In today’s career interview we talk to Nikki Croxon about her journey from Vet Nurse to six-figure business owner. We discuss the drive behind her business, how she feels about leaving Veterinary Nursing behind and she gives valuable advice on what to do if you are considering starting your own business
Veterinary Nurse to Six-Figure Business Owner
Tell us a little about your career so far?
I qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2014. I’ve worked in a mix of both referral and primary care practices and roles from a referrals wards nurse to a sole charge ECC night nurse.
I started my home fragrance and cosmetic company, Croxon Kitchen, in 2016 but went full-time with it in 2019. The business grew steadily up until the pandemic hit and then things exploded for us as people took to the internet to not only buy each other gifts but looking for an extra income, as this is something we offer to others in exchange for promoting our brand.
We built a workshop in our garden, after the business took over the family home, employed our first members of staff and the business ended up turning over six figures in 2021 with a team of over 300 promoters, all making an additional income via their social media, alongside their current commitments.
This is all just crazy, now that I’m to actually write this!
So very grateful for what has been achieved and if any of my promoters do read this, you’re all incredible and I love you to pieces! Thank you so much for all you’ve done to grow and promote the Croxon Kitchen brand, and I definitely didn’t do this alone and will never take sole credit.
Why did you decide you wanted to take the route you are on now?
I left the veterinary nurse industry at the end of 2018 when I went on maternity leave with my daughter. As I was working full time as a night nurse I knew deep down I wasn’t wanting to return to my role as I wanted to work from home, around my daughter, and not have to miss any stages of her development, so that was my main push really.
My business was already up and running by this point so I did have the vision to make my business work full time. I loved the fact I’d be able to work for myself, on my own time scale, around my daughter, without having to work to someone else’s protocols. Not having my holiday dictated by someone else was also a massive pull to me to leave the profession; I didn’t want to have to miss any birthdays or Christmas!
Do you think any of the skills you learned as a Vet Nurse have helped you get your business where it is now?
From working as a night nurse I wouldn’t say I now use any skills for my online e-commerce, network marketing business, no.
However the network of people I met through my nursing career has definitely helped my business growth as a lot of these people are now customers for my product-based business, and I also work alongside a few of them, to help them earn an additional income alongside nursing, as my business offers this concept to those that need the extra income stream.
What does an average day as a business owner look like for you?
Pretty full-on, if I’m honest, as I now have two children in tow!
Hollie is now 3 years old and our newest addition Freddie is now 11 months. I work in pockets of time throughout the day, around the children, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t have it any other way.
At the end of the day, this is what I wanted. I wanted a business that works on my terms.
My workshop is in my garden so I am able to pop a baby monitor on during nap times and work, reply to emails whilst the children play, and then back to the workshop at bedtime.
Yes, I don’t get much free time, but to be an entrepreneur, let’s be real here, you have to do what you have to do now, to live a life you dream of later on.
My vision is not to work 24/7 as I seem to now but how can I work less later on if I don’t grow the business now. It’s just not how entrepreneurial life works, else everyone would do it right?
You have to be a bit crazy!
What do you enjoy most about your job now? And are there any downsides?
The pros are definitely the time freedom and financial independence for me. As a mum I get to attend all the baby classes/groups, I get to meet mums for coffee and so to some extent I feel I’m constantly on maternity leave.
I can live life on my terms, take holiday when I choose and not have to limit the days off I get, and slot work in around all that.
The financial independence side is amazing. As a fairly new mum we tend to rely on the partner for financial income but when you can be that stay at home mum, but also work from home around the children, the financial stability of a second full-time income, which for me has suppressed anything I’ve earnt from my nursing career, is by far the most amazing aspect of doing what I do.
I’m not saying my finances are where I want them to be, but when is that ever the case?
What I do know is I am entirely grateful for the path I am on, and the people I have met and worked with along the way, and am super excited for the growth and potential we all have at Croxon Kitchen for the near future.
The downside would be the lack of free time for me. I spend my days as a mum and evenings as a businesswoman, there isn’t much time left to just be Nikki, but I know that this isn’t forever.
Not only will the business grow so I can hire people to delegate tasks but the kids will grow, and attend school, and this in turn will free up my time even further.
I have the end vision of ‘this level of work ethic’ is not forever. ‘Do what you have to now, to have what you want later on’ as mentioned before, is one of my business mottos.
Do you still work as an RVN, if not, is there anything you miss?
I hadn’t done it since leaving the veterinary world in 2018 however, due to the recent inflation effects and trying to pay off some debts from our rapid business expansion over the pandemic I have chosen to re-register and pick up a few weekend shifts, though haven’t done any as yet.
As a massive animal lover mum life has taken over and I haven’t any pets of my own currently, so the animal-human relationship has been missed, for sure.
What advice would you give to any RVNs looking to leave the industry to start their own business?
Go for it! You never know unless you try.
My advice would be to learn as much as you can about the chosen business idea, get a mentor if need be, stay in your current job or locum alongside your business until you can cover your basic minimum living costs, and have an ‘emergency fund’ – only then make the swift to the full-time business owner.
The amazing thing about veterinary is it will always be there as an option to pick up a locum shift here and there, so it’s an amazing career to have in your back pocket for those months that may not be so profitable, as we all have them!
What are your current future career goals or aspirations?
My business goal is to keep growing steadily throughout 2022 and 2023.
I’d love to launch new products to add to the existing range and expand more into the natural cosmetic field. My business model helps others gain time freedom and financial independence through working online and so I would love to keep helping those who need that additional income, now more than ever, through sharing the stable business we have created at Croxon Kitchen.
Of course, I would love to keep the six-figure business owner title and move into the ‘multi six figure’ category, though I can honestly say I’m not too fixated on the income side but more on the number of people we can help along the way, via our product range and business opportunity.
That aspect is way more rewarding to me than a high income which is why I do have a dream of having a small coaching business, on the side, (which I have never said out loud until this interview! Eeek), that will help other small business owners get started and apply the network marketing concept, as I really do feel it’s an overlooked business model, which needs to change, as the bad press it may have received in the past needs to be forgotten.
The world is changing, online and from home is the new way of working and more people need to be open to the idea that is basically changing the world. My world anyway.
Where can people find out more about Croxon Kitchen and your products?
Thank you! You can find us on all social media platforms and can check out our product range via the main website.
Website: www.croxonkitchen.co.uk
We would love to connect and hear from you on social media. If you do follow us please let us know by sending us a message or tag us in your story showing you’ve read this interview and we can connect and find out more about you and your nursing/business goals.
If you have any further questions I would always be happy to help where I can, so please pop me a message.
You can find us on social media using the below:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/CroxonKitchen
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NikkiCroxon
Facebook Business Page: www.facebook.com/CroxonKitchen
Tiktok: Croxon Kitchen
