How I Started a Business on Maternity Leave

I'm going to be honest with you — starting a business was not on my to-do list when I went on maternity leave.

My to-do list looked more like: survive on broken sleep, keep a tiny human alive, as well as an older child and a dog and maybe, eventually, shower before noon.

But somewhere between the night feeds and the nap schedules, something shifted. I had time — more time than I'd had in years, ironically — to actually think. And what I kept coming back to was this: I didn't want to go back.

Not because I didn't value work. Quite the opposite. I'd spent 18 years working hard across hospitality, financial services, and dentistry. I know what it means to show up, to graft, to care about what you do. My parents instilled that in me from a young age and it's never left.

But working 40+ hours a week for very little gain, at the expense of time with my family — I couldn't keep doing it. Not now. Not with two daughters to come home to.

The Idea

MI Virtual Services didn't arrive fully formed. It started as a quiet thought: I have skills. I have experience. I know how businesses work from the inside. What if I used all of that — but on my own terms?

The name came quickly. MI are my daughters' initials. They're the reason I made the leap, and they're who I work hardest for every single day.

I launched in October 2023, while still on maternity leave. My youngest was just months old, my eldest preparing herself for the first of many major surgeries. I won't pretend it was perfectly timed or neatly planned — it wasn't. But sometimes the right moment isn't the perfect moment. Sometimes you just have to start.

What I Learned

Building a business while caring for a newborn and a pre teen teaches you things no business course ever could.

It teaches you to be ruthlessly efficient with your time, because you might only have 45 minutes before someone wakes up or needs a snack. It teaches you to prioritise, to let go of perfectionism, and to focus on what actually matters.

It also taught me something about my clients. Because the overwhelm I felt — the mental load of trying to keep everything moving at once — is exactly what so many business owners feel every single day. That's why I do this. Not just because I'm good at it, but because I genuinely understand what it feels like to need support.

Where We Are Now

MI Virtual Services is growing, and I'm so proud of what it's become. I work with brilliant business owners across the UK, helping them reclaim their time and their focus. I've built something that works around my family — and I've proved to myself that it's possible.

If you're a business owner who's been thinking about getting support but hasn't quite taken the leap, I hope this gives you a nudge. Sometimes the right moment really is right now.

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MI Virtual Services offers virtual assistant support to UK business owners, from email and diary management to social media and invoicing. Get in touch at megan@mivirtualservices.com or call 07397 564904.