The Early Hour six-month mentorship offers freelance mums, or women starting a business after having kids, support from those who are further along; working mums who’ve overcome the first hurdles and are now in a position to offer guidance.
Mentoring is free. This is important, as we want to be inclusive and make this opportunity available to everyone. So whatever your background, experience, family-size, income, location – you’re very welcome to apply.
Our mentors work in a range of industries, and face a variety of challenges (at home, and at work), so can offer support in different areas. But what connects them all is their high energy, deep kindness and passion to help other women.
Have a read through the bios below, and we’ll let you know – via this website and on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter – when applications are opening…
The Early Hour Mentors
(In alphabetical order…)
Dr Pragya Agarwal: entrepreneur, speaker and campaigner
After training as an architect and completing a PhD, Pragya worked in academia, while raising her (now 19-year-old) daughter as a single parent. She left, launched creative studio Hedge and Hog Prints and social enterprise The Art Tiffin and now has two-year-old twins. Pragya has written for The Guardian, Metro and The Times, is a TEDx speaker and campaigns for mental health.
Laura Alvarado: founder of Tomato Tutors education
Laura founded holistic education business Tomato Tutors in 2015, a year after her son was born. It enabled her to be a hands-on mum, whilst remaining professionally engaged and staying afloat, as a single parent family. She now has a business partner and investors, and Tomato Tutors operates from a beautiful premises in north London.
Laura has now been matched with a mentee, for the next six months.
Candice Brathwaite: writer, presenter, influencer
Candice is a writer, presenter, influencer and co-founder of Make Motherhood Diverse – a platform that encourages, and celebrates, equality and inclusion in motherhood. Mother to a four-year-old and eight-week-old (!) she is on a mission to diversify the parenting scene both in mainstream and social media.
Candice has now been matched with a mentee, for the next six months.
Kim Palmer, founder of Clementine app
Kim’s background is in marketing – working for huge companies like Tesco and Lloyds TSB, as well as smaller businesses and start-ups. She now works as strategy director at Wunderman, while running her women’s wellness app Clementine, and raising two young sons. Kim won the Women of Tomorrow Awards 2018.
Kim has now been matched with a mentee, for the next six months.
Annie Ridout: writer, editor and founder of The Early Hour
Annie is founder and editor of The Early Hour, as well as a freelance journalist (the Guardian, Stylist, Red Magazine, Metro), copywriter and blogger. Her book The Freelance Mum will be published by 4th Estate in January. Annie lives in London with her husband and their two children, aged three and one.
Annie has now been matched with a mentee, for the next six months.
Frankie Tortora: graphic designer and Doing it For The Kids founder
Frankie is a freelance graphic designer working with sole traders, small businesses and established brands across the arts, media and charitable sectors. Her clients include BBC Performing Arts Fund, Imperial War Museums, Southwark Council and Virgin StartUp. She’s also mum to a three-year-old and founder of Doing It For The Kids – a freelance parenting community.
Frankie has now been matched with a mentee, for the next six months.
Penny Wincer: freelance lifestyle photographer
Penny Wincer is a freelance lifestyle photographer, working for publications including Country Living, Living Etc, The Telegraph, The Guardian – and brands: Not On The High Street, Mothercare, Amazon, Next, Mini Boden. She’s a single parent, living in London with an eight-year-old (who is autistic and attends a special school) and a six-year-old.
Penny has now been matched with a mentee, for the next six months.
Remember to keep an eye out for our mentors opening their applications…