5 March 2021|Latest Posts, Meet the Successful Founder
Diana Spellman is a female entrepreneur born out of lockdown. With 20 years of experience working in systems/process/workflow on corporate contracts, she has launched her business Serenely Sorted. Inspired to address the ‘Mess Stress’ in her own life after working from home meant she couldn’t get away from the piles that had built up over time and that constant nagging voice telling her to tidy – she developed the simple but highly effective Serenely Sorted System. She is now on a mission to help others who are busy and mess stressed change their habits to help them find more peace in their home.
What would you love to share to encourage other women to start their own business?
I now spend every day loving what I do, following my passion. The Sunday night dread of Monday back-to-work is now completely gone – in fact, I am excited about what the new week will bring! Getting testimonials from people who have learned The Serenely Sorted System and are now living a life sorted and serene is the absolute best part of my entrepreneurial journey – and what spurs me to keep going even when things are tough – I’m changing people’s lives, helping their mental health, and giving them serenity in their homes every day!
What are your top 5 tips for entrepreneurial success?
Reach out to your network – if you’ve been in the corporate world you’ll have lots of connections and friends with amazing skills. You’ll be amazed at how happy they are to help you get started. I’ve had design help, coaching, and marketing support via wonderful expert ex-colleagues, to name a few
Work out your marketing channels and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I spent a lot of time on Instagram, focusing on achieving a bigger following, but realised that actually, my ideal client was more likely to hang out on Facebook. If you are using Social Media you need a holistic plan for doing that.
PR is your best friend. My biggest investment to date has been on an amazing PR course with Chocolate PR aimed at female entrepreneurs. What I have been able to achieve and create with their support is amazing compared to what I could have done alone. I knew I needed PR to spread my word more widely than hashtags and organic growth could achieve. I have achieved amazing trust tags since taking this course, including a centre spread in The Daily Express and Daily Mirror.
Give your time and expertise for free to help those that can’t necessarily afford your products – I have a real mission to help people rid themselves of mess stress. During lockdown, I launched a free ‘Lockdown Mess Stress’ course online and am continuously sharing tips and tricks to help my followers on my Instagram and especially in my Facebook community – a safe space for realistic people to get sorted.
It’s worth paying for a business coach. When you are in the corporate world, you always have colleagues to bounce ideas off. As a solo entrepreneur, it can be very lonely. You need that ‘colleague’ to support your journey and to plug the gaps – you can’t be skilled in all areas of business. Realise this as early as possible and you will fly!
Who are the 5 women who inspire them the most?
I admire women who are championing women who work and are mothers, and also those who make us laugh by showing us the reality of what life is like for us!
Amy Whitehouse – for championing the cause of working parents, especially during the pandemic
Ariana Huffington – for championing the need for thriving alongside professional success
Katie Kirby (Hurrah for Gin author) – for making us laugh and saying it how it is for working women
Helen Thorn – tells it how it is, shows what life is really like as a parent
Davina McCall – just because I love her!
Their favourite saying/inspirational quote
“Work hard, have fun, be nice” Joe Wicks – I live by this every day. This is a great mantra for life in general and I admire Joe for how hard he worked early on and the fact that he kept showing up despite hard time in his early career that reaped rewards later. In the early phase of a business idea like mine, it is really hard. So keeping this in mind really helps me to keep going even when things are tough.
Their website link and social handles
Website: www.serenelysorted.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/serenelysorted
Instagram: www.instagram.com/serenely.sorted
Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/serenelysorted
