Kitchen Table Tycoon: Carol Shaw
Carol Shaw from Rathfarnham, Dublin, runs her bespoke handmade jewellery business from home.
She has two sons, Stephen (17) and Andrew (13).
“I gave up working after having Andrew but when the kids were a little older, I studied interior design and worked part-time.
“I really loved my job but it was starting to take away from family time, so I decided to leave.”
In the intervening years, Carol tried her hand at a couple of endeavours, including card-making and cake-decorating.
When Andrew started secondary school, Carol (45) decided to turn her passion for jewellery making into a business.
“I was conscious of the fact that I would have these extra hours in the day and I wanted to try something different,” she says. “Working from home is great because I’m there to help the boys with homework and I can pop out to see my Mum during the day,” she says.
“It’s a flexible way of working – I can always bring a tray of beads downstairs in the evening and work on a design. “I don’t feel isolated working at home because I make sure to keep in touch with friends.
“I’ve also found that website forums are a great help because there are other women working at home who can offer advice and tips.
“That help is invaluable when you’re in the midst of setting up your business.” Carol’s website is at: