Sometimes the best business lessons come from the moments that don’t go to plan. In this blog, Meg Jane from the Social Plot shares her journey from university drop-out to bakery owner – to finding her purpose helping women-led businesses grow online.
It’s a story of burnout, rebuilding, and learning that every “wrong turn” can lead you exactly where you’re meant to be – if you’re willing to start again.
If you’d told me five years ago that I’d end up running my own business (twice!), I probably wouldn’t have believed you. I grew up in South Wales without a clear idea of what I wanted to be. Like a lot of people in their early twenties, I just kept following what felt like the next logical step.
Now, I run my own business helping freelancers and brands build structure, clarity, and systems behind their content. Here’s everything I learnt to get me to where I am today – plus how you could win £500 for your small business.
Tip 1: Trust your gut – your detours often lead you where you’re meant to go
My first step was university. I started studying Business at the University of Cardiff, but within a month, I realised it wasn’t right for me. Leaving felt like failure at the time, but looking back, it was my first real detour – and the first sign that the ‘traditional’ route wasn’t mine to follow.
When I left after a month, I felt like I’d failed before I’d even started. But that decision turned out to be the first time I truly listened to myself.
Practical takeaway: Every entrepreneur has moments where something doesn’t feel quite right – a product, a job, a direction – and learning to pivot early can save you years of frustration.
Tip 2: Start where you are, even if it’s your kitchen table
The next year, I started over at the University of Bath studying Accounting and Finance. I finished my degree, even though deep down I knew it didn’t feel like me. But that degree led me to my first job at a fintech startup after graduation – right in the middle of lockdown. On paper, it looked like everything was falling into place. In reality, I was miserable.
Around that time, my partner was furloughed and started baking donuts from home. I joined part-time, helping with content and packaging orders, and before long, it became our full-time focus. What began as a small kitchen project turned into The Happy Donut Bakery—a full-blown business that took over our lives (and our house).
We grew entirely through TikTok and Instagram, building a community of over 30,000 people. I spent hours talking with customers in DMs, sharing behind-the-scenes videos, and learning – without even realising it – how powerful storytelling and community could be in business.
Before long, we were working with brands like Lush and Anthropologie, hosting pop-ups that had queues down the street, and even winning Bath’s Best New Business (2021).
It looked like success from the outside. And it was – but it was also exhausting. Behind the highlights were 3am starts, no balance, and the creeping burnout that comes from doing everything yourself.
Practical takeaway: Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Most businesses start as something small and imperfect. What matters is momentum – and connecting authentically with the people who care about what you’re building.
Tip 3: Know when to pause, not just push through
Eventually, I made one of the hardest decisions: to step away while things were still good. I left behind something that looked successful, but deep down I knew it wasn’t sustainable.
That space gave me time to reflect – and I realised something huge. My favourite part of running the bakery wasn’t just the donuts. It was the content. The community. The storytelling.
That was my lightbulb moment.
Practical takeaway: Burnout isn’t a badge of honour. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your business is stop, reassess, and ask what’s actually working for you.
Tip 4: Build on what you’ve already learned
So I started again. I launched The Social Plot, a social media and content strategy business to help other small brands grow online with clarity and structure. I gave myself three months to land a client and used my work from the bakery as my portfolio.
By the very end of those three months, I landed my first client.
The next six months were spent back at my mum’s house – with my partner and cat in tow – building The Social Plot from scratch. Eventually, I reached a point where I could move to Brighton and go full-time.
Now, I help freelancers and women-led brands find the balance I never had in my first business. Together, we create systems, structure, and strategy behind their content – so they can grow without burning out.
Practical takeaway: You don’t always need to start from zero. The skills and experiences from one chapter often become the foundation for the next. Treat every past project as training for your future success.
Tip 5: Starting over can be the smartest move you make
Looking back, I can see that every so-called “wrong turn” was actually a redirection:
- dropping out of university taught me to trust my gut, even when it feels scary
- running a bakery taught me that community is the heartbeat of every brand
- burning out taught me that success without balance isn’t really success
- starting over taught me that sometimes starting over is actually starting right
If there’s one piece of advice I’d share with anyone building a business, it’s this: don’t be afraid to begin again. The detour is your direction.
Tip 6: One small step can change everything
When I think about what I’d do differently if I were starting today, it’s simple: I’d invest early in making my business look real.
A small professional step such as a brand shoot, a proper logo, or a simple website can change how you see yourself, and how others see you too.
That one step is usually all it takes to begin.
If you’re at that starting point now, a business grant can help you to take that step.
Enter Simply Business’s competition to win £500 for your small business – designed to help you start or grow your business.
More guides for small business owners
- How to start a business in 9 steps
- How to advertise your business – the ultimate marketing guide
- How to write a marketing plan for your small business
- How to write a business plan in 7 simple steps (and business plan template)
Don’t forget your insurance
Whether you’re still in the planning stage or have already started, don’t forget to find cover for your business. As one of the UK’s biggest business insurance providers, we protect more trades than anybody else. Why not take a look now and build a quick, tailored quote?