The day I decided to walk away from six figures wasn’t the day I lost my mind—it was the day I found my freedom.
Sometimes the biggest career changes happen in the smallest moments—like sitting in your car, choosing between a client and your crying child.
It was July 2024, and I was parked outside another property viewing when my 7-year-old daughter called, upset about her day at school. I had demanding clients waiting to see a £400,000 house, but all I wanted was to rush home for cuddles.
This wasn’t the first time. School would call asking me to pick up my poorly daughter, but I’d be across the city with overseas property investors. Too many times, friends collected her from school while I finished work calls. She’d look at me with tired eyes and ask, “Mummy, why are you always late? I missed you.”
Those words broke my heart. Here I was, working to provide for her, but missing the moments that mattered most.
Why I Left My Six-Figure Real Estate Career
For four years, I earned good money as a real estate agent—consistent six-figure profits that many would envy. Everyone saw the “successful” agent closing deals and building wealth. What they didn’t see was the exhausted mum barely keeping up with life.
Behind those impressive numbers was a different reality. I’d fought through 9 IVF cycles and 4 miscarriages, traveling to three different countries for specialist treatment before my daughter arrived. She was my miracle, my everything. Yet here I was, missing precious time with the child I’d waited so long for.
I kept asking myself: “What’s my real purpose here?” The answer was always her—my precious daughter who I’d worked so hard to bring into this world.
The Reality of “Success” in Real Estate
Don’t misunderstand me—I’m grateful for the income real estate provided. Six-figure profits sound wonderful, and the money helped us tremendously. But success means different things to different people, and I was learning that money without time isn’t really success at all.
My days started with 5 AM client calls and ended past 9 PM after viewings and client dinners. Weekends meant property showings while other families enjoyed park trips together. I was constantly managing stressed clients, chasing mortgage approvers, and dealing with fallen-through chains.
Despite earning well, I felt time-poor. I had money but couldn’t enjoy it because I was always working to earn more. More importantly, I couldn’t be the present, patient mum I wanted to be. My daughter was growing up with a stressed, distracted mother who was always “just finishing one more thing.”
I realized that all this money meant nothing if I was too busy earning it to actually enjoy my life with her.
Making the Difficult Decision: Family First
That January phone call was my wake-up moment, but the decision took time. I went home and honestly assessed what my “successful” career was actually costing us—not just the obvious missed moments, but everything else too.
I was snapping at my daughter when overwhelmed. I had constant anxiety about the next deal. The stress was showing in my face and affecting our relationship. I’d already lost my marriage partly due to work always coming first, and I couldn’t bear losing precious time with my daughter too.
I started asking myself important questions:
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What kind of life did I actually want?
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What kind of mum did I want to be?
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Could I earn good money without sacrificing everything else?
By October 2024, I knew I needed to make a change. I wanted to build something that would provide financial security while letting me be truly present for my daughter.
Discovering Amazon KDP: A Different Path to Income
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When you need to replace your main income to support your family, you can’t just jump into any online business idea without proper research. I spent months carefully exploring different options for making money from home that could realistically work around school hours.
Amazon online arbitrage didn’t work when I tried it—too much competition and thin margins.
Dropshipping just meant swapping demanding property clients for demanding customers, plus inventory headaches.
Affiliate marketing felt risky, depending entirely on other people’s products and changing commission structures.
Coaching or consulting was still trading my time for money, just in a different format.
But Amazon KDP self publishing felt different. Here was a platform where I could create children’s books—something meaningful I could share with my daughter during our bedtime stories. These books could earn royalties for years, creating more passive income than my active real estate work.
The creative aspect really appealed to me. After years selling other people’s properties, I could finally create something entirely our own. Plus, I could work during school hours and outsource much of the technical work to talented freelancers on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.
Getting Started with Amazon KDP in the UK
Setting up an Amazon KDP account is straightforward, but there are UK-specific details that initially confused me.
The tax paperwork requires completing US forms (since Amazon is American) plus understanding how KDP royalties work with UK tax obligations. I spent a full day figuring out W-8BEN forms to avoid unnecessary US tax withholding.
Amazon’s royalty structure offers 35% or 70% rates depending on your book’s price and distribution choices. Books priced between $2.99-$9.99 qualify for 70% royalties, but you pay delivery costs based on file size. It’s about finding the right balance between pricing and profit.
My first book—a kids’ coloring and activity book—was definitely a learning experience. I published it on October 13, 2024, without proper keyword research, with an amateur cover design, and priced it wrong. It sold three copies in the first month, and I suspect two were sympathy purchases from friends!
My Current Amazon KDP Strategy for Children’s Books
Six months in, I’ve learned what actually works for someone starting KDP for beginners:
Research Before Creating: I use tools like Publisher Rocket and BookBeam to find profitable niches with good search volume but manageable competition. I’m not trying to compete with major publishers—I’m finding gaps they’ve missed.
Focus on Medium-Content Books: My sweet spot is children’s activity books, story books with moral lessons, and practical workbooks. These provide real value without requiring months of writing.
Smart Outsourcing: I enjoy designing book interiors, but I always hire professional cover designers, ghostwriters, and illustrators. A quality cover makes all the difference in sales.
The types of books I’m creating include:
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Children’s activity books for different age groups
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Educational story books teaching emotional management
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Math and writing workbooks for screen-free learning time
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Prayer journals and empowerment books for kids
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Homeschool planners for busy mums like me
I avoid oversaturated markets like generic planners. Instead, I create books solving specific problems for specific families.
Honest Numbers: My Work From Home Income So Far
I believe in transparency, so here are my real Amazon KDP earnings since starting in October 2024:
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October 2024: £12 in royalties (those first three books!)
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November 2024: £47 in royalties
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December 2024: £82 in royalties
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January 2025: £96 in royalties
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February 2025: £137 in royalties
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March 2025: £184 in royalties
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April 2025: £251 in royalties
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May 2025: £298 in royalties
My investment so far:
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Professional cover designs: £850 (about £85 per book for 10 books)
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Tools and software: £120 (Publisher Rocket, Canva Pro)
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Formatting and editing help: £300
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Total invested: £1,270
Current monthly profit: Around £200-£250
This isn’t huge money yet, but here’s what’s different—I’m earning this working about 20 hours per week during school hours. No evening viewings, no weekend work, no stressful client calls at bedtime.
How My Life Changed as a Work From Home Mum
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The financial numbers tell one story, but the lifestyle change tells another that’s much more important.
Now my workday starts at 9:15 AM after school drop-off and ends at 2:45 PM before pickup. I work from my kitchen in comfortable clothes, with my dog Wolfie nearby and a proper cup of tea always ready.
Instead of rushing between property viewings, I research book niches and create content that genuinely helps families. Instead of weekend work, we spend Saturdays playing football and tennis at the park, and Sundays watching movies together followed by cozy evening cuddles.
The creative fulfillment surprised me. There’s something wonderful about creating books that help children learn or bring families together during story time. The kind reviews from parents mean more to me than any property sale commission ever did.
Challenges I’m Still Learning to Handle
I want to be honest—building an online business isn’t all easy passive income. There are real challenges I’m still working through:
Understanding Amazon’s Algorithm: Figuring out how books get discovered feels like solving a different puzzle every day. Some months my books do brilliantly, others they seem invisible.
Scaling Without Burnout: Creating quality books takes time. I’m still learning how to increase output without compromising quality or exhausting myself.
Marketing Authentically: I’m naturally private, so building an author platform feels uncomfortable. That’s actually why I started this blog—to share my journey without oversharing our personal life.
Keyword Research: Finding the right search terms that people actually use, with reasonable competition, requires constant learning and testing.
What’s Actually Working for Amazon KDP Success
After eight months of trial and error since launching my first book in October 2024, here’s what’s genuinely helping my self publishing income grow:
Specific Niches Perform Better: Math and writing workbooks sell well because busy parents appreciate screen-free activities for their children. Story books teaching emotional skills also perform strongly. Parents invest more in books solving specific challenges.
Tools I Actually Use and Recommend:
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Publisher Rocket for keyword research (genuinely worth the investment)
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Canva Pro for interior design and graphics
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Fiverr and Upwork for professional formatting and ghostwriting
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BookBeam for additional keyword insights
Time Management That Works: I batch similar tasks—Mondays for research, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for creating/designing, Thursdays for publishing tasks, Fridays for marketing and admin.
Quality Over Quantity: I’d rather publish one excellent book monthly than four mediocre ones. Quality books keep selling; poor ones disappear quickly.
Starting Online Business at 46: You’re Never Too Late
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Beginning an online business at 46 felt intimidating initially. I’m definitely not a “digital native”—I remember life before mobile phones! But here’s what I’ve discovered: you don’t need to be tech-savvy or even a great writer to succeed at self publishing.
The technical aspects that seemed overwhelming (uploading manuscripts, setting keywords, understanding royalty reports) became routine within weeks. YouTube tutorials and online courses can teach you everything needed.
Overcoming Tech Fears: I started with simple book layouts and gradually tried more complex designs. Each project taught me something new without overwhelming me completely.
Finding Reliable Help: Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr helped me find excellent cover designers, formatters, and illustrators. I now work with a small team of trusted freelancers regularly.
Creating Systems: I’ve developed checklists and templates for everything from keyword research to publishing workflows. This prevents mistakes and speeds up the entire process.
Realistic Advice for Mums Considering Self Publishing
If you’re thinking about Amazon KDP as a way to make money from home, here’s my honest guidance:
Set Realistic Expectations: Don’t expect to replace full-time income in three months. Plan for 6-12 months of learning and building before seeing substantial returns.
Budget for Quality: Plan £500-£1,000 for your first few books if you want professional results. You can start cheaper, but quality covers and formatting significantly impact sales.
What to Learn vs. Outsource:
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Learn: Basic keyword research, simple book formatting, Amazon’s publishing system
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Consider Outsourcing: Cover design, professional editing, complex illustrations
Time Investment: Expect 15-25 hours per book initially. This decreases as you develop efficient systems and templates.
Your First Steps Toward Making Money Online
Ready to start your own journey toward financial independence? Here’s a realistic action plan:
Week 1: Set up your Amazon KDP account and complete the tax paperwork Week 2: Research profitable niches using Amazon’s search suggestions and free tools Week 3: Outline your first book—start with something you know well or feel passionate about Week 4: Create your book interior and find a professional cover designer
The most important step is simply beginning. I spent months researching and planning before publishing my first book. Looking back, I wish I’d started sooner and learned through doing rather than trying to perfect everything first.
Building Something Meaningful for Your Family
What I’ve learned through this journey is that success isn’t just about the money—though financial security certainly helps. It’s about creating a life that aligns with your values and priorities.
I’m not yet one of those super successful publishers earning £20k monthly, and honestly, that’s okay. What I have now is something more valuable to me: time with my daughter, creative fulfillment, and income that grows while I sleep.
My hope in sharing this journey is that it might inspire other mums who feel stuck in similar situations. You don’t need to choose between financial security and being present for your children. You don’t need special skills or tech expertise to start building something meaningful.
You just need to begin somewhere, stay focused on your why (our children), and take consistent action toward the life you actually want.
Free Resources to Help You Start
If this story resonates with you—if you’re ready to explore making money from home while being more present for your family—I’ve created a free starter guide to help you begin.
My Free KDP Beginner’s Package includes:
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Step-by-step Amazon KDP setup instructions for UK residents
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My proven niche research template and process
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20 profitable children’s book ideas to spark inspiration
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Honest reviews of tools and resources I actually use
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Realistic timeline expectations and investment guidelines
Every successful author started exactly where you are now—wondering if they could actually do this. Every published book began with someone deciding to take that first step.
Your journey from where you are now to where you want to be starts with a single decision to begin.
Time is our most precious resource, and it only moves forward. Don’t wait like I did—start building the life you want now, because financial freedom combined with family time isn’t just a dream. It’s absolutely achievable with the right plan and consistent action.
Ready to start your own journey toward time and financial freedom? Download your free KDP starter guide and join me in building meaningful businesses from our kitchen tables. Because being present for our children while building our futures isn’t just possible—it’s exactly what they need to see.