Bracknell entrepreneur named in UK’s top 100 most impressive female founders

A Bracknell entrepreneur whose business was inspired by her son following his brain tumour diagnosis, has been named among the UK’s Top 100 Most Impressive Female Founders.

Kimberley Shamtally has made the list of Small Business Britain’s ‘f: Entrepreneur #IAlso100’ campaign, for her success with Muscle Mechanics.

The business was established during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and produces pain-relief balms and mood-enhancing inhalers.

The research and development of the hand-made muscle balms was based on a real life need to help her son Jenson overcome the pain he endured through rehabilitation after surgery caused long term complications for his mobility.

Kim said: “During major surgery to remove the tumour, disaster struck. A brain injury developed into Posteria Fossa Syndrome. Jenson lost all mobility and couldn’t eat, sleep, walk or move his head. To most this would be the sort of devastating blow that would end a hero’s journey. But not Jenson.

“He kept fighting. For two years he pushed and fought to regain his physical skills. However his nemesis then clawed its way back into his life – the tumour had returned.”

She added: “Throughout Jenson’s process of recovery the Muscle Mechanics products have been incredibly helpful in keeping him calm.”

As a sports massage therapist and aromatherapist, Kim Shamtally had been providing customised pain relief balms and soothing essential oil blends to her clients for 15 years to help ease muscle aches between massage sessions.

Deeply aware that her work was not just helping relieve muscular aches and injury but also help support creeping mental illness that can come with struggling through muscular recovery, she worked to make these more widely available.

It has also caught the attention of local football clubs looking to find ways to improve physical recovery from matches. Muscle Mechanics can be seen at various sporting events across the UK.

The latest accolade follows on from a series of successes last year, including winning Product of the Year at The Business Success Recognition Awards; Female Entrepreneur of the Year finalist at The Surrey Business Awards and finalist for Innovation of the Year at last week’s Thames Valley Business and Community Awards when. She will now go on and compete for the national awards in April.

Jenson himself won a True Inspirational Hero Award in London in 2022 and The Pride of Bracknell Forest Award last year.

Jenson, now aged eight, has since undergone more than 70 weekly chemotherapy sessions and requires around-the-clock care but is now walking independently with the use of a walker.

Kim has also worked with oncology patients at The Royal Surrey County Hospital. She added: “Combining exercise with the right recovery tools can improve the experience of how the body can cope with everyday aches and pains. More importantly, it keeps my son focused on his mission to become as physically independent as possible.

“Creating Muscle Mechanics Balms is a family business where each person truly understands what it takes to become more resilient.

“I hope that Jenson’s courageous and resilient energy serves as an example of how you can rise up from the worst of circumstances. I hope our products can help others in their own fight with pain, whether its big or small, mental or physical.”

“This award is an incredible moment to shine the light on female business owners and their impact on local communities.”

From AI companies to female-run tradeswoman platforms and sustainable fashion designers, the f: Entrepreneur ‘#IAlso100’ line-up particularly showcases trailblazing female founders who lead purpose-driven businesses alongside a roster of other responsibilities, such as volunteering, mentoring and community support.

Launched in 2017 by Small Business Britain – the leading champion of small businesses in the UK - the f:Entrepreneur campaign aims to raise greater awareness of the impact of incredible female business owners across the country, and help provide inspiration and role models to the wider small business community. 

Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain, said: “Congratulations to Kimberley and each of the phenomenal women featured in this year’s #IAlso100.” 

“It is so important that we call out the incredible contribution of women running businesses across the UK. As well as growing economic prosperity, they are also having a tremendous, wider positive impact on local communities too. Despite all of the challenges of recent times, it is fantastic to see female entrepreneurship continuing to grow and flourish in the UK, and we must do all we can to encourage and build this further.”