Natasha is the author of the Million Dollar Blog
Welcome to the latest instalment of Wonderful Women, featuring brilliant author, digital strategist & entrepreneur Natasha Courtenay-Smith.
Her clients include celebrities, small business owners, bloggers and charities and she is also the author of the fabulous new blogging best seller The Million Dollar Blog.
The Million Dollar Blog is a must-read for all bloggers, budding and established and includes an in-depth interviews with the biggest bloggers in the world. I am beyond touched to be interviewed inside and to be quoted on the cover!
I’m also excited to announce that I have 5 copies of this fab book to giveaway! You can enter at the bottom of this post, but first over to Natasha…Go be inspired, people!
Describe a typical day for you?
Getting woken up at 6.15am by my 3 year old walking past the bedroom door and going to the loo. She normally goes back to bed but I’m always on high alert in case I hear her creeping downstairs.
Depending on what she’s doing, I’ll drag myself out of bed and get her breakfast. I’ve been trying (and failing) to do yoga in the mornings to a Youtube video. I really want to be a ‘yoga type’ person because for me this always seems to go hand in hand with a great figure and calm mind. I have good intentions, but I’m struggling to make it a habit.
Once the kids are at school, I either work from home (from a ‘Shoffice’ in my garden – always a dream to have one but the reality is cats running across the roof all day long) or I go into town for meetings.
I try to be home for when the kids get home. The reality is I work hard and long hours, but I tell myself at least if I’m doing it from home I don’t have to feel too guilty!
Evening routine which is same as for all mums, homework, bath, laying out school uniform, emails and then perhaps an hour of a crime drama – and then bed. I’m not very rock and roll!
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
Work-wise, right now, it has to be my book ‘The Million Dollar Blog’, although over the years that would include things like selling my previous company and winning Women in Business Awards. All that aside, my children, obviously!! The fact I’ve kept them alive!
It’s such a strange thing, when I wanted to become a mum, I just had the feeling of wanting a baby. I’d never really considered I’d end up with an 8 year old football mad-boy into hip hop dancing!
What’s in your handbag?
I used to constantly open my handbag in work situations and pull out dummies! Thankfully we are past the dummy stage now so that no longer happens. Usually the three things on my check list that I never leave the house without double checking they are there: wallet, phone, keys. And my notebook, which contains ever changing ‘to do’ lists.
And then various kiddie bits like football cards and bits of plastic from inside Kinder eggs or the front of the children’s magazines I always say yes to buying.
What are your ambitions in life?
I’m quite ambitious actually. I want to grow my business, help a ton of people realise their business dreams and understand how to follow their dreams, write more books. I figure if I can do all this then I’ll be able to earn great money, spend summers in Ibiza and winters in LA (I’ve never been to either!) and to be able to buy my kids houses so they don’t have to go through the tedium and impossibility of saving for a deposit.
What advice would you give your pre-baby self, that you now know, having had children?
To really really REALLY enjoy all those lie ins and carefree days spent just floating aimlessly around feeling slightly bored and not sure what to do with myself before eventually deciding perhaps to meet up on a whim with someone in town and then stay out all night drinking! They really do end when you have kids!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Argh! I’ll be 44 then. Hopefully I will have cracked this yoga thing and got rid of my mum tum.
Finally, happiness is…
It’s a cliche but it is to do with our kids. I’m like all mums, on my phone, distracted, doing 10 things at once. On the rare moments I remember to be present, and fully focused on my kids, or listening to them laughing, I always tell myself ‘this is a great feeling so cherish this moment.’ That’s easier said than done though – sorry kids!
For more information on Natasha head to her website or follow her on Twitter. Go buy the book!
To win 1 of 5 The Million Dollar Blog books enter via The Rafflecopter below.
UK only.
No cash alternative.
If the winners don’t respond within 7 days of the email sent, a new winner will be chosen.
Buy my bestselling book in paperback or audio
My debut book is my guide to surviving and thriving at work and at home and offers insight into how to create a digital business or return to work with confidence.
Mumboss: The Honest Mum's Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
(UK 2nd Edition)
Available on Amazon or Audible
The Working Mom: Your Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
(US/Canada Edition)
Available September 8th 2020. Order now on Amazon
