When you ask for a sign……and the universe delivers!

I’ll be honest. Just a couple of weeks ago, I found myself completely overwhelmed and questioning my decision setting up a side hustle business, on top of my HR role.

I’d been working full time in my ‘normal job’ in HR for a couple of weeks, in charge of a process, which was the hardest period in my professional career. It was also on top of having the everyday busy life of being a mum and wife, (with everything that brings) being told my latest batch of mental health plushies are stuck at customs and also working hard to bring my vision for the Calmness Crew mental health plushies to life.

I have poured my heart, energy, and also maxed out my credit card to follow my dream so far, to create The Calmness Crew mental health plushies. I have seen the impact these breathing techniques, positive affirmations and grounding techniques have on people, including myself, and having them as a comfort, in a plushie, for young people with anxiety, is something that doesn’t currently exist. I desperately wanted to change that!

Recently though, I had started to wonder, have I done the right thing? Have I taken too big a risk? Have I been stupid thinking I could do this?

Like many founders and parents trying to juggle everything, I had one of those quiet moments where doubt crept in a few weeks ago. I remember saying to myself, “Please, send me a sign, to guide me as to whether I am on the right path with Well Good and The Calmness Crew mental health plushies?”

And then, I got a sign, coincidence or not, I didn’t care, it gave me the sign I needed at the time.

Two weeks ago, the day after I asked for a sign, I was selected as a winner of Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday (SBS) community. If you’re not familiar, Theo is one of the UK’s most well-known entrepreneurs and a former Dragon from Dragons’ Den. Every week he recognises small businesses across the UK through SBS, and I couldn’t believe it when I saw Well Good and the Calmness Crew featured.

Well Good Calmness Crew mental health plushies winning Theo Paphitis SBS award

What followed was beyond anything I expected.

As part of the SBS community, I was invited to attend a business bootcamp and it was genuinely one of the most energising and eye-opening days I’ve had in a long time. We learned from experts about how to pitch more effectively, how to work smarter with Google AI. We also learnt how to better manage time and make room for the things that really matter.

Invitation SBS Theo Paphitis Bootcamp in Birmingham

But more than anything, it was the community that made an impact. Being surrounded by other small business owners, each with their own journey, setbacks and wins, reminded me that I am absolutely not alone. Everyone there was doing their best to follow their purpose, just like me and I left with a notebook full of ideas, many connections on social media made, and a heart full of hope.

SBS Bootcamp Well Good

The Calmness Crew

As if that wasn’t enough, I then received another unexpected bit of news…

The Calmness Crew plushies by Well Good have been shortlisted for the Spring Fair at the NEC in February!

SpringFair Shortlist - Well Good: The Calmness Crew Mental Health plushies

Spring Fair is one of the UK’s biggest retail events, where buyers from major retailers come to discover new products and brands. To even be shortlisted is a massive moment for me and if selected, I’ll have the opportunity to exhibit in person and share the Calmness Crew story with retailers and partners face to face.

This means everything.

These plushies are not just toys. They’re calming tools designed to support children’s mental health. Each one carries guided audio techniques, from breathing exercises to positive affirmations. These characters have been brought to life with the help of legendary video game artist Kev Bayliss and the recent sloth character has been voiced by the incredibly talented CBeebies presenter, author and actor Gyasi Sheppy.

Well Good The Calmness Crew Mental Health Plushies

What started as an idea inspired by my own family’s journey with anxiety is now growing into something real, something recognised.

These past two weeks have given me the answer I was searching for, not just a sign, but validation, a reminder, and a deep breath of encouragement.

If you’re chasing something meaningful and having one of those days, maybe this blog is your sign. Keep going. You never know what’s around the corner.

And fingers crossed you’ll see me at Spring Fair 2026!

Impact of the Calmness Crew Mental Health Plushies