SENSEI INFO

About the senseis

Find out more about the people behind The Hamster Wheel Project

Profile photo for Anne Felmingham, The Hamster Wheel Project.

Sensei Anne

I have always been a great believer in knowing your worth and using your talent to be the very best you possibly can be.

After spending several years at university gaining multiple degrees and a Masters in Law, I started my career on the corporate ladder, working for several firms, learning as I went, with the desire to work my way up the traditional career ladder. The narrative, as always, was the hope to create more freedom the higher I climbed. In fact, what became apparent was the harder I worked, the less time I had for my family and to find the space to truly do what I had always wanted. I set up a couple of side hustles whilst working full time and juggling the demands of motherhood, teaching and training as well as writing my own course content. These highlights simply echoed the fact I wanted to work in an environment where I was the boss and where I created the narrative of how the business would look.

Being a mum and working full time is no mean feat it involves making decisions where you feel torn between your family life and your career. Rushing home to pick the children up and take them to a party and dreading the thought of how time would be managed during the summer holidays. I believe many parents feel the same and the overwhelm of being the best you can be every single day was exhausting.

In 2020 rather than moving to another job in the hope that I would find a role I loved I decided enough was enough. The exhaustion of being given objectives for somebody else's vision led me to set up my own business. I continued to work full time, commute and spent my weekends and evenings as well as being a mum setting up a business which I always believed was something other people did. I also decided to use my time, to teach, and I took up a position as Visiting Lecturer.  Taking after my mum who was an avid teacher.  

I am now the director of three businesses, and I am about to launch another business with female entrepreneurs at the core of my mission to help other mums take the leap to become business owners and take back control of their time.

With decades of experience managing teams and working at partnership level my exposure to many of the moving parts of running a business means I can help others with their business strategy and to create the business they desire.

You no longer need to feel trapped in a world where things simply feel like they are not enough whether this is time or money or space. The very foundation of the hamster wheel project. You can simply create what you want and make it work, all you need is some help and guidance from those who have already walked that path.

Since taking the leap to move from being employed to self-employed I have been able to choose how and when I take my holiday, no more asking for time off to attend my childrens’ sports day or pop to the hairdresser. I get to choose when I work and how I work transforming my family life.

I love to travel, since setting up multiple businesses I have been able to divide my time allowing the most holidays I have ever taken in my entire career. Mauritius being the most memorable and multiple trips to Disney World in Florida, well, I must admit I am somewhat of an expert when it comes to planning your holiday!

Anyone can be an entrepreneur - the biggest leap you must make is having faith in yourself to do it, and being consistent every single day.

If I can make it happen - so can you.

Profile photo for Paul Turner, The Hamster Wheel Project.

Sensei Paul

I'm an entrepreneur through and through – it's in my blood. In 2020, while working full-time, I founded my own business. Evenings and weekends became dedicated to building what is now a thriving law firm. That success gave me the freedom to pursue other ventures, and today I'm proud to be the director of four businesses.

For years, my mornings were a blur of school runs, dog walks, and battling traffic just to start work at 9am. I rarely had a proper lunch break, worked evenings and weekends, and never felt free from the demands of my job – even on holiday. I believed that hard work always paid off, yet despite my dedication, I was met with limited recognition and frustratingly small pay increases. The breaking point came when a modest pay rise was denied despite my proven results. That moment made me realise I'd handed over control of my future to an employer who dictated my worth and lifestyle. It was time for change.

Walking away was the most empowering decision of my life. The freedom I've experienced since has been life-changing.

Today, I channel that energy into my businesses, drawing on 31 years of experience across multiple sectors. I'm also deeply involved in the community, serving as a charity trustee, chair of two networking groups, and co-founder of one. As the founder of a Porsche owners' club, I find my most creative ideas flow while driving and connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs.

When I'm not working, I love to travel – whether it's living the high life staying at five-star resorts, exploring Italy, or Parisian weekends with my wife. Hosting unforgettable parties is one of my favourite pastimes, and while I like to think I'm a wine buff, I'm more enthusiastic than expert.

I believe life is too short to wait for change – you have to make it happen. I'm living proof that taking control of your future can lead to extraordinary freedom and success.

Be brave