A little over six months ago, Hester Lonergan left her full-time job to found her very own company, Haver. Now, she makes porridge with bespoke toppings such as homemade cashew cream or blueberry and chia seed compote in Manchester for a living. It’s been a steep learning curve for her and she is keen to be open about the struggles of going freelance and starting your own business as a young woman because, she feels, there’s a lot of smoke and mirrors out there. She thinks if young women were more open about their money worries and felt able to talk about how much they are earning, we might be closer to tackling the gender pay gap.
Watch our interview with Hester Lonergan here:
Studies show that young people today, particularly graduates are worried about money. Hester says she believes there is a direct link between not having enough in the bank and feeling anxious, however, for her, there was a trade off between pursuing something she loved and staying in a job that also made her unhappy.
At first, Hester told The Debrief she learned from friends about budgeting and profit margins, with hindsight, she would definitely have saved more while in her last job before taking the self-employed plunge but she certainly has no regrets.
A recent survey conducted by the Young Women’s Trust found that young women are more likely than young men to face money problems and workplace discrimination. It’s true that money is a top worry for young women but, Hester says, our generation has a chance to change the conversation around both employment and our finances. She hopes we will get to a point where we have a healthy and open relationship with our money and the means by which we make it.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.