Franchises, Direct Selling and Party Plan Opportunities

If you want to know about your options for flexible work, direct selling, franchises and starting your own business, sign up for a free 21 day Flexible Business Ideas e-course. Ideal for every parent who wants a better work life balance. And read on to find lots of businesses offering flexible opportunities.

Finding Ways to Work

www.flexibility.co.uk – Information on flexible working
www.bytestart.co.uk – Advice for small businesses
www.hmrc.gov.uk – Inland Revenue: Call 08459 15 45 15 to register as self employed and for tax and national insurance queries
Working for yourself – The Guide. Order online or call 0845 9000 404.
www.businesslink.gov.uk – Full of practical help on getting started in business.
The No-Nonsense Guide to Government rules and regulations for setting up your business 0845 015 0010.

Hobbies into Businesses

Companies offering cottage industry licenses:

www.littleturtleknits.com Adult and children’s clothes and accessories
www.fernandfaerie.com Cloth nappy, baby carriers, rags dolls and more.
www.babybyyou.com Cloth nappy patterns
www.elizabethlee.com Maternity wear

RESOURCES

Free publications from the Food Standards Agency:

Food hygiene – a guide for businesses – general guide to food hygiene regulations
Food law inspections and your business – explains the inspection process
Starting up – your first steps to running a Catering Business
Order from www.food.gov.uk 0845 606 0667

Health and Safety Executive factsheets

www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/caterdex.htm and www.hsebooks.co.uk 01787 881165.

Services

Online freelance directories:

General education and training resources:

DirectGov www.direct.gov.uk Click on Education and Learning
Learn Direct www.learndirect-advice.co.uk 0800 100 900
The Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. Call to check if your course is accredited. www.odlqc.org.uk 020 7612 7090
Career development loans www.lifelonglearning.co.uk or 0800 585 505

Help with childcare

ChildcareLink: to get in touch with your local Childcare Information Service 08000 96 02 96
Inland Revenue Helpline 0845 300 3900 www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk
Department for Education and Skills – Care to Learn – www.dfes.gov.uk 0845 600 2809

Pregnancy and Birth

Doula UK www.doula.org.uk 0871 433 3103
The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers www.abm.me.uk 0870 401 7711
Buggyfit www.buggyfit.co.uk 01844 202 081
Guild of Pregnancy and Postnatal Exercise Instructors www.postnatalexercise.co.uk
La Leche League www.laleche.org.uk 0845 456 1855
National Childbirth Trust www.nct.org.uk 0870 770 3238

Fitness

Active I Q www.activeiq.co.uk 01225 717259
Central YMCA Qualifications www.cyq.org.uk 020 7343 1800
Keepfit Association www.keepfit.org.uk 01403 2660000 8692 9566
Register of Exercise Professionals www.exerciseregister.org 020 8686 6464

Complementary Therapy Organisations

British Complementary Medicine Association www.bcma.co.uk 0845 345 5977
Complementary Medicine Association www.the-cma-org.uk 0208 305 9571
ITEC www.itecworld.co.uk 020 8994 4141
The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health www.fih.org.uk 020 3119 3100
Research Council for Complementary Medicine www.rccm.org.uk
YogaBugs www.yogabugs.co.uk 020 8772 1800

Market research organisations

Grassroots www.grgresearch.com
Counter Intelligence www.counterintelligenceaba.co.uk
NOP Mystery Shopping www.cybershoppers.nop.co.uk
IMS field marketing www.ukims.co.uk
Retail Eyes www.retaileyes.co.uk

Other Organisations

Alliance of UK Virtual Assistants. www.allianceofukvirtualassistants.org.uk

Products

Free online search of registered patents at http://gb.espacenet.com
Online directory of overseas wholesale products and services www.alibaba.com

Resources

British Standards Institution www.bsi-global.com 020 8996 9001
BSI Product Testing www.bsi-global.com 01442 230442
Department of Trade and Industry’s Innovation Site www.dti.gov.uk/innovation
Chartered Institute of Patent Agents www.cipa.org.uk 020 7405 9450
Institute of Trademark Attorneys www.itma.org.uk 020 8686 2052
The Wholesaler Directory www.thewholesaler.co.uk
UK Trade and Commission www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk 020 7215 8000

Direct Selling & Party Plans

Cosmetics, Fragrances, Skincare

Avon www.avon.uk.com 01604 232425
Body Shop at Home www.uk.thebodyshop.com 08459 05 06 07
Likisma Aromatherapy www.likisma.info 01933 446402
Mary Kay www.marykay.co.uk 0800 318 288
Oriflame www.oriflame.co.uk 0845 230 2255
Virgin Cosmetics www.virginvieathome.com 0845 300 80 22

Jewellery

Angelo Collezione www.angelogems.co.uk 0870 446 0910
Chez Bec www.chezbec.com 0845 6520892
Jo Magdalena www.jomagdalena.com 0845 225 0900
Miglio Jewellery www.miglio.co.uk 0845 430 9045
Virgin Jewellery www.virginvieathome.com 0845 300 80 22

Home

Amway (vitamins, cosmetics and household products) www.amway.co.uk 01908 629400
Betterware (products for home and garden) www.betterware.co.uk 0845 125 5000
Chocolate for chocoholics www.chocolate-for-chocoholics.co.uk 0118 932 1043
Demarle (cookery workshops) www.demarle.com 020 7304 7092
Enjo (chemical free cleaning products) www.enjo.net 0870 900 6600
Euphony (telecoms) www.euphony.co.uk 01256 857 004
Forever Living Products www.foreverliving.com 01926 626 630
Girlie Gardening (garden tools) www.girliegardening.co.uk 01756 79 78 77
Herbalife (aloe vera products) www.herbalife.co.uk 0845 056 0606
Kleeneze (home and health and beauty products) www.kleeneze.net 08703 33 66 88 and Moneyme.co.uk
Mysticcharms.co.uk – Join our dropship members selling our top quality mystical charms, tarot & oracle cards, new age books, ritual supplies & mind body & spirit products.
Neways (nutritional supplements and personal care) www.neways.co.uk 0845 601 4845
Pampered Chef (kitchenware) www.pamperedchef.com 01344 293 900
Tomboy Tools www.tomboytools.co.uk 029 2081 4196
Tupperware (kitchenware) www.tupperware.co.uk 01483 487842

Cloth nappies

Babykind www.babykind.co.uk 0845 094 2275
Cumfybumfywww.cumfybumfy.co.uk 01908 660096
Lollipop www.teamlollipop.co.uk 01736 799512
Nappy Nation www.nappy-nation.co.uk 0208 249 1941
Natural Baby www.thenaturalbabyresource.com 048 30 84 80 50
The Nappy Lady /www.thenappylady.co.uk 0845 652 6532

Other Baby and Child

Buggyfit (fitness for new mums) www.Buggyfit.co.uk 01 844 202 08
BuyBaby (baby showers and parties) www.buybaby.co.uk 0207 306 7342
Tatty Bumpkin (yoga and activity classes) www.tattybumpkin.com 01732 812212
Truly Madly Baby (baby products) www.trulymadlybaby.co.uk 0870 444 7207

Children’s Clothes

Captain Tortue www.captaintortue.fr 01 903 74 44 44
GLOW-Inc www.glow-inc.com No telephone number
Knitti www.knitti.co.uk 01423 551 435
Stardust Kids www.stardustkids.co.uk 020 77370199

Children’s Books, Toys, Games and Activities

Barefoot Books www.barefootbooks.com Beautiful artwork, catchy songs, and most of all, magical stories inspire children to explore, create and connect with the world around them. Created by mothers looking to work from home, Barefoot Books has stuck to the principle of work/life balance and we’re looking for others to join us in living Barefoot
Child’s Play books www.childs-play.com 01793 616286
FootieMad www.footiemad.co.uk Become a Footiemad Sales Consultant
iChild www.ichild.co.uk 08700 705 291
Mini IQ www.mini-iq.co.uk 0845 650 2044
Tish tash toys www.tishtashtoys.com 0870 055 2072
Tots Activities www.totsactivities.com Become a Tots Activities licencee
Usborne Books www.usbornebooksonline.co.uk 01484 864945

Other opportunities

Ann Summers – Party Organiser www.annsummers.co.uk 0845 456 6948
Stringfellows www.stringfellows.net 0845 257 0800
Creative Memories www.creativememories.co.uk 01635 294700
My Little Artist www.mylittleartist.co.uk 020 7193 0334
Partylite Candles www.partylite.co.uk 01923 848730
Phoenix Trading (Greetings Cards) www.phoenix-trading.co.uk
Blue Murder Events www.bluemurderevents.co.uk 07946 424 111
Funky Mamas (Events) www.funkymamas.co.uk 0800 169 9583
Small Steps (Magazine Sales/Design) www.smallstepsmagazine.co.uk 01386 860504
Travel Counsellors www.travelcounsellors.co.uk 0800 195 7193

General Resources

Create: Impartial advice on franchising, direct selling, licensing and distribution www.createproject.org.uk 0845 602 0101
Direct Selling Association www.dsa.org.uk 020 7497 1234
HM Revenue and Customs www.hmrc.co.uk Self Employed Helpline: 0845 915 4515
National Group on Homeworking www.homeworking.gn.apc.org Advice and Information Line 0800 174 095
Office of Fair Trading www.oft.gov.uk 08457 22 44 99

Websites with direct selling opportunities

Enterprise Nation www.enterprisenation.com
Mum and Working www.mumandworking.co.uk
Netmums www.netmums.co.uk
Real Work at Home www.real-work-at-home.co.uk
Working Mums www.workingmums.co.uk

Franchises

Children’s Physical Activity

Gymboree www.gymboreeplayuk.com 07967 755 008
Little Kickers www.littlekickers.co.uk 01235 859 255
Socatots www.socatots.com 01132 442005
The Little Gym www.thelittlegym-eu.com 0208 958 7373
Tumbletots www.tumbletots.com 0121 585 7003

Other Children’s Classes

Jo Jingles www.jojingles.co.uk 01494 778989
Kumon www.kumon.co.uk 0800 854 714
Monkey Music www.monkeymusic.co.uk 0 1582 766464
Musical Minis www.musicalminis.co.uk 020 8868 0001
Musicwithin.co.uk – An affordable, enterprising franchise with no huge upfront fees, offering luxurious antenatal music classes to expectant mums.
Perform www.perform.org.uk 0845 400 4000
Sing and Sign www.singandsign.co.uk 01273 550587
Stagecoach www.stagecoach.co.uk 01932 254 333

Other children’s franchises

Baby Prints www.babyprints.co.uk 01279 817169
Childalert www.childalert.co.uk 0118 934 5893
First Impressions www.firstimpressions.org.uk 020 8346 8666
Kids Klub Videos www.kids-klub.co.uk 01747 853999
Little Angels Portraits www.littleangelsportraits.co.uk 01242 216816
Little Impressions www.little-impressions.com 0800 0193950

Local websites and magazines

About My Area www.aboutmyarea.co.uk 0870 062 2212
The Best Of www.thebestof.co.uk 0121 765 5556
ABC www.abcmag.co.uk 01273 542257
My Mag www.my-mag-uk.com 0121 765 5555
Families Magazines www.familiesonline.co.uk 020 8696 9680
Community Times www.mycommunitytimes.co.uk 0800 243 462
Family Grapevine: www.thegrapevine.co.uk 01749 870471
Primary Times www.primarytimes.net 01491 845800
Raring 2 Go www.raring2go.co.uk 0121 765 5550
Parents News www.parents-news.co.uk 020 8337 6337

Home and Lifestyle

Global Travel Group www.globaltravelgroup.com 0870 429 8100
Kings Maid www.kingsmaid.co.uk 0161 449 5843
Maid2clean www.maid2clean.co.uk 01606 836080
Merry Maids www.merrymaids.co.uk 0116 275 9000
Molly Maid www.mollymaid.co.uk 0800 500950
My home www.myhomeplc.com 08450 693369
Revitalise www.revitalise-franchise.co.uk 01273 738230
Rosemary Conley www.rosemary-conley.co.uk 01509 622000
Topmatch UK Dating www.topmatch-uk.com 08707 203 270
Travel Counsellors www.TravelCounsellors.co.uk 0800 195 7193

General Resources

British Franchise Association www.thebfa.org 01491 578050
Franchise Alliance www.myfranchise.net 0845 838 3070
Franchise Direct www.franchisedirect.co.uk 353-1-865 6370 (Ireland)
The UK Franchise Directory www.theukfranchisedirectory.net 01603 620 301
Which Franchise www.whichfranchise.com 0141 204 0050
Franchise Gator www.franchisegator.co.uk 0845 363 7165

Web Based Businesses

Online auction and sales sites

Ebay www.eBay.co.uk
QXL UK www.qxl.co.uk
eBid UK and overseas sites www.eBid.co.uk
Amazon Marketplace UK and overseas sites www.amazon.co.uk
CQOut UK and overseas sites www.cqout.com
Visit www.auctionlotwatch.co.uk for a longer list of auction sites with categories for new and established sites.

Resources to help you create a website

For more advice and support, visit Family Friendly Working’s Further Resources. If you need help or advice on your personal situation, call Working Families on 0800 013 0313 or email advice@workingfamilies.org.uk.