Hi, I’m Vicki, a writer, director and bestselling author of MumBoss (UK) and The Working Mom (US).
Welcome to my parenting and lifestyle blog, Honest Mum, a place where I share my love for my family, food, business, travel, beauty and style.
I’m a former TV and film director and set up this blog in November 2010 while on maternity leave as way to help me rediscover my voice and regain my confidence after suffering from a traumatic birth.
Blogging and vlogging soon became my full-time job taking my work from behind the camera to mostly, in front.
I’m a regular on BBC TV spanning BBC World News, BBC Breakfast and the Victoria Derbyshire Programme and I’ve featured on ITV’s This Morning, Good Morning Britain, Lorraine as well as EuroNews, Channel 5 News, SKY News and E News.
The blog was the recipient of Best Baby and Parent Blog at the UK Blog Awards 2019 so thank you everyone!
Becoming a blogger, vlogger and author over the last 10 years has proved to be an empowering and enjoyable way to work around my family, and my mission is to help mobilise other mums who are so often handed a short straw in this inflexible workplace.
I recently launched The Working Mother’s Academy, a digital video course spanning all I’ve learnt myself blogging and vlogging professionally. Find out more HERE.
My debut book Mumboss (UK) published by Piatkus/Little Brown/Hachette supports this vision, and became a number 1 Amazon bestseller on release and was listed in the top 10 business books written by women by the Independent.
It can be ordered HERE in the UK.
Pre-order in the US and Canada are below (it’s out on Sept 1st 2020):
USA
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-working-mom-vicki-psarias/1136334248?ean=9780349423951
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Working-Mom/Vicki-Psarias/9780349423951?id=7704648132477
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780349423951
CANADA
I thought I’d list a few more career milestones below I’m super grateful for:
I interviewed the wonderful Westlife men on their reunion, tour and fatherhood!
Check out where I’ve featured below:
So who am I?
I’m a creative mum of of two who lives with my husband, Peter, and two children, Oliver and Alexander, in Windsor, Berkshire.
I received a distinction in my MA in Screen Drama and Direction from Goldsmiths’ University of London and have worn many work hats over the years from teaching English GSCE and lecturing at universities to writing, directing and producing drama, documentaries, music videos and commercials, before setting up this blog.
I also formerly edited the Film & Festivals magazines. You might have seen my monthly columns in glossy Berkshire Life too.
Writing, appearing on TV and making films and videos are my greatest passions. I do love to cook too!
You can watch my showreel below:
I also vlog over on my YouTube Channel sharing mine and my family’s lives.
Below are a selection of my favourite YT films:
Interviewing Westlife
My Range Rover Evoque
Behind-the-scenes shooting my book cover!
Interviewing Fearne Cotton on her new Boots Mini Club Collection.
Cooking with the legendary Jamie Oliver.
And here’s one where I cry! Get the tissues at the ready, it’s an emotional one.
You can watch more videos HERE.
When it comes to work-
I’ve written, directed, produced and featured in campaigns for a wide and diverse range of clients naming but a few here, including Google, Yahoo, Coca Cola, Skoda UK, Land Rover, Philips, Selfridges, NIVEA UK, Boots, bareMinerals UK, Superdrug and more.
I often give keynote speeches and contribute to panels on tech and digital business.
I’ve spoken about my traumatic birth experience and entrepreneurial journey pivoting from directing to blogging, respectively, at Committee Meetings in the House of Commons. I was also invited to contribute to a a Government Equalities Office Stakeholder Forum on equality and economic empowerment to help inform strategy proposed to the government.
Other notable events include speaking at the following: Marie Claire’s Future Shapers Live, The Advertising Internet Bureau, Red Magazine’s Career in Tech day in association with SKY, BritMums Live and I co-founded the former Passion into Pounds with Jessica Huie MBE, first launching in collaboration with Stylist Magazine’s #Reclaimyourlunchbreak campaign and later partnering with the British Library.
One of my first lectures saw me speak at Mosaic, a charity founded by HRH The Prince of Wales as part of the Prince’s Trust where I gave a keynote speech on my career to three classes of primary school children. I spoke of going from a young, determined child who would beg her father to hire VHS cameras from the local video shop to a multi-award winning director and later, blogger and vlogger.
…With a background in film and TV, I’m unsurprisingly passionate about the moving image and attend film festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Berlinale most years.
I love that this online space of mine allows me share my view of the world and works as a family archive too.
Both here and on social media, I work hard to advocate for greater support for maternal mental health and greater flexible working, for mothers.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by, it really does mean a lot.
Buy my bestselling book in paperback or audio
Mumboss: The Honest Mum's Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
Available on Amazon or Audible
