Showcasing like-minded business owners who love gemstones and appreciate great design!

Tell me a little about your business and what its purpose is

My business offers Wellbeing Coaching and Stress Management training. The purpose of “Core Sense” (the name of my work) is to help people who are feeling challenged or compromised in some way – life is just not working for them the way they know it can. Working with me helps people “Take back control” whatever the circumstances. For over 15 years I have been helping people to make the changes they want and live a happier, more fulfilling life.

Where did your passion for your business come from?

17 years ago I gave birth when I was only 6 months pregnant and the doctors didn’t think my baby would survive. Against the odds he did, but my life was turned upside down overnight – I went from having a successful City career of supporting people and teams to become more effective, to sitting in several hospitals across the UK for 6 months looking at a baby full of tubes and needles.

As my son got older, I realised that my lifelong passion and skill for empowering people combined with this unique family circumstance could help other people to make a real difference in their own lives.

How have you adapted your business to the current climate?

As my work is all about helping people to make changes for their own wellbeing, I had new clients coming to me because they were struggling with lockdown, feeling that their life had been taken away from them. I work with a lot of parents and “being stuck at home 24/7” was a real trial. As I write this, new clients are coming because they’re finding it hard to re-adjust yet again, or find their “new normal” as we are now able to go outside more. It’s a real privilege to work with people and support them whether they’re adjusting their work, business or family life at this time.

For several years I’ve been working with my clients using Skype, so the only real change was to start using video as I moved my group workshops online.

What top three tips would you give to someone looking to start their own business right now?

1. Do what you love. By that I mean choose to focus on something that you are passionate about; that you are committed to and believe in, even if the people around you don’t.

2. Take at least three active steps every working day. It’s really easy to get so bogged down in the detail that you never effectively launch your business, or the opposite – you launch before you have any substance to the business. Make a plan, do something every day, and review at the end of every working week.

3. Have a clear idea of how you are going to market your business. There are many people out there willing to tell you how to run your business, so be clear if you want an advisor, or someone who facilitates you to work out what’s best for you – or someone like me, who combines both to fully support you!

Bonus Tip! 

Set your work hours realistically and stick to them! When you run your own business, and particularly when you love what you do, it’s really easy to spend all your waking hours working. For the sake of your wellbeing, and ultimately, the on-going success of your business you need to have time off – not only is it healthy for you and your relationships, it’s healthy for your business, because that down-time gives your brain time to process what’s been happening – when our brain is resting is often when “lightning” strikes and we get a fantastic idea or understanding that saves us hours of slog, or catapults our success forward!

Do you have a favourite beauty product/find?

My favourite beauty products are from Clementine’s Herbs – a local medical herbalist. She makes the most incredible face creams – and I love her toner too! 

What’s your secret recipe, ingredient or tipple?

Great question! I’m really into Raw Food – I feel so much more alive the more “raw” I eat. At the moment, my favourite raw food treat is made from almonds, turmeric and bee pollen, and it tastes heavenly! 

How would you describe your style?

I’d like to be “understatedly elegant” but I think I’m more of a “funky chic!” 

What kind of jewellery do you wear? Do you have a jewellery wish list?

I love jewellery – I never used to, but the older I get the bigger my collection grows! I have a really varied collection from vintage pieces, sentimental pieces, loads of crystals and some that I have just for the colour or the design. My two favourite pieces are a chunky, colourful resin necklace that my husband bought me as a surprise and my stunning watermelon tourmaline necklace that he had designed by you last year for my 50th! 

Thanks Naomi! Working on the design for your necklace was fab!

Of the many many photos I have of you, I realised how few were of you in regular clothes rather than in fancy dress! … We really need to go out to more normal things, like restaurants together … Perhaps we should head to Rovi again sometime!

Yes, I’d second your style as funky chic - you wear a lot of happy and confident patterns like bold florals, spots and stripes!

Naomi Martell-Bundock

 0845 643 9668