“We do sometimes have a twisted logic that it’s easy to become self-employed and you’ll be living it up on a boat somewhere, working three hours a day, but for the most part it is hard graft and tough work.
“A good idea does not always make for a good business,” she says. “It can be precarious and lonely when you are the CEO of everything. There is a belief that self-employment is the key to ultimate freedom. There is an element of truth in that, but research also tells us that you lose your social security if you become sick or need time out. Unless you are diligent and clear that you are putting money aside it can be tricky to take leave. You don’t have the same access to the social safety net.
There can be a temptation to think that growth is essential, but Brady says scaling up is not always essential to success. It’s also a working farm, with beehives, a polytunnel, an orchard and chickens providing honey, fruit and vegetables and free-range eggs.