Natty Bernasconi, 36, founder of The Digital Hive Studio, relaunched her business 18 months ago following two years of maternity leave – during this, she was navigating postpartum PTSD, anxiety and depression, and a “long-awaited” ADHD diagnosis.
She has since gone on to win Somerset Businesswoman of the Year 2025, in June, before being awarded Gold for Community Champion, Silver for MKFM Business owner of the Year, Silver for Digital Business of the Year and Silver for Best Businesswoman in Marketing & PR at two separate ceremonies in London and Daventry on the week of October 13.
She said: “To go from feeling like I’d lost myself completely during maternity, to now being recognised nationally for the business I’ve built – it’s surreal.
“But this is exactly why I do what I do. I want other women, especially mothers and neurodivergent founders, to know it’s not too late. You can still do it your way – and win.”
After 13 years of being a digital nomad, living abroad and freelancing remotely in Australia, France, Mallorca and Bali, Natty moved back to the UK in 2020 with her partner and had her son.
She said over the years she picked up marketing and public relations skills and felt she was ready to launch her own business but faced major setbacks following the birth of her son.
She said: “I took almost two years off when my son was born because I struggled really badly with a traumatic birth and I was suffering really badly with deep postpartum PTSD and depression, so I really did have to rebuild my business from the bottom up and it was the most challenging year of my life.”
During the months it took for the business to take off, Natty was told by those around her to “get a job” and that what she wanted to do “wasn’t sustainable”.
She said: “I know they were just worried about me, and it comes out in that way but I think that is what drove me to succeed.”
By May/June in 2024, Natty said her hard work started paying off and at the start of 2025, Natty was named one of the Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs in the UK by Small Business Britain and invited to the House of Lords to celebrate international Women’s Day.
She said: “I think, with all the handwork that has got me to this point over the past two years, having that acknowledged and recognised felt so surreal and like such an honour.
“It made me sit down and think about where I have come from and what I have managed to achieve.
“Running a business is not easy and doesn’t happen overnight. It is hard and the number of times I thought of giving up was numerous but just keep going and find that support system because I know how hard it is to not have that. Also celebrate the small wins.”
She added: “With marketing and web design you really need to know your client inside out so I really do become really close friends with my clients because I know them almost better than they know themselves.”
Natty also said that the feels part of the reason her business took off was because she got her nails done that month for the first time in two years.
She said: “I had my nails done for the first time in two years and now I always have to have nice fresh nails because it was within the same month that everything changed, and I saw everything come into fruition.
“I think it’s just self-care because as new mums we do not prioritise ourselves at all, and it was as if I was finally starting to take care of myself.
“I do believe the energy that you put out is what returns to you, so I think because I was prioritising myself, it helped me to show up more.”