Name:	Wendy Shand
	Location:	Northamptonshire
	Business:	Tots to Travel
	Description:	As the founder of award winning www.totstotravel.co.uk Wendy has taken her concept from good idea to being a global business.  Wendy increasingly seen as a role model and mentor for women in business and has a growing media presence as an expert on family travel, small business development and as a pioneer in using the internet to achieve a better work/life balance - thus far!
	Website:	www.TotstoTravel.co.uk

Bio

This year’s Practical Parenting’s Business Parent of the Year Award winner, Wendy Shand started Tots to Travel when her 2 year old son fell into an unenclosed swimming pool whilst on a family holiday in France in 2005.  Wendy spotted a gap in the market to provide families with small children and babies with safe, genuinely family friendly holiday accommodation in France.  What followed was www.TotstoFrance.co.uk, a business boasting a portfolio of personally vetted holiday properties, specially kitted out for families. 

Going Global...
Following the success of the French venture, Wendy has expanded her concept to Italy, Spain, Portugal and the UK, with Asia and Australia following soon and has turned over well over £1 million and seen 80% growth year on year.  This worldwide expansion means that the business is now known as www.TotstoTravel.co.uk and is drawing acclaim from all over the world. 

A Glittering Array of Awards...
In the four years since starting Tots to Travel, Wendy has won 4 awards including the Practical Parenting Business Parent of the Year Award 2009, BT Essence of the Entrepreneur Award and the Mother@ Work Mumpreneur Award, was shortlisted for the Everywoman Award and was recently Highly Commended in the Remote Worker Awards 09.  Tots to Travel is currently shortlisted for the coveted Customer King award.  Wendy has been profiled in broad sheet newspapers, glossy magazines, business books, on radio and on TV, most recently the BBC’s Money Programme ‘Mum’s the Business’. 

Role model and mentor...
Wendy is increasingly seen as a role model and mentor for women in business and has a growing media presence as an expert on family travel, small business development and as a pioneer in using the internet to achieve a better work/life balance.  Wendy was on the panel of judges for 2008’s Enterprisnation Homeworker of the Year Award and is judging two business awards this year.  She is a regular keynote speaker and was billed as an ‘Inspirational Mum’ at the first ever Mumpreneur’s Conference in October 2009.

Representing WAHMs...
Wendy is a keen advocate for mumpreneurs and Work At Home Mums (WAHMs).  Her team includes over 20 mums from all over Europe whose job it is find and carefully vet all the holiday properties featured on the site. 

Wendy graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA Hons in Geography and then went on to join UK Sport in their marketing and public affairs unit.  A brief stint in a PR agency was followed by a complete change of direction which saw Wendy complete her PGCE in Primary Education.  After 5 years of teaching and two children later, Wendy and her fighter pilot husband were posted to North Wales where Wendy took a career break to look after the children.  What followed was the holiday that ‘changed it all…!’

Away from work, Wendy enjoys quality time with her husband and three children (Barnaby 6, Maisy 4 and Monty 3 weeks) in their holiday property in France and in the garden at home in rural Northamptonshire.  She also enjoys yoga and gardening.

Availability

Wendy has donated three sessions for the Mentoring Mum launch available to book on March 15, 2010 from 11am.