and the...
info_outline
Miniseries Part 3: Gold standard onboarding process
Bump to Business Owner
Onboarding is my area of geek, my Mastermind subject. In this week’s episode I am sharing my best practice tips for creating a great onboarding process, why it’s so important, where your focus should be throughout and why you should be trying to remove yourself from it as much as possible. This is episode three of a four-part mini series for the Assistant community, each episode is accompanied by a free downloadable resource. Listen to the rest of the series: Resources mentioned: Takeaways Why onboarding is so crucial to your business What you should prioritise throughout the...
info_outline
Miniseries Part 2: How to find clients as a Virtual Assistant
Bump to Business Owner
The question I get asked the most by Virtual Assistants is: ‘How do I find clients?’ There is no secret recipe - it takes time, it takes work, and it takes trying things out. I’m sharing how I found my first client, where I’ve invested money and time to find them and the one thing that really sets me apart when it comes to sales. In December I’m hosting a panel for the Strategic PA Network: Clients for Keeps: Building a sustainable client base and coworking afterwards, if you’d like more client list building tips and to extend your network . This is episode one of a four-part mini...
info_outline
Miniseries Part 1: Inbox Zero and why I nearly cancelled the podcast
Bump to Business Owner
I came close to cancelling the podcast. In this episode I tell you why, and why I think it’s healthy to reevaluate every so often as a business owner. But we’re back! And with something slightly different. A miniseries for my Assistant community especially, but with a lot of value for anyone starting a business. This week I’m sharing my tips for Inbox Zero - why it’s so important and how to get there. This is episode one of a four-part mini series for the Assistant community, each episode is accompanied by a free downloadable resource or event invitation Resources mentioned: ...
info_outline
S5 E23: Operational overload, purpose and performance with Nonie White and Yvonne Biggins of Positive Entrepreneurship
Bump to Business Owner
Have you heard of operational overload? Maybe not, but chances are you know how it feels. This week my guests are Nonie White and Yvonne Biggins of Positive Entrepreneurship, authors of the The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship report. The report makes for stark, but not surprising, reading - 83% of female founders are experiencing high stress, 66% experience extreme loneliness, we have 75% greater responsibility for the household, but 97% of us enjoy the journey. We know the system is not built for us, we know the challenges we face as female founders. Nonie and Yvonne are here...
info_outline
S5 E22: New borns and new businesses with Anna Bailey founder of Pally Talk
Bump to Business Owner
My guest on the podcast this week is Anna Bailey, founder of the Assistant community Pally Talk. She launched her business and 2 months later had her first baby, in her own words, the last year has been ‘hardcore’. Anna has a lot of practical insight into navigating a business and new baby concurrently - this is your sign to start sliding into people’s DMs on LinkedIn. We spoke really honestly about social media v reality, not only of motherhood, but the assistant world and when, for Anna, revenue finally started coming in from the business. For me, there’s a theme - you will get...
info_outlineWhat happens when your co-founder (and sister!) steps away and you’re managing a business solo, as well as being mum to 2 kids?
In this week’s delicious episode I’m in conversation with Nicola Ward, founder of CakeDrop, who talks me through her experience of exactly that.
Nicola has run her business incredibly intuitively and flexibly, focusing on building relationships and leaning into creativity when Covid meant a pivot. She has some incredible advice to other founders thinking about motherhood and the trade offs we as working mums make.
My main takeaway? You don’t need more strategy, you just need to take action.
Takeaways:
-
The unique dynamic between cofounder sisters
-
Covid forcing you to pivot and get creative
-
The benefits of being a small business in challenging times
-
Relationship building
-
Nicola’s fundraising experience
-
What happens when your cofounder steps away
-
The trade offs working mums make - guilt and code switching
-
Advice for founders thinking about motherhood
-
Why you don’t need more strategy
Chapters:
00:30 Introduction to CakeDrop and Nicola's Journey
02:36 The Dynamic of Sister Co-Founders
05:03 Navigating the Business Landscape
07:49 Adapting to Challenges During the Pandemic
10:32 Transitioning to Solo Leadership
13:03 Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship
18:35 Fundraising Challenges and Experiences
19:02 Navigating Angel Investment and Fundraising Challenges
21:41 Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship
26:15 The Impact of Parenting on Business Perspective
28:49 Embracing the Uncertainty of Motherhood
30:45 Building Relationships with Major Brands
31:49 The Importance of Execution Over Strategy
34:01 Future Growth Plans for CakeDrop
35:06 Finding Joy in Everyday Moments
Links:
Website: www.bumptobusinessowner.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Nicola Ward
Nicola Ward is the founder of CakeDrop, the award-winning solution bringing sweet treats to some of the UK's most exciting places, including Meta, Ladbible, Beauty Pie, and Netflix. Cake Drop specialises in branded treat experiences and automated gifting for employee birthdays and work anniversaries, making workplace celebrations seamless and delicious.
Nicola's journey into entrepreneurship began alongside her sister Anna, inspired by their own experiences working in the city, where they noticed the challenges of organizing office celebrations. This insight led to the creation of CakeDrop, aiming to make office celebrations effortless and enjoyable. Nicola has faced many highs and lows on her journey, from the shift to becoming a solo founder to navigating major business challenges, including the pandemic and operational hurdles.
Nicola Ward’s Links:
Website: https://cakedrop.london/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-ward-30404427/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cakedropldn
Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/