Running a Business While Caring As an unpaid carer myself who also runs a coaching and consultancy business, I have firsthand experience of the juggling it takes to run a business alongside your caring responsibilities.

I've taken client calls from hospital car parks and I've had to cancel things at the last minute; not because I'm unorganised or lack commitment, but because someone I love needed me, and I couldn't ignore that.

Why This Conversation Matters

• There are an estimated 5.7m unpaid carers in the UK.
• 1 in 7 workers is balancing employment and unpaid care.
• Every year, around 600,000 people leave work because they can't juggle their job and caring responsibilities.
• A growing number of carers are turning to self-employment due to the flexibility and autonomy it offers.

Despite these startling statistics, carers are often not mentioned in conversations about entrepreneurship. We don't hear enough about how to build a sustainable business whilst also balancing care duties, and yet that is what so many of us have to do. If you are someone in that position, I'd like to share what I've learned along this journey which may help.

1. Know Why You're Doing This
Running a business whilst caring for a loved one needs a strong "why", because you'll need a clear reason to push through the hard days. Your business will give you more than just money, it gives you purpose! It's a way to hold onto a part of your identity that exists outside of your caring role.

So it's important to ask yourself:

• Is it about flexibility?
• Is it about long-term income?
• Is it about preserving part of who you are? That clarity will be your anchor when the juggle feels overwhelming.

2. Work With Energy, Not Time
As a carer, your plans can be altered in an instant by a medical appointment, a call, or a crisis. So instead of trying to work like someone with a 9–5 schedule, I've learned to work around my energy levels. For me, success looks like sustainability so I don't book back-to-back meetings and I block out work time based on when I have the most focus. I also try not to schedule deep work after emotionally draining care tasks. Honestly, it doesn't always go to plan, but it definitely helps me stay grounded. I also group similar tasks together and I use tools like Calendly to protect my diary and Trello to manage tasks without cluttering my brain.

3. Build a Business That Supports Your Life
Design your business around your caring responsibilities. This could look like:

• Offering online coaching in short, focused sessions.
• Creating digital resources so I don't always have to show up live.
• Setting up email automation, templates, and client onboarding tools so I'm not reinventing the wheel every time.

Design your business so that it supports your caring responsibilities, so that you don't feel like you have to be tied to your desk at all times. Automation is vital for this.

4. You Can't Do It All Alone And You Shouldn't Try To
As carers, we can get so used to doing everything ourselves but that mindset will lead to burnout. Asking for help is key, as is organising respite care when you need to. You should do this without guilt. If you don't have the budget to outsource yet, try simplifying instead:

• Use templates
• Reduce your offerings.
• Focus on one service at a time.

Give yourself permission to do less better and don't be afraid to lean on carer support groups or communities where people understand without you having to explain everything.

5. Your Lived Experience is Your Superpower
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was "there's power in your personal story." Being a carer shapes how I coach, speak, and advocate. It's made me more empathetic, more organised, more aware of how life can change in an instant, and all of this resonates with people. I don't overshare, however I'm honest about why I do what I do, and why I do things the way I do, and I've found that clients and collaborators respect this. People value humanity, not just strategy and so this is your reminder that your story doesn't weaken your business, it deepens it. In conclusion, running a business while being a carer isn't easy but with creativity, intention, clear boundaries and self-care, it's possible.

Remember:

• You're allowed to grow slowly.
• You're allowed to change direction.
• You're allowed to rest.

Most of all, you're allowed to build something that works for you and your situation even if it doesn't look like anyone else's version of success.