For the past ten years I've been working part-time for my Mum in her furniture manufacturing business, helping her with the admin. But in a couple of years, she's planning to sell up and I'll need to look for something else. Problem is, I'm 40, and I feel it's too late to go back into the world of advertising that I was working in. My kids are 12 and 4 and I can't work full time, but we need the money so I can't give up all together. I did think of starting up on my own but I'm not really sure I'm cut out for that.

Susan advises
The good news here is that the world is your oyster and you're thinking ahead. Two years is more than enough time to work out what you want, prepare for it and cope with your Mum's leaving. Well done for forward planning!

But should you set up on your own? I suspect not, at least at the beginning. Working for yourself is incredibly demanding - it needs 100% commitment, a real passion for what you're doing and focus 24.7. It's not enough to simply want to work for yourself, you need to deeply want to do the actual job involved - and you don't, not yet.

The obvious move for you is to do what you're doing now for some other employer. Good admin skills are invaluable, and if you took a few evening classes to bring yourself up to date with current practices, that would give you skills and confidence. Temping would be ideal because it would give you time off with your kids as well as a wide range of experience - and by the time your youngest is at senior school you'll not only have a lot to offer in the job market, but be far more sure of what you wanted. Ring your local evening institute today and see what courses are on offer.