Samantha Cooper admits she thought her ‘life was over’ when she was diagnosed with probable multiple sclerosis (MS) –just two days after being made redundant from her job as a marketing manager.
She had been on holiday in Lanzarote with her husband Dan earlier this year when she woke up one morning with no vision in the left side of both eyes.
After months of emergency tests and scans, doctors were able to rule out a suspected brain tumour.
Instead, Sam was told the problems with her sight are likely to be related to MS – a lifelong condition which can cause serious disability.
And just two days later – while the news was still sinking in for Sam – the 27-year-old lost her job.
But instead of letting the recent blows stand in her way, determined Sam decided to make the most of her situation – and launch her own digital marketing business.
Now Sam has set-up Little Acorn Digital Marketing from her home in Newcastle-under-Lyme – a marketing business which supports SMEs through website design, SEO, social media marketing, content creation and consultancy.
Sam said: "I wanted to work, but I wasn’t able to attend interviews because my condition means I’m unable to drive.
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"I also can’t work on a screen for a length of time because of the problems I have with my vision, so it got to a point where I really didn’t know what to do.
"After a few weeks I decided that ‘everything happens for a reason’ and that this was the push I needed to set up my own company.
"It was something I’d always wanted to do but I never found the right time to take the leap."
Sam added: "When I first had the diagnosis I thought my life was over, I didn’t know anything about MS and I thought that would be it, I feared the worst.
"But now I feel so grateful because my illness could have been so much worse – and I’m running my own business.
"The migraines I was getting have pretty much disappeared and my vision has improved enough so that I can use a computer again.
"I am managing my MS and I can be a lot more flexible when it comes to working."
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In the last month or so, Little Acorn Digital Marketing has worked with a variety of small businesses – from hairdressers and swimming clubs to a company which makes bespoke shepherd huts.
And despite her illness, Sam says the biggest challenge for her has been ensuring she is complying with the law when it comes to running a small business – such as filing taxes and accounting.
Sam said: "I could work with larger businesses but I find it really motivating working with smaller companies and making a huge difference to somebody’s business and life.
"I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself at the moment and nobody knows what the future holds for me, but if my vision improves I would definitely look at expanding my business.
"I have had a lot of support from my family and friends, especially my husband Dan, I could not have done this without them."
For more information about Little Acorn Digital Marketing, visit the or email info@littleacorndigitalmarketing.com.