The Business Pharmacy: Nicola Good

The Business Pharmacy, where successful founders share their 'prescription' for success, is open.

Hi Nicola! Thanks for sharing your prescription for success with us. Let's start with your routine.

Well, currently, I have no real routine. The joys of having an 8-month-old baby and highly strung dachshund at home!

That's why we encourage flexible working at TWFM; we know that not every day can be the same and that you are generally juggling a number of things at once.

What inspires you?

I'm really enjoying being part of UPFRONT by Lauren Currie. It’s a global collective of women who share stories, goals and support.

We have regular guest speakers including the lovely Lauren who gives us a weekly boost. Also, we start the week with a Monday morning disco to get us in the mood.

What fuels your day?

It's not good fuel, but I'm really addicted to crisps, plus they are easy to just grab when on the go. The cheaper the better too!

What strategies do you follow or tools do you use to stay on top of things?

I try and plan my day, the day before. I plan what I need to do for work using Trello so I don't miss anything that is urgent. It’s such an easy tool for managing tasks no matter how small.

As a business owner and new mother, it’s the easy way to keep on top of everything and share work between us.

Remote or non-remote working?

Both, I think it's healthy to split time between home and the office or a cafe. I find the lack of adult interaction at home can leave me feeling deflated if I don't leave the house all week.

I always took for granted the quick chat you have with a work colleague while making a coffee, the quick drink you have after work, the lunchtime walks down by the river.

These are things that are really good for your mental health so trying to get into the office if you have one or even working in a shared office or cafe is a good option to beat the isolation.  

Share scheme or no share scheme?

I always think it's a good idea to incentivise employees with share schemes.

It's not always possible but this is a good way to ensure employees have the interests of the business at heart and make sure you are all working towards the same goal. If a share scheme isn't possible then a bonus scheme is a good alternative.

What do you try to avoid?

Self-doubt. It happens to the best of us but try not to let it take over.

Reach out to your support networks, talk to other people in the same business or industry. Things always go wrong when starting a new business, but if it didn't, you wouldn't be learning and growing from these mistakes.

Nicola, Jess & Gemma

How do you relax?

At the end of the day, I enjoy nothing more than a glass of wine and a good box set. I’ve tried meditation and mindfulness but find I can't actually switch off properly like I can with a box set and wine.

What about sleep?

Currently, I'm not having much sleep due to my baby waking every few hours!

Hopefully, you'll get some much-needed shut-eye soon! Thanks so much for your time Nicola.