I’m not one to let go of things easily – I’m a self-confessed control freak. I don’t believe anyone can do my job as well as I can but, having facing a situation where my business had grown to a level I never dreamt of, it was time to make some big decisions.

Being a homeworker comes with all sorts of pressures and demands, many of which are self-inflicted. Being successful is a must for me, and something that I strive to achieve.

Becoming a homeworker was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Like everyone in this wonderful industry, I love what I do, and therefore saying “no” is a problem for me. However, as your business grows, you suddenly realise there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything.

Most homeworkers are busy mums and dads with endless other responsibilities; we’re multi-skilled across sales, business development and marketing; we’re all managing multiple social media channels – it’s simply impossible to keep up with everything.

Balance

I’ve had my own business with Designer Travel for more than 15 years, and it’s gone from strength to strength.

My focus has always been on the luxury end of the market. Being there to assist my clients 24/7 is important to me, and I will often work through the weekend or late into the night to ensure things are right for every customer.

But nowadays, we all talk about having a good work-life balance, and that’s something I completely lost sight of this on my journey. Working 12 or 13 hours a day every day of the week isn’t sustainable.

And there comes a point when something has to change.

For me, balance isn’t something you find, it’s something you create – and I have taken steps to achieve it. But it forced me to step out of my comfort zone.

One of the best decisions I have ever made was to recruit administration and PA support. This was not and easy decision for me. I didn’t want to admit I couldn’t cope, and I didn’t think that anyone could do the job well enough.

And then there was the cost. What would happen if my workload declined but I still had an extra pair of hands to pay? What if my business suddenly crashed and didn’t recover? These are just some of the frightening thoughts most entrepreneurs experience.

’Be brave’

It took me six to eight months to realise I had to make a commitment to recruit and, hand on heart, it’s the best business decision I have ever made – I just wish I’d had the confidence to do it sooner.

I am now lucky to have an incredibly supportive admin team. My wonderful PA Anna understands my business and clients exactly as I do. She supports me daily, whether that’s amending bookings, getting clients ready for departure, checking passports, visas, booking restaurants, arranging car hire, or ensuring any special anniversaries, birthdays or celebrations are covered.

Anna also takes care of any destination-specific entry requirements and sending VIP notifications to each and every resort to ensure my clients are incredibly well looked after. She is an extension of me, and my clients have welcomed her with open arms. In fact, my current setup is working so well that I am now looking at extra support on the sales front to help me grow even more.

So believe me when I say: be brave, you won’t regret it. I often found myself turning down social events, fam trips and meeting friends, or basing my own holidays around my VIP customers. Now everything is so much more relaxed.

For any of you incredibly busy homeworkers out there who feel like life is all work and no play, yet still have a passion for travel and growing your business, my advice would be to take a leap of faith, reach out and build an incredible support team around you. You can start small, just a few hours here and there – I promise you won’t look back.

Being successful doesn’t make you manage your time well, but managing your time well will certainly help make you successful!

Angela Mayall is a Designer Travel homeworker based in Saddleworth in the north-west, and was named Designer Travel’s Associate of the Year last year.