When I chat with friends they are fascinated by the fact that I have started my own micro-business.  Lots of oohs and ahh’s and sighs of ‘I wish I could do that’. It resonated further a few weeks back when I was speaking at an event in London organised by Stylist Magazine.  The theme of [...]

I was in Norwich last week on a Training course, and met up with an old friend. ‘How long have you been going now?’ she asked.  And I realised its been 2 years and a month since I started……….25 months.  It seems to have gone past in a blink.  25 months ago, Breckland Orchard was [...]

I guess if you are juggling starting a new enterprise with looking after two young children then life is always going to be interesting! I did a first on this week – and took my little boy along with me to a business meeting. I was exhibiting at IFE a few weeks back and as [...]

I featured in a recent articule in the Independent on Sunday entitled ‘Meet the women who run the country’ – written all about rural female entrepreneurs.  Quite a lot has been written recently about women starting up in business, but I hadn’t realised that rural businesses are more likely to be run by a woman [...]

I set up Breckland Orchard whilst the mini-Martinsens were 1 and 3 [They are now 3 and 5].  Life is inevitably a juggle between family, home and business.  Some people thought I was crazy setting up a business with two toddlers – but far from slowing me down, they have been the inspiration behind me [...]

Fridays always make me feel a tiny-teeny bit smug and here’s why……. Friday posts on Facebook are inevitably lots of comments from friends along the line of  ‘Thank goodness its Friday, time to crack open the wine’.  And I remember that feeling too, and perhaps worse the dreaded Sunday night/Monday morning – along the lines [...]

Our newest flavour! Sloe Lemonade………….the gorgeous taste of Sloe, with the zingy flavour of Lemon.  Its such a pretty colour, and it tastes amazing.  It works great as a mixer – add your own Gin[!] I made the first batch yesterday, Tweeting about it along the way.  I’m really excited about Sloe Lemonade.  Keep your [...]

I was very honoured yesterday to have been asked to be a judge for the 2011 Business Plan Competition at UEA – otherwise known as Eureka!  UEA is very dynamic at encouraging entrepreneurism amongst the students, and Eureka is just one of the  ways in which they encourage and support business development amongst their student [...]