Business Mum Profile: Sally Wilton

What is your name?

Sally Wilton

What is your business name?

ChocImpress.com

What industry is your business in?

Food/Events

Where are you based?

Twickenham, UK

How long have been in business?

Two years (started August 2008)

Is it a full-time or part-time business?

Part time

Did you start your business before or after becoming a mum/step-mum?

After

Why did you start your business?

To try and earn a bit extra money for the family. At the time, my husband was changing career and we were finding it hard to get by.

What has been your biggest triumph in business?

Having my original concept product, ChocoSpell, featured in the Guardian’s online lifestyle section: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/aug/09/buy-of-the-day (see Wednesday).

What was your biggest mistake in business?

Not researching the alternatives before buying my ‘business in a box’, which turned out to be overpriced.

What is the one piece of advice you wish you’d been given about running a business with children when you started out?

Never let the business make you miss out on time with your children. This is hard to live up to and, yes, it makes you feel guilty. It should. Even if you have a great success and build a national brand, is it worth it if your children have bad memories of their childhood?

Name your top three business successes

1. See above for ChocoSpell mention in Guardian: I am now licensing by selling kits for others to make these.

2. Two orders amounting to 1,000 promotional bars for a local business.

3. Last year I sold a lot of ‘Thank you, Teacher’ bars on eBay. But this only netted me under £50 for quite a lot of work.

What are you passionate about?

Design and perfectionism.

What’s the one thing you can never resist?

Anything online!

Who inspires you?

The other My Little Wrapper business owners with whom I share a Facebook discussion page.

What is the song that gets you fired up?

(Can’t You Feel a) Brand New Day from The Wiz.