Today, we’re sharing the inspiring story of Amanda Lennon – a mother of three and a self-employed HR consultant and employment lawyer based in London. She runs her own business, offering expert HR and legal support to employers across various industries, as well as to employees facing complex workplace challenges.
Her story is one of adaptability, grit, and determination, built when the world stood still.
How the Business Began: A Pandemic Pivot
The idea for Amanda’s business was conceived during a sudden disruption.
“I was made redundant in February 2020, and a month later we were plunged into the COVID lockdown,” she recalls. With fresh recruitment on ice and planned hiring put on hold, her future seemed doubtful. “At the same time, I had a young family to support and bills to pay.”
Rather than sitting back and waiting for an opportunity to knock down, she took things into her own hands and created some. She began building up her reputation as a go-to expert on HR and employment law, giving public opinion on furloughs, restructuring, and the like.
“I appeared on ITV News, This Morning, and other news outlets around the globe.” Those TV appearances created raw leads for companies that needed advice, and her consultancy exploded.
That early foundation was a launch pad. “My enhanced profile also led to offers of work as an employment lawyer, enabling me to build my legal practice alongside my consultancy business.” Five years later, her business is now a successful, flexible lifestyle.
Breaking Free from Fear: Beginning Without a Safety Net
Beginning a business in the middle of a global recession would never be easy. “I built my business from scratch, without an income at the start of Covid, which was scary with a young family to provide for at home,” she admits. “At one point, I contacted my mortgage company to arrange payment holidays and significantly changed my spending habits.”
But fear did not deter her. “I found the courage to go for it and believe in myself, and I have been able to build a successful business as a result. I know what it is like to start again and build something up without a safety net, but I’m proud of myself for what I’ve been able to achieve on my own.”
Balancing Career and Family: Her Greatest Achievement
Amanda considers motherhood her biggest achievement. “Being a mom of three wonderful children (now aged 17, 15, and 12) is without a doubt my biggest achievement, but I’m also proud of the way I’ve been able to combine a successful career with being present for my children,” she says.
However, marrying motherhood with success in business has its rewards, too. “Before I set up my business, I was traveling all over Europe for work while juggling childcare. It was stressful and didn’t leave much time for my children.”
On a twist of fate, redundancy and COVID offered the opportunity to build a different way of life. “It gave me the flexibility to build a successful business whilst balancing family life. I don’t regret it for a single minute,” she claims.
What’s Next: A Shift Toward Flexibility
In the future, her ambitions are to have balance and fulfillment.
“I plan to continue working with interesting clients, helping them solve business challenges, and keeping my business stable,” she says. In the future, I plan to add more non-executive directorships to my portfolio of roles so that I can run my business on more of a part-time basis.”
After years of full-time work, she looks forward to change. “I have never worked part-time, and I would love to do so in the future so that I can make more time for myself.”
Final Thoughts: The Power of Mentors
In summary, Amanda’s advice to budding entrepreneurs is to be brave and just start. “It will be a rollercoaster—prepare for the ups and downs, but you need to be brave and go for it. Don’t listen to that voice in your head saying no. Take a leap and put yourself out there. You always have options if it doesn’t work out.“
Amanda credits her success not just to hard work but also to the people who offered support along the way. “I’ve been fortunate to have met a number of great mentors at different stages of my life who’ve helped me to evaluate my career choices and decide what’s next.”
Her parting advice? “Listen to others and take time to consider your options before you make decisions. Mentors have been key in that process for me, which has in turn shaped how I’ve built up my business.”
