There’s something about September that feels like a new chapter.
The summer light softens, children return to school, and routines begin again. Unlike January’s loud resolutions, September’s reset feels quieter, gentler — but no less powerful.
For many women, especially those balancing family, home, and work, it’s a month of both grounding and quickening. A chance to take stock, but also a time when life starts moving faster.
A Season of Fresh Starts
When September arrives, we often welcome the structure it brings. School runs, work projects, meal plans, and a more predictable rhythm return after the long, loose days of summer.
But alongside that structure comes a familiar busyness. Diaries quickly fill, emails flood in, and suddenly Christmas planning whispers from just around the corner. September is both a relief and a challenge — the calm of routine paired with the reality of juggling too much.
The Hidden Cost of Being “Always On”
When life is this full, the small things are often the first to slip away.
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A phone call goes unanswered.
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A conversation is postponed.
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A business enquiry is missed.
Individually, these moments feel minor. But collectively, they carry weight.
Sometimes the cost is personal: missed chances for rest, connection, or simply five quiet minutes with a cup of tea by the window. Other times, it’s professional: a potential client who doesn’t ring twice, or a booking lost because we couldn’t pick up at the right moment.
This is something I’ve been reflecting on recently. The pressure to be “always available” — at home, at work, for family and for clients — isn’t sustainable. And yet, the truth is, those missed calls and moments do add up.
For small business owners in particular, the cost of missed calls can be significant. Research shows that over 60% of callers won’t leave a voicemail if their call isn’t answered. Instead, they simply try the next business. For salons, clinics, estate agents or wellness practices, that could mean hundreds of pounds lost in a single day.
Creating Calm at Home
At Linen & Letters, the philosophy has always been about creating calm by design. That’s why our linen café curtains remain at the heart of what we do.
Crafted from pure linen, each cafe curtain is designed to diffuse natural light, creating spaces that feel bright, private, and calm. From embroidered monograms to vintage lace trims, these curtains aren’t just practical — they bring a timeless elegance to kitchens, bathrooms, and sash windows across the UK.
They remind us that the environment we live in shapes the way we feel. Something as simple as the play of soft morning light through linen curtains can reset the tone for the day ahead.
Extending That Calm into Business
This same idea — of creating calm by design — is also behind something new I’ve been building alongside Linen & Letters.
Over the past year, I’ve spoken with many women running small service businesses who feel pulled in too many directions. As their businesses grow busier, they struggle most with the very thing that brings them clients: answering enquiries quickly and professionally.
That’s why I’ve launched FoyerFlo — a new AI-powered receptionist and call handling service in the UK, designed to ensure that women-led businesses never miss an enquiry, even in their busiest season.
Instead of losing sales to unanswered phones, FoyerFlo picks up calls instantly, books appointments into your diary, sends polite follow-ups via SMS or WhatsApp, and keeps your business looking professional — without you having to do it all yourself.
This autumn, I’m inviting a small group of businesses to join an autumn pilot programme. The goal is to test and refine FoyerFlo’s service in real-world conditions — during the season when businesses are at their busiest, and when missed calls cost the most.
If you run a salon, clinic, wellness practice, boutique, or service-based business — or if you know someone who does — I’d love to hear from you. This is an opportunity to experience the service before the full launch, with personal support built in. Just send a message jacq@foyerflo.co.uk, I would love to hear from you!
A Thought for September
September reminds us that fresh starts don’t always come from adding more. Sometimes they come from creating space:
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Space at home, with a touch of linen to soften the light.
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Space in business, with support systems that free up your time.
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Space for yourself, to pause and reset before the pace of Christmas takes over.
Because whether it’s the gentle shift of a season, the light through linen curtains, or the relief of knowing every client call is covered — the right support changes everything.
Your busiest season should also be your most profitable, your most peaceful, and your most present. September is the perfect time to begin.