Work It Like A Mum
Work It Like A Mum
Side Hustle Success: Big Dreams, Flexible Hours, Real Results
In this week’s episode of the Work it Like a Mum Podcast, I’m joined by Jo Langley. She opens up about her experience of joining Utility Warehouse (UW) as a partner and how she’s built it alongside family life and her existing marketing business.
Jo talks about the reality of starting something new, from hitting her Fast Start bonus in her first month to juggling priorities as a mum, and how UW has given her an extra income stream, peace of mind, and new opportunities.
We also chat about the bigger shift in how people work today, with more than 20 million people in the UK running side hustles — and why multiple income streams are fast becoming the norm.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
- The moment Jo realised she needed another income stream
- How rising costs (mortgage, car, kids!) pushed her to look for solutions
- Why UW felt like a natural fit and how she got started
- The training, support and mentoring that helped her succeed quickly
- Incentives big and small – from family holidays to pizza nights
- The diversity and support within the UW partner community
Key Takeaways:
- Flexibility is everything: UW allows you to work around family life and existing commitments.
- Fast results are possible: Jo earned £2,300 in her first month with just 15 hours of work.
- Training and support make the difference: Mentoring and structured guidance help you start confidently.
- Side hustles aren’t just about money: They give your family peace of mind, security, and opportunities.
- Anyone can do this: With the right tools and mindset, UW can work for a wide variety of people and backgrounds.
- Diversity and community matter: The supportive team and diverse partner network are key to ongoing motivation and success.
- Incentives make it fun: The rewards keep you focused and motivated, from family holidays to small treats.
Why Listen:
Whether you’re curious about UW, exploring a side hustle, or want to hear a real and honest story of balancing family and business, this episode is for you.
Show Links:
Connect With Our Host, Elizabeth Willetts Here
Connect With Joanna on LinkedIn Here
Learn More About Joining UW Here
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Hey, I'm Elizabeth Willits and I'm obsessed with helping as many women as possible achieve their boldest dreams after kids and helping you to navigate this messy and magical season of life. I'm a working mum with over 17 years of recruitment experience and I'm the founder of the Investing in Women job board and community. In this show, I'm honored to be chatting with remarkable women redefining our working world across all areas of business. They'll share their secrets on how they've achieved extraordinary success after children set boundaries and balance the challenges they faced, and how they've achieved extraordinary success after children set boundaries and balance the challenges they faced, and how they've overcome them to define their own versions of success. Shy away from the real talk. No way. Money struggles, growth loss, boundaries and balance we cover it all. Think of this as coffee with your mates, mixed with an inspiring TED Talk sprinkled with the career advice you wish you'd really had at school. So grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, make sure you're cozy and get ready to get inspired and chase your boldest dreams, or just survive Mondays.
Speaker 1:This is the Work it Like A Mum podcast. This episode is brought to you by Investing in Women. Investing in Women is a job board and recruitment agency, helping you find your dream part-time or flexible job with the UK's most family-friendly and forward-thinking employers. Their site can help you find a professional and rewarding job that works for you. They're proud to partner with the UK's most family-friendly employers across a range of professional industries, ready to find your perfect job? Search their website at investinginwomencouk to find your next part-time or flexible job opportunity. Now back to the show around her family, around her current business and also how she's found the training and joining the team as well. So if you are curious about joining UW, if you're just curious about a side hustle in general and how that would work for you, then this episode is for you. So thank you so much, jo, for joining us today. Hi, I'm excited to chat with you. Yeah, I'm really excited.
Speaker 2:Obviously we've chatted quite a lot in the background and I do a lot online, and that's how I came across this opportunity, yeah, so I just think it's a perfect match absolutely do.
Speaker 1:You know I was before I go into your background we I went to um a talk on Tuesday, as you know, at the UW head office, and there was an amazing stat that they shared that in 2017, 5 million people had a side hustle, were multi-income individuals. Now, in 2025, it's 20 million. That is madness. So we are definitely not alone having a couple of sources of income. Yeah, that is like four times, literally, yeah, and it's probably going to be more unusual as we go, you know, into the future to not have additional well it was.
Speaker 2:I was chatting to a friend about it, actually, and she was saying what a great inspiration for your kids, because actually this is going to be the way they're working when our kids are, they're not going to have one career, one source of income, they are going to have multiple sources of income and multiple careers and kind of have what a great inspiration to see that you're switching and changing now to make it work for you yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I think it's so good as well because we know there's like, like I said, there's no job for life anymore. There is a lot of job, insecurity and to have something basically running alongside maybe what you do as a main job, just that added security insurance policy, if you like it makes it helps me sleep better at night it's brilliant and also, I think, kind of a similar reason.
Speaker 2:My reason kind of why I was looking into things a little bit differently were was one my mortgage.
Speaker 2:Well, our mortgage goes by 700 pound in September, so I was like, oh my god, and our car is kind of on its last legs, if I'm honest, so I know we'll need a new car. So I was like before I've even done anything different, that's an extra thousand pound a month in September, yeah. But I was like I just need to start looking at things, um, that I can kind of focus on and actually that would work alongside my business kind of what I'm career in, but also the kids.
Speaker 2:Yes, me personally, what I've had a massive journey on since I've had children is actually that kind of prioritizing my goals, making sure I know what my priorities are, because they've shifted a lot I'm sure yours have shifted a lot since I've had kids. Um and so actually with UW now what I can do is I can still focus on my marketing business, yeah, I can still focus on the kids, but actually I've got that safety net now which I didn't have before. But you know, I've got savings but they dwindle away you know you don't want to always.
Speaker 1:You know you don't want to spend your savings on a mortgage increase. That savings is for your rainy day, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Yes, and now I've got the perfect goal for UW as well, which is like okay, I know how much money I need, therefore I can work back. How many customers do I need each month as a minimum? Yeah, and then I can make it work through that. And if I want to put more in, I have more capacity to put more in, I can. But if not and I've got another focus, then that's fine. That's what I really like about it. Yeah, the way you can make those numbers work for you around your needs. And I've just been I must admit, admit I've been blown away by it. Let's be honest, very easily beaver away and maybe turn it into a full-time role, but you know, it's just that focus and remembering why.
Speaker 1:I've. I know because a lot of people do make it full-time don't they. I know me and you haven't me and you are still like it's, it feels like me and you're on the same page. It's our side hustle, but I know you can see if you dedicated more hour. It's a bit like what you put in is what you get out, isn't it?
Speaker 2:and that's what I absolutely love, because I know that if I really focus and put a couple of hours in, then I know I am going to get something out yes so and it's I've never worked in sales.
Speaker 2:I've always worked in marketing. Since I'm 16, literally, that has been kind of my. I've always just done marketing. It's a form of sales, obviously, but I've never worked in sales and actually I love it because you can see where, I think, when you're busy especially as a parent as well you can actually see things straight away. You can see that direct impact and that's what I love. That's what I love in terms of marketing about, kind of, you know, digital stats. You can see that direct impact, yeah, and if that's what I'm really enjoying about it, so it does make you think actually yeah, well, that's my mortgage this month. Now I can, yeah, do x or y or z, you know, because we've, because I've hit that moment and it doesn't feel like really really hard work.
Speaker 1:I don't think no no well, this is I mean. You do obviously have to. I'm not saying it's easy, I'm not saying that, but it's not setting up a business from scratch.
Speaker 2:Scratch is a lot harder I, over the years I've looked at a lot of different things. So, uh, franchises or you know other similar businesses and actually all kind of just you know, setting up a business from the bottom up, yeah, and actually this is so much easier because you've got, yeah, and you've got a brand that's already built, yeah, so actually it is just literally focusing on helping people save money, and I think what I find what I like about that is I am the. You know, any of my friends would say I'm a massive bargain hunter. You know I can find ways to save money. I will do that. So for me it feels like a really natural link when I'm speaking to people, but actually for anybody else listening, it's quite an easy link for anyone, because at this moment in time especially, time is tough in terms of any market, any kind of, whatever work you do. Times are tough and prices just keep rate, keep getting higher and higher.
Speaker 1:So I think actually it's a really easy conversation to start so like I guess, rewind a little bit, because some people might be listening, thinking who is uw, what do they do? Um, so do you want to explain who uw are and what they do?
Speaker 2:yeah. So I've got into the habit of just saying UW, and actually someone said to me yesterday what is UW? Yeah, I don't know. Sorry, uw is a company called utilities warehouse. So essentially they offer a lot of bills under one roof and the more services you take, the cheaper it becomes. So we have cheap rates anyway. But just the more you take, um, the more, the cheaper your bill becomes. But also, what I think is a massive plus with the company is those services all under one roof.
Speaker 2:So for me, when you've got different contract endings, different end dates here and there, and then obviously price bumps up, from a personal point of view, having it all you know not remembering what your password is for this account or that account having it all in one place is so helpful. Yeah, that's amazing, and so I think that is just a great proposition that the company have got. It's saving money. Everything's in one place. And it's that simplicity of life where life is so hectic for everybody, whether you're a pensioner, whether you're a student or whether you're a parent. I think life is just so busy now. So I think kind of, if we can help save money, we can help simplify things for people. That's what Utilities Warehouse does, I guess from a point of view, I became a partner. I think was it back in May?
Speaker 1:Yeah, may, it's not too long ago. We're recording this in July, aren't we?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I became a partner in.
Speaker 2:May I'd seen, uh, something from yourself, liz, uh on LinkedIn about it and I thought, oh, this, this looks an interesting opportunity. You've done a really heartfelt, um, honest update on your LinkedIn about it. Yeah, I was like, oh, this is great. So I joined an info call because I was really attracted to the flexibility, I think because of your company. I felt bought into the brand and the flexibility because you were talking about it if that makes sense. And then I was blown away by how much money you made on the side for helping people save money.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and nine times out of ten we do help people save. It's very rare. It feels that we don't. You know what.
Speaker 2:There's nobody that I haven't saved money for yet, Even if it's £5 a month. There's literally nobody that I haven't saved money when I've done a quote and it's an easy call then, isn't it?
Speaker 2:yeah, it's complete yeah, I feel that I can just pick up the phone to people or start conversations because I know that that makes me confident that what I'm doing has the right purpose. Because there are there are other things, you know, like other kind of similar network marketing positions, but actually it's not helping. For me personally they're great and a great proposition, but for my personal feelings and thoughts, yeah, it's not. It doesn't kind of sit with me as well or as easy, I should say. Everything is hard work but as easy to be able to open up and start those conversations as uw, because element that everybody pays bills and every most people want to save money or simplify things.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so so you joined in may talk, so how did you get started then once you joined? So how?
Speaker 2:I got started was um jumped on. The info call was great. I had a little bit of a thought after because I was like this just sounds a bit too good to be true. Like what's that?
Speaker 1:literally I was looking because it's like nothing to join. Is it really what was it like?
Speaker 2:three quid, no, ten pounds, but I've still found myself being like I need to research this, need to research that you know, even though you can get your ten pound back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's only to cover, isn't it? It's only to cover, you've covered your first three months because all the training insurance licenses everything exactly, and it also covers kind of got.
Speaker 2:You've got your own little website, yeah, you know kind of you got a utilities warehouse email address and things like that. Yeah, so I understand why it. You know that 10 pound and everything, like you said, the training and everything plus. You can get it back anyway within the days if, for whatever reason, um, you have a change of heart. So I eventually signed up. Then, um, basically did the fast, did all of the training, which was great. Actually, um, there's a host of so many different training sessions, uh, so obviously you've got. I did the focused ones that you need to. But then, you know, I did a fast track training call online and then I joined the fast track, which was so helpful, with Sam yeah and just in terms of right, let's find out your why, your purpose.
Speaker 2:Because I was a bit like oh, I've never done sales, so Sam kind of just talked, talked me through it, we literally wrote the proposition there and then your kind of hook your opening. So actually by the time I got off the call I'd had a list of 10 people that I wanted to contact. Then I'd got my why, how I was going to contact, literally all written out. So it's just a case of sending people messages. And what I love about the next part of it is actually I did some calls like appointments yeah um, and you're supported on everything, which is great.
Speaker 2:What I loved is I did it with different people. So I did one with yourself, did one with Sam, did one with Julie, did one with some other people and actually you see how different people actually what, how they approach things, how they approach the call, how they approach everything, because everyone has a different style. So you know, after three calls I felt confident to do it by myself and kind of have my own patter and approach. That makes it me, you know, at the end of the day so, but what's great is, if I didn't, that's me. After three days I was fine, I guess my background I'm used to presenting, etc. Whereas actually you are fully supported.
Speaker 2:You know, even if I didn't want to do it by myself after three, in terms of the talk through, yeah, I can still continue with you or another mentor if I wanted to. So I thought that support was great. Yeah, yeah. And then, um, I, I think I was a bit disheartened at first, because I think I think I had two people. That would save quite a lot of money. Yeah, but they didn't want to sign up and I was.
Speaker 1:I had that I had someone that's gonna save 250 pounds a month it's, and she said, she said no, and I was like that's like three, nearly three grand. You know, you can't understand, it was three grand a year it's.
Speaker 2:It's crazy. And I, I'll be honest, I felt like a bit disheartened and I was like, oh is, is it just me that thinks this is a good thing? And I remember chatting to you and you were like it is gonna. It sometimes happens for whatever reason. Um, just carry on. And then, like I got my first um one and we'd save the money and I said a lot of money through kind of their EV rate, which is great, um, and from then I was like right, okay, this is is great, I've got this. So then worked through all kind of my friends and family at that point I think I'd done 10 calls and I really wanted to hit that fast start?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so explain what the fast start is.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So if you, within your first 30 days, if you sign up one partner and six customers, then in addition to the commission you make, you get a £500 bonus on top of all of that. And I was just blown away by that. I was just like, okay, I'm in it for this. And at first I thought, oh, oh, I might just do it for that. But actually as soon as I hit that first um got my first customer I was like no, I actually really enjoy this yeah um, I'll continue doing this and yeah, so I was very lucky that I managed to hit that.
Speaker 2:Um, I think I, I think I did about 10 appointments, yeah, to get your six, yeah, my six, yeah, so I did about 10 appointments and I mean so.
Speaker 1:That's probably about 10 hours work, isn't it really? Yeah?
Speaker 2:I'd say about um 15 hours maximum. I'm like, how could I earn that amount of money with 15 hours work? Yeah. So I'm like, wow, this is crazy. And then when I got my first statement through for what I'd earned, I was like, oh my gosh, that is crazy.
Speaker 1:So tell what was your first statement. Tell people what you earned your first month it was um 2300, that's really good which is, which is crazy what for about 15 hours work?
Speaker 2:yeah, so that was absolutely crazy. Love it. What did you spend it on? Well, to be honest with you, I because what did I go out and spend it on? I was like I've got to save some of this because it's like a bonus, really, isn't it, you know?
Speaker 2:it's like amazing so I went out. I know it sounds silly, but I basically um got this new thing that I've had, that I will only buy new clothes with money I make on Vinted. Oh right, yeah, yeah, I don't know why, but I was like, actually I'm going to go and buy myself a new summer dress Nice, brand new from the shop, not with my Vinted for me. So I just went to Uniqlo and I bought a couple of dresses, which I know it sounds not for age, isn't it? It just felt good and then, um, I just took us all out for tea, which felt really good for me, because, kind of recently, with my, the marketing freelance world has gone a bit crazy since January, so it has been a bit tough this year in particular. So I haven't felt that I can do that. If that makes sense.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all the money that I've earned, I feel like I need to save. Yeah, and actually I've always worked, always worked. You know, I've worked from when I was the age of 13. So I've always had money coming in. Yeah, and I think that's been a little, that's been a bit hard for me not being able to like, kind of, yeah, it all goes into one pot, doesn't it. I don't know how you and I it all goes into one pot, but you know we do keep something separate in terms of you spending money, so it was just nice for me to be able to be like, oh, I'll get this, and it sounds really silly because no, no, I, I.
Speaker 1:What I really like as well is obviously the money is amazing, but it also have brilliant incentives as well. Yes, I mean, I ordered the stickers out, so I've got the stickers to tell I'll take, because my the incentive I was going to talk to you about was the little little one. But obviously, Jo, you tell us about the big incentives and I'll tell you about this small one.
Speaker 2:So basically, each year there's a holiday incentive, so there's a weekend or there's a week-long holiday and that's based on how many points that you get. So you need a certain amount of points which, from my point of view, hopefully Touchwood is very achievable, and that's based on how many points that you get. So you need a certain amount of points which, from my point of view, hopefully touchwood is very achievable it feels achievable.
Speaker 1:It's not a ridiculous amount?
Speaker 2:no, it's not. And what I love is there's family options, so there's a center parks option or a family holiday to cyprus and you can take your whole family.
Speaker 1:Can't wait.
Speaker 2:Family of four family of four, or you've got the couple's option. So a look like a look like a weekend for a couple or a week.
Speaker 2:I mean I've chosen the family option like well on in terms of what I'm working towards and it's quite nice actually, because say, you know, I'm a very visual person, but also say, if I'm like, oh, hang on kids, um, we can't go out at minutes, I've got a call, I've booked an appointment or whatever, and sometimes they do moan a bit, you know, like kids, because the world revolves around them. It's really great because I've got this little sticker chat and I'm like, look, so you know we got four points then. So you know, because I'm for me to kind of work towards. I mean, they want to go to centre parks, but you know, I'm like I've got cyphers in my mind. Yeah, I've got cyphers.
Speaker 1:I get mine sometimes to put the stickers on. Yeah, and so I've just done a call, got you know three point whatever, because the customer signed for three services. Can you put my stickers on? And I think it a really expensive climbing frame. There is no way I would have been able to afford that or justify that last year and it's amazing. And it came and I've said, mum, you've got this from selling the gas and electricity funny, isn't it?
Speaker 2:but it's not. I think I don't know about you, maybe with your uh, you know, recruitment, it's a bit easy to explain to the children what you do, yeah, but they kind of don't always really grasp with marketing, what it is, and then it goes into oh so did you design this logo, you know, and I'm like no, but I helped come up with. Yeah, you know, trying to explain it is, it's just a bit tricky, yeah, actually. Um, it's just really simple to explain and for them to see visually as well how it works, and I think that's great as well for them to be part of it. Yeah, to do that. And then, you know, there's a lot of smaller incentives, yeah so the smaller.
Speaker 1:The mid one was what me and my husband went to nebworth last month and that was amazing because it was all paid for. We got a hotel, all our food, drink, transport. It was brilliant and it was so nice to have a weekend away as well, without I guess. Yeah, and then there's really really small one was there was a week, um, at the beginning of may I think, just before you joined. If you signed a customer or a partner that week, you got a pizza express voucher.
Speaker 1:So I took the kids and I said we're taking you all to pizza express because it's all the gas and electricity. How fun is that? Yeah, and then I think there's.
Speaker 2:What I've been blown away is obviously the monetary side of things is great, but actually what I love I'm from a marketing background yeah, but what I like about this is the fact that anyone can do this job, yeah, so actually the diversity.
Speaker 1:So if you jump, on any of the team calls mean I haven't been to an event. You go to an event and you will never see such a diverse group of people.
Speaker 2:And that's brilliant, because yeah everyone is starting from the same page. You know they're all starting from the same point and there's not many places that actually can do that, can communicate, that can say that, and that's one thing that I love, because I think it's really important to surround yourself with people from backgrounds. Um, you know, that just helps build you. So I love the diversity and the fact everyone starts on the same page. Yeah, and also I think what's great is the fact that actually we don't do any marketing in terms of UWU Utilities Warehouse.
Speaker 2:I need to keep saying Utilities Warehouse, uh, we don't do any marketing. Everything is invested. Well is a form of marketing in the form of network marketing, in the form of partners, and there is a big investment because there's all marketing tools online. So I did an event last week and actually I can download the leaflets, tweak them, get them printed, but you know I I can do all that quite easily and so, even if you haven't got a background, it is so easy for you to use the tools if you want to grow your business further, to be able to do that, and I think absolutely fantastic, I think kind of that element. If anybody wants to pick it up, they can yeah, yeah and be successful and build it how you want just before we wrap up.
Speaker 1:What about the team? Because I know, you know what do you think of the team? Because obviously we're part of a team. You know we've got us obviously, obviously we're part of the big Utility Warehouse family. But we've got a nice team, haven't we?
Speaker 2:Oh, we've got a nice team and you know what? Again, they're so diverse, yes, so genuine, and everybody just wants to help everyone. And I guess for me I've never worked in a position like this before and you kind of have in your mind, you know from probably TV shows or whatever you've seen, that it's dog eat dog. But it's like it's not, it's like everybody just wants everyone to do so well. So if someone signs up, a customer or a partner, it's like well done, done, here's this and people sharing tips and info, but it's like just really helpful.
Speaker 2:And then what is helpful for me is like on a monday, sam does like a team call and you know, I'll try and do that when I can, because it does kind of sounds like our team leader, isn't she? Yes, it sounds a team leader and she's a real inspirational person, isn't she? Yeah her journey and life and energy, um, and how she set up her business. It's, it's amazing and you know, I feel like you're going in a similar kind of direction as well.
Speaker 1:I feel like that about you, so I feel it's definitely we've got some really good people on our team. I think what's really nice is a lot of ambitious women on our team that are, you know, unapologetic about that ambition, but also ambitious but really also family-centered as well and, yeah, wanting to fit things around their family, which I love yeah, and I think it's just a really supportive bunch who, um, I guess, appreciate each of those different backgrounds and different goals with how they want to run their business.
Speaker 2:But it's still nice to have, you know, working on your own a lot depending on your person Someone to kind of check in with, and sometimes that is that motivation because, as you know, when you've got your own business it you know you need that motivation, that accountability, whereas actually in this you can have that accountability or motivation there if you need it, yeah, and if you want it. So I think that's really helpful I'm I've, I'm really happy with, so I thank you for doing that.
Speaker 1:Oh well, I thank you and I thank sam as well for introducing me. So if people are interested in this, how can they connect with you so you can talk them through the opportunity?
Speaker 2:so you can connect with me on linkedin and I'm sure you'll share some of my details. I'm happy to chat on whatsapp as well.
Speaker 1:Um or email to go in well, we'll put all your links in the show notes. If someone's listened to this and they've listened to it all and they're sort of wondering whether it's for them or not what would you say? I would say contact me.
Speaker 2:Don't and don't overthink it. Yeah, I overthought it and you know it's brilliant and then just just have a look into it once I've given you the details and you won't look back. Really, it's kind of it's been really helpful. Just don't overthink it, and you can build it how you want to do it, whether you're a full-time stay-at-home mom or you've got business on the side and you just need a little bit of extra cash. It's all down to you and how you want to focus on it absolutely, oh.
Speaker 1:thank you so much for joining me today. I really enjoyed our chat. Thank you for listening to another episode of the Work it Like A Mum podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and subscribe, and don't forget to share the link with a friend. If you're on LinkedIn, please send me a connection request at Elizabeth Willett and let me know your thoughts on this week's episode. You can also follow my recruitment site Investing in Women on LinkedIn, facebook and Instagram. Until next time, keep on chasing your biggest dreams.