“Claire probably falls into that group of people I don't give titles to lightly - gurus. She is a WAHM (that's work at home mum for those of you not in the know) expert - what she doesn't know about homeworking isn't worth knowing.

She's created a fantastic resource at Funky Angel which is more than business advice, it's a community, so instead of standing around the water cooler (or coffee machine) in your old life, you can visit Funky Angel and get all the resources you need to be a work at home mum (or dad). There are inspiring stories from other people who have done it already (and Claire is evidence herself of running a successful business and being a mum), details of workshops, all the biz basics and something to replace those coffee time/water cooler moments you might miss.

It's got a lot more character than your average business start up site and is more approachable than a lot of the information out there. And on top of all this, she's a rather splendid writer. And I know, because I'm one too! So check out Funky Angel, maybe the door to your new life is here?”

Testimonial from LinkedIn, June 12, 2008
Nicola Cooper-Abbs , Working Mum and Managing Director of All Words

Claire is the founder and director of www.funkyangel.co.uk, which she started in 2003 after trying and failing to find the information she needed to work from home as a divorced mum - Claire is the hands-on mum of two girls, ages 11 and 13.

A writer, editor, publisher and integrated marketeer, Claire's career has straddled publishing and marketing over the last 20 years. She has written thousands of articles, many books, and more marketing copy than she cares to remember while running integrated marketing campaigns for many high-level clients, such as Zanussi and Direct Wines.

Claire has edited bestselling books, including Dr Miriam Stoppard's 'Conception, Pregnancy and Birth', as well as CDRoms, such as Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Museum series, and many consumer magazines and niche magazines, such as the bloodstock magazine, Pacemaker.

In the 90s she created and presented medical news on Sky, and wrote and edited a trailblazing medical and health internet site during the dot.com era. Claire went freelance after the birth of her first child in 1996 and started to work from home, part time for a Marketing and Design Agency and as a freelance writer and editor around that.

In 2004 she wrote and published a storybook based on the bedtime stories she told her daughters, woven around their favourite things and daughter Cecily's best bear, Lumpy. The book was designed to help children who had trouble learning to read (like Cecily) and it has been an unqualified success, with the first print run now completely sold out. Cecily herself learnt to read and spell properly off the back of it, and recently won a literary award.

Also in 2004 Claire qualified as an nlp coach, and since then she has coached and mentored many businesses - specialises in helping people start and grow successful businesses of all kinds - see Business Midwife for more details. In her personal coaching practice, she specialises in coaching women leaders, business women, working mums and people seeking work life balance and that greatest of all human holy grails, happiness.

In 2009 Claire founded The Funky Agency, a unique, virtual marketing and publishing resource, where she brings together the creme of the freelancers to work on projects of all sorts with a degree of flexiblity, skill and cost effectiveness that is unachievable in a traditional agency, and for a fraction of the price. It's a win-win situation from all perspectives!

Claire can be contacted on 07788 887534 or claire@funkyangel.co.uk.

Websites

Mum's Businesses, Home Business advice for Mums, Working from Home - www.funkyangel.co.uk

WAHM Blog - Over the kitchen table: www.funkyangel.wordpress.com

Ecademy 

LinkedIn

Twitter

Articles on Funky Angel

• Home Working Revolution - The Cottage Industry Reborn, 21st Century Style

• In Quest of the Elusive Work/Life Balance

• Director of Everything: Essential Tips for Home-Based Business Mums

• Your Family and Other Animals: Family Management for WAHMs

• Could You be a Work at Home Mum or Dad?

• Your Home Business Office: The Essential Guide

• Successfully Sharing Your Home with Your Business

• Working Together: Essential Tips to Make it a Success

• Are you Business Fit?

• Business Ideas for Home Businesses and Budding Mumpreneurs

• Starting Your Own Home Business

• How to Write a Business Mum's Business Plan

• Becoming a Childminder

• Why Choose to Become a Party Planner?

• The Pros and Cons of Choosing a Franchise

• Starting as a Sole Trader

• Why Choose to Become a Limited Company?

• Going into Business with a Partner

• Online Threats for Home Businesses

• Connect, Connect, Connect: 12 Top Tips for Good Networking

• Growing Your Home Business: 5 Essential Tips

• Find the Right Mentor for You

• The Alchemy of Branding

• Warning! Writer at Work!

• How to Write a Cracking Feature

• Get it Write!

• Writing a Bestselling ebook - 10 Top Tips

• Marketing Demystified

• How to Market Your Home Business: 12 Top Tips

• The Art of Advertising

• Creating Your Virtual Shop Window

• Increase your Website's Performance

• How Publishing Can Benefit a Home Business

• How to Publish a Successful Magazine: Top Tips for the Home-based Business

• Selling the Easy Way

• Funky Babes section – Conception, Pregnancy and Birth

• Things to do for Cherubs and Mums

• The Joy of the Tweenie Years

• Spring Clean Your Finances

• Take Control of Your Budget

• How to Improve Your Credit Score

• Futureproof Your Finances

• Finding Funding for Your Small Business

 

Books

Books Written

• Woman's Body - published by Dorling Kindersley, fronted by Dr Miriam Stoppard

• Lumpy Loves Chocolate

 

Ebooks Written

• Funky Angel Guide to Being Happy

• Funky Angel Guide to Beating the Credit Crunch

 

Edited - Health

'Conception, Pregnancy and Birth' by Dr Miriam Stoppard, published by Dorling Kindersley

'Menopause' by Dr Miriam Stoppard, published by Dorling Kindersley

'The Heart: Anatomy and Physiology' - published by Gower Medical publishing

'Veterinary Guide to the Cat' - published by Gower Medical publishing

'The Atlas of Ophthalmology' - published by Gower Medical publishing

'Stress' - published by Reader's Digest

 

Edited/written/subbed - Food

'Simply Delicious' published by Dorling Kindersley

'Italian Food; a guide to ingredients' published by Orbis

'Everyday Cookbook'

 

Magazines Edited/Published

Brides of Britain

Where to Eat

Citylife

WTF

Pacemaker

International Thoroughbred

 

Other Information

• Claire mentors start ups and home and mum businesses.

• Claire also runs workshops for women and mums setting up there own businesses or wanting to work from home.

 

Contact

You can contact Claire on claire[at]funkyangel.co.uk