My journey, becoming Mumma Cello

If you’d told me 18 months ago that I’d be the face of my brand, showing up online, confidently representing my RamTang' at trade shows and fully stepping into the identity of ‘Mumma Cello,’ I would have laughed and probably rolled my eyes.  

At 72, learning new things hasn’t come easy. Technology, marketing, social media – none of it is second nature to me. In fact, most of the time it felt alien and as though I was living my worst nightmare!

However, for me, this has been my biggest learning curve. More than just building and refining the RamTang' brand; it has been a real test of patience, persistence and self-belief.  I’ve had to learn how to share my story in a way that feels natural and connects with others, even when everything about the process feels foreign. 

Getting tech savvy

Adapting to new technology has been challenging, especially since I didn’t grow up with it. When things go wrong, finding a simple fix isn’t always straightforward.

Still, the ability to access a wealth of knowledge at the press of a button and stay connected via WiFi on the go has revolutionised the way many businesses operate. I’ve had to keep pace with rapid technological change and let go of familiar habits in favour of faster, more efficient methods – ChatGPT being my most recent and favourite application so far.

Making peace and fully embracing marketing

I’ll be honest with you, the first few months of marketing RamTang’ were filled with frustration and disappointment. It all felt like a different language to me. I listened to what everyone had to say across the board, did one-on-ones, wrote lists, answered what I thought were trick questions and came out of meetings feeling more negative than when I went in.

My cousin, who I vented to over a chat, suggested the book The Marketing Plan. At £2.49, it was the best investment so far on this journey. It’s basic but made sense to me, and it provided the insight and background for me to start learning, growing and getting my head around what we are trying to achieve.

Now, marketing is an area I am enjoying more than I thought. In essence, it is storytelling and not a dark art as most people seem to suggest… or is it?

Overcoming my fear of social media

Social media... My biggest challenge by far. For the first nine months, I battled constant anxiety over getting it right. I feared making mistakes until I realised, there are no mistakes, just lessons.

If you think learning a new skill is hard, try learning it when half the world assumes you should already know it! It hasn’t been an easy journey – being told to film everything you do, including your daily routine. That was a big deal and was made even more difficult when I got my phone stolen buying flowers in Columbia Market.

Getting to grips on social media has been such a roller coaster for me. I went through every emotion just like our four seasons. But then suddenly, one day, it hit me: I was making this harder than it needed to be. I didn’t need to do it perfectly – I just needed to do it. I started filming, posting and sharing without overthinking. Sure, not every post was great, but people responded to the realness of it, and to my surprise, I started enjoying it.

With each video, event and moment shared, I became more comfortable in my role as ‘Mumma Cello’ – the founder and face of RamTang’. Confidence didn’t come all at once, but it came. 

Building a community

Strength in numbers, I’m learning, is key to success. Working and connecting with like-minded businesses and people is the way to help growth both as an individual and as a business. I’m enjoying meeting a diverse group of people who are doing things differently and inspiring change.

Inner thoughts

When I first thought about building a personal brand, the fear was overwhelming. It wasn’t fear of failure exactly, but more a fear of being seen. I doubted myself constantly: too old, out of my depth, not tech-savvy enough. But those fears weren’t coming from others – they were mine. 

So, I started asking questions: Who am I at this stage in my life? Why am I doing this? Do I have the energy to keep up? I read books, journaled and dug deep. Slowly, I realised that self-awareness is the foundation of growth. Learning doesn’t stop with age – in fact, it evolves.

I had been holding myself back. Admitting that was painful. However, I began to move through it. I started practising self-love and adopted mantras. I was trusting my gut instinct more than outside opinions. I let go of perfection. Importantly, I stopped bullying myself for not being “there” yet. I faced my fears head-on, sought outside help and learned to let go.Every step of breaking through my mental barriers helped me feel more grounded and more aligned.

Stepping into the role of Mumma Cello has transformed me as a business owner and as a person. It has been about so much more than launching a brand; it has been about rediscovering myself. I’ve pushed through challenges and found new confidence and purpose.

Starting a business isn’t just about money or recognition – it’s also about facing yourself and asking: is this worth it? If the answer’s yes, keep going.

My journey continues and I really am loving it!

Fnd me on Instagram @mummacello