When Life Says “Pause” (And You’re Forced to Actually Listen)

May didn’t go to plan. The calendar was packed, the energy was high and then, plot twist.

On the Friday it all kicked off, both Tom and I had diaries full of work, client calls, deadlines. He had a big weekend ahead, the Fred Whitton Challenge on Sunday, and a prize drive in a Porsche at Silverstone on Monday. By mid-morning Friday, we were in hospital being told it could be a heart attack or a DVT!

Turns out it wasn’t either, they still don’t know what it is. Myocarditis is the current theory. Either way, recovery has been slow. Tom’s body has had to take the hint... but his brain? Still going 100mph. Classic ADHD: body resting, mind racing.

We paused. Fully. Flooring Freedom was postponed for the first time ever. And guess what?

Nothing broke.

Clients were supportive. Nobody panicked.

At the Alliance workshop mid month, I shared what had happened. Not for sympathy but because I believe in being honest. The conversation that followed was probably one of the most real we’ve ever had.

We talked about burnout. Stress. The pressure to keep going when you’re running on empty. And how you can’t just “positive mindset” your way out of a genuine health scare.

There was an incredible member-led session on emotional intelligence and stress management. Recognising your stress triggers. Using the ABC method (Acknowledge, Bring Down, Connect). Actually, managing conflict and pressure rather than just powering through and hoping for the best.

A couple of weeks later, Tom ran a pricing session and that’s were it got juicy. We split the group into pairs and dived into live quotes. We uncovered undercharged work, forgotten materials, and at least one quote from 2021 that’s somehow still doing the rounds.

There were moments of horror. Moments of “how did I stay afloat charging that?” And moments of real pride as members saw how far they’d come.

Behind the workshops, the mentoring continued.

One-to-ones covered everything from chasing late invoices to reshaping teams and finding smarter systems. One client was struggling with motivation; we ended with a full automation setup and a plan. Another was overwhelmed by homeschooling, flaky subcontractors and supplier delays; we rewired the way their business communicates and operates.

We tackled cash flow, ADHD brain logistics, and the harsh reality that your glovebox is not a filing cabinet for receipts.

And yes — personal curveballs didn’t stop there.

• My accountant was jailed for tax fraud – yep, really! Oh the irony!
• My identity was stolen

But do you know what? I didn’t feel alone. Not once.

The community we’ve built - our brilliant, resilient community — showed up for us. And that’s what May taught me:

• Health comes first. Even when it’s inconvenient.
• Your business should be strong enough to keep going without you.
• Your pricing shouldn’t be a guessing game.
• Community isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline.
• Resilience isn’t about having it all together — it’s about adapting when you don’t.

We’re still in recovery mode. But the work goes on. And quietly behind the scenes, something new is starting to take shape.

In May, I also laid the groundwork for a new business launch — Numbers, an accountancy and financial support service created exclusively for flooring businesses.

No jargon. No guesswork. Just honest, proactive support.

It’s a joint venture with my mum (yes really!), and it’s built to complement what I do at Cockerill & Co: strategic business consultancy that actually moves the needle.

With Numbers, we’ll offer:

• Clear financial advice tailored to the flooring industry
• Tax, VAT and CIS support that makes sense
• Systems that integrate with your business tools
• Confidence, not confusion

It’s taking a while (because red tape and regulation aren’t known for their speed), but it’s coming.

Want to be the first to know when we go live? Email [email protected]

I’m not going to pretend May was smooth sailing. It was messy. Emotional. And at times, overwhelming.

But it also proved something important: if you build your business right, it won’t fall apart the moment you need to stop.

It will hold.

And so will you.

This blog is late. June is currently being written so keep your eyes peeled for that dropping very soon.

Over and out!