Business mum reflects on success

Single mum, Andrea Miles, refused to just watch her future disappear while staying at home with her baby son and instead she dreamed up a successful business venture.

This week’s International Women’s Day (Tuesday March 8) is all about celebrating the strength and abilities of the fairer sex - and Andrea is a key role model for all aspiring working mums out there.

Not content to just sit at home, Andrea began to work day and night on her idea of promoting mirrors in the use of sport and dance to help boost training.

From that simple idea, thanks to long hours on the Internet at home, her business Mirrors for Training was born.

With no financial support she gradually saved up the money to design her website- www.mirrorsfortraining.co.uk- and begin marketing her idea far and wide.

Andrea designed and manufactured in her garage, an all-weather arena mirror- suitable for indoor and outdoor areas- for the training of dressage horses.

The visual benefits of using mirrors for training are limitless, helping athletes identify in real time inaccuracies in their performance.

Being able to make changes immediately before they become habit forming is priceless for horses and their riders.

Now over four years later, Mirrors for Training have supplied all the major equestrian colleges throughout the UK and provided arena mirrors to 1000's of professional event and dressage riders.

International show jumper, Ellen Whitaker, was delighted with the service Mirrors For Training provided:

 “Our new arena mirrors from Mirrors for Training have added another dimension to our training.

They give me an immediate view of both mine and the horse’s posture, which allows me to work on specific areas, making sure all our training time is used as effectively as it can be.”

Andrea even came up with her own design of portable wall mirrors to help those who were unable to have a fixed mirror put in place.

These have proven to be a hit with schools, sports colleges and dance studios. They can also help transform a community centre into a glamorous dance studio.

Mirrors for Training is also popular with hospitals and physiotherapy centres and hundreds of patients have benefited from their portable mirrors.

Andrea Miles said:

“Mirrors for Training have gone from strength to strength. What started as a part-time job, working from my bedroom and garage, is now full time, with an all-purpose manufacturing facility.

“We have continued to set the standard both in the UK and throughout much of Europe. We are an independent company with one focus - to build the best products on the market.”