From Overwhelm to Ownership: How Mandy Built a Creative Business Through FIRST

When Mandy enrolled on FIRST’s taster course, she was not initially searching for a new career path. She was looking for something steadier: clearer structure, renewed courage and a better balance between her work and personal life.

Mandy had built a successful career in project management, confidently leading teams, navigating complex challenges and delivering results. She was organised, strategic and trusted to bring structure to high-pressure situations.

Yet at home, life felt very different. A divorce, mounting stress and a decline in her mental health had left her feeling unsettled and overwhelmed. Newly diagnosed with ADHD, she was struggling to manage everyday routines and felt frustrated that the practical support she needed was not available through her workplace or mental health services. Despite years of applying structure and clarity in her professional role, she found it difficult to transfer those same organisational skills into her own life during a period of personal crisis.

“When my head is a mess, everything is a mess,” she says.

The spark for change came unexpectedly. A close friend was experiencing similar mental strain and feeling overwhelmed. Mandy began helping her to organise her thoughts by creating structured lists and introducing bullet journalling techniques. Breaking problems down into manageable actions gave her friend a clearer sense of control. She became calmer, more decisive and better able to prioritise what truly needed attention, rather than feeling paralysed by everything at once.

In helping someone else regain focus, Mandy discovered something powerful: structure could calm chaos - and she had developed a real strength in creating it.

Soon after, she saw FIRST advertising its enterprise courses on Facebook. She describes enrolling as a deliberate decision to do something constructive for herself. Within a week, she had started the taster course and quickly progressed onto the Level One Business Course and then Level Two.

Level One gave her space to explore direction and purpose. Through reflective exercises, including the introduction to IKIGAI, she began to examine the intersection between what she enjoys, what she is skilled at, what the world needs, and what could generate income. Despite her professional background, she had never encountered this framework before. It helped her see that creativity - something she had sidelined in her corporate roles - was central to what energised her.

Level Two shifted the focus from reflection to practical application. It was here that Mandy began developing her business idea: creating her own bespoke bullet journals designed to help people feel more organised and in control. Through building her Business Model Canvas, exploring customer profiling and understanding the fundamentals of marketing, she started shaping how this idea could work in practice. She particularly valued the marketing components, which helped her define her audience, refine her positioning and communicate the purpose behind her journals clearly.

She completed Level One online but chose the hybrid format for Level Two, combining live digital sessions with in-person classes at FIRST’s Gateshead office. Living with digital overwhelm, she knew that being fully online would be challenging. The hybrid structure gave her balance. The online sessions reduced travel and made it easier to manage her energy on more demanding days, while the face-to-face sessions felt grounding and energising. The peer group dynamic became an important part of her progress, offering both accountability and encouragement.

“It was such a lovely group. We became a little family,” she explains, noting that the WhatsApp group created by FIRST strengthened the sense of connection outside formal sessions.

As her thinking developed, the concept became more clearly defined. What began as a general idea around organisation sharpened into designing bespoke bullet journals specifically for people with ADHD and for those who find traditional planners restrictive. Through conversations and shared experiences, Mandy had heard repeatedly that mainstream stationery often assumes a linear, one-size-fits-all approach that does not reflect how many people actually process information.

“Not one size fits all,” she says. “A journal should be used as a tool. It should support how your brain works.”

Using Procreate, she began developing her own layouts, combining structure with flexibility. She has invested in refining her designs and continues to build her technical skills through additional online learning. She has also tested her journal concepts with a young family member, ensuring the format works in practice and is accessible from a young age.

Beyond product design, Mandy intends to include an educational element within her business - teaching customers how to use bullet journalling effectively, rather than simply selling stationery. With ADHD estimated to affect around 1 in 20 adults in the UK, she recognises a significant need for practical tools that support focus, organisation and clarity. She believes there is growing demand for resources that are intentionally designed, not generic.

Reflecting on the course journey, she summarises it simply: “Level One is finding your journey. Level Two is putting meat on the bone and bringing the idea to life.”

Today, Mandy is developing a business shaped not by theory alone, but by lived experience. What began during a period of personal instability has become a structured, creative enterprise grounded in empathy and insight.

For anyone considering joining FIRST’s ecosystem, her advice is clear. The technical learning matters, but so does the culture.

“There’s so much support from staff. They make you feel welcome.”