You can connect with Felicity and her business via her website, Facebook, Linkedin and instagram.

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Tell us about you

I am an author, writing mentor and designer of a webapp that enables EVERYONE to tell their story.

Describe your biz in a sentence

A Way With Words enables EVERYONE to tell their story - I write it, you write it or we write it together.

Tell us how your business came to be

I was a lifestyle journalist in my first career, and I loved writing the stories about people, so it was a natural development to go into life story writing. Having four kids, it was also a natural development to go into writing mentoring with young people.

What has been one of your best business calls/decisions to date?

To charge the right price - not to undercharge for my work. It allows me to enjoy the work I do, knowing someone appreciates it enough to see the value in it.

If you do change something about your business - what would it be?

I would multiply myself! I want to sit and write with absolutely everyone who wants to tell a story - I have designed a webapp that does this to a certain extent instead, and a train-the-trainer program.

What does your typical day look like?

I try and do my social media marketing first thing in the morning. Then I get the kids off to school and exercise. After that, the bulk of the day is usually sitting down to write and publish life stories. At the moment, a good part of the day is also spent on networking, with the aim to find organisations who will sign up to my webapp to help their participants and connections tell their stories. I also do a bit of work for my role as Board Member of Life Stories Australia.

Describe the time you took a risk - how did it work out for you?

I've just taken a risk pouring my savings into the webapp, My Story App. It's been a slow start but organisations are starting to hear about the benefits and call me with excitement in their voice. Thank goodness! I've had many moments of nearly giving up.

What is something raw and unfiltered you've been through/never told anyone about your business or motherhood?

Our baby girl contracted pneumococcal disease when she was 6 months old and nearly died a couple of times. She fought to stay alive for 3 months, then we were unsure as to whether she would walk or spend her life in a wheelchair. I'm happy to say that, although she is considered disabled as a result of the damage the infection caused to her bones, you would never know and she is off to play her beloved football at State level next week!

Your daily motto?

At the moment, it's "one foot in front of the other".

What is something about running your business that you wish you had been told sooner?

That marketing starts out really exciting, but after a decade, and in the current climate where it's not as easy to find clients via social media, it's really hard work that takes away from the actual work.

How do you maintain your motivation?

By trying to meet with like-minded business and community-driven people from all walks of life.

What's one thing you know that will benefit our audience? Let them know!

Your story, if told well, is a far more memorable way for people to connect with and remember your business - it speaks to the heart of our common experience.

What are your favourite business tools (and why?)

Calendly! It does the task of a PA in arranging, confirming, and changing meetings. It does the job of a sales person in that you can tell people what they will expect in the meeting. It does the job of a researcher, in finding out about the person, their pain point, and what they want in the meeting. Amazing!

What is one facet of your field that you would like to see changed?

I would love for life story telling to be more affordable for people - but as it's such a laborious task - typing, writing, editing word for word, over and over again, across 60,000 words - it is not. This is not to say life story writers should not be paid for what they do, they absolutely should. I just wish more people could access it without money getting in the way.

What projects are coming up next?

I'm working with Youth Mental Health services to deploy My Story App so young people can tell their stories and have agency over their story. I'm working with palliative care organisations to deploy the My Story App, so family members can quickly record their loved ones' life stories together in their last days or months. And I am booked up till next year to write and publish the life stories of 9 wonderful extra-ordinary people, with more in the pipeline!

Has there been a significant business mentor in your career?

People might find this surprising but it's been my 18-year-old son. He has a renewable energy business and is all over the business-side of it (he developed the technology too but does that and the business side). He constantly challenges me to seek new directions or focus in on what I'm trying to acheive. He throws all the business terms at me - "where are they in your funnel', 'who has the greatest pain point', etc. He helped me get the webapp off the ground and is just plain old interested in what I'm doing. Being genuinely interested in someone's dreams goes a long way.

What's your approach on the juggle?

To juggle! I've had people to say to me I must be really organised... Nope! But, I thrive on the variety of running your own business so maybe that's why my approach is to juggle the juggle!

What would you like to see more of when it comes to helping women in small businesses succeed?

Time off home duties. That would give me sooooo many hours back in my working life.

How would you describe your family life?

Chaotic - four teenagers who are into everything - sport, music, theatre, working, socialising; two naughty beagles and a husband that works interstate. Chaos!

What do you think is your most transferable skill between motherhood and business?

Energy and quick working. Getting all my ducks (and kids) in a row and keeping them there.

How would we find you spending your weekends?

On the side of the soccer pitch watching my kids, gardening and out with my friends for a long lunch sometimes!

What's your approach to dealing with the pressures of running your business?

Whinge to my kids - they quickly make me see sense because nothing is too much of a drama when you're a very relaxed teenager! I go to yoga most days and a walk to the beach to keep my head in the right place - if thats good eveything else is good.

What mantra do you live by?

Be kind. If you can't be kind, be off!

What's a service you can't live without?

Yoga!

What's the last book you read that you'd recommend to a friend?

The Thursday Murder Club

What does Mumbition mean to you?

It's a true blessing!

If you could be introduced to anyone who would it be?

The Minister for Health so they could deploy My Story App to all health and wellbeing services across Australia so we can use telling your story to heal the world.

If we looked through your bookmarks what would we find?

Backend to my website, social media sites, school portals, transcription site, the Life Stories Australia site.

Funny situation that happened through your business??

A life story interviewee was telling me the story of the meaning of all his tattoos, when he said, 'can I show you something?' and he stood up from his chair at the desk in the library, began to undo his belt and dropped his dacks in the middle of the library! He was demonstrating the story behind a tattoo that was at the top of his thigh - and that, cleverly of him, was all I saw!

What's the best part of being part of the Mums & Co community?

Knowing you're part of a group of like-minded people, which for me comes through in the Facebook group.

How has Mums & Co helped you?

I learnt about how to build a community.

Are there any areas you're seeking help for in your business?

I looking for connections to organisations who can use my My Story App to help their clients - those connected into mental health organisations for people to write their story for narrative therapy, or connected to seniors groups or organisations, or connected to councils which may run community writing or story sharing groups.

What are three things you could help other members with?

How to best use chatgpt as a personal assistant in your business, how to write a story about yourself or business that resonates to customers. Enthusiasm and kindness!

Who are the Mumbitious business owners you would like to shout out to here?

Emily Rose Yates, Rebecca Saunders.

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