In this guest blog, we have invited Sally, the owner of Y Beic Chai/The Chai Bike to take us through her journey from full-time administrator to self-employed business owner.

The Chai Bike is a one-woman business based in the seaside town of Aberystwyth, West Wales. Sally makes her homemade masala chai from her kitchen and cycles it around her town to sell. Her bike acts as a pop-up café and allows Sally to take her trade directly to her customers. Dressed in hot pink, Sally is a regular face at local fetes, repair cafés, Fresher’s Fairs, and other community events. If you are ever in Aberystwyth, make sure to stop her for a warming and wholesome brew.

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Taking off the training wheels: My story as a self-employed neurodivergent woman

Growing up I was never sure what I wanted to be. For periods of my childhood, I toyed with being a marine biologist, a vet, and a mermaid. Like most youthful fantasies none of these career prospects came to fruition and were quickly replaced with new dreams as my interests were quickly swapped in and out. Despite my fickleness there was one thing that remained constant; when asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, I would reply adamantly:

“I want to work outside, and I don’t ever want to work in an office.”

Still after finishing my MA, I found myself doing just that. In this period of employment my mental health took a sharp nosedive. I struggled to make friends and form connections with people at work; having grown up in green Wales I didn’t mesh with the sterility of city life.

Safe to say, I was really a fish out of water. Things reached a crisis point in September of last year, and I was forced to leave work and move back to my childhood home of Aberystwyth.

Looking back, I think what I experienced was what they call ‘autistic burn-out’. I am currently in the process of pursuing an adult autism diagnosis, and every day I learn that behaviour which I thought was me being ‘odd’ or ‘tricky’ is a just my neurodivergence. One of the ways my autism manifests itself is in a dislike of loud or unexpected sounds, smells, or sights. This meant that I found working in an office environment extremely taxing. I was unable to block-out the telephone calls, knocks at the door or the smell of my desk-neighbour’s lunch. To me, the open office was the sensory equivalent to a fun fair. Palatable for small periods but not conducive to productivity.

Although I was able to get through each day the toll that it took on me was significant. The strain of having to hide my autistic behaviour out of fear that I would be deemed ‘unprofessional’ was utterly draining. With only 22% of autistic people in full-time employment I know I am not alone in these struggles, and I sometimes find myself asking:

‘Is the workplace set up for neurodivergent folks?’

Pursuing self-employment was undoubtedly the best thing that I could have done. Working for myself has given me the freedom to curate my workspace and schedule, accommodating my own personal peaks and troughs, as well as allowing me to live in line with my values and develop a sense of community.

To anyone reading this who may resonate with my story, I urge you to consider self-employment. The normal 9 to 5 isn’t the right fit for everyone, and this should never be deemed a failure.