Discussing her experience of setting up and running multiple businesses, Humes explains that she traces her sense of drive and ambition back to her mum. “She raised me on her own and worked every job under the sun,” says Humes. “She was a hairdresser for years, and when I was a teenager she decided she wanted to be a paramedic. When I told her I’d never heard her say that before, she replied: ‘Well, I’ve been busy raising you.’ I think she passed her ambition to always seek the next challenge on to me.” But Humes warns that this constant drive can come with its downsides: “My husband jokes that my gravestone will read: ‘Once I get this week out of the way, it’ll be all right!’” It’s a catchphrase many of us can relate to.

As for having the confidence to pursue her goals, Humes explains that it’s all about who you surround yourself with. “Whether it’s having the right team or a friendship group that supports you, you don’t want people who will project their insecurities onto you. In my experience, it’s all about finding a friend or family member that will talk to you the right way.”

On setting boundaries, Humes has an ingenious way of making sure she always has time for herself. She reveals that she sometimes books “self meetings” into her calendar to give herself breathing space on busy days. “It’s when I take time to debrief myself on the day,” she explains. “Because my kids need me, I can’t just sit on the sofa and have a cup of tea when I get home – that little moment of self-love after or during work helps me be more present when I am with my family.”

Humes’s definition of success has changed over the course of her career. “There were probably times when I was over-ambitious; now, genuinely, my ambition is to be happy,” says Humes. “Of course, my job makes me incredibly happy. But I lost a friend two years ago, and that experience made me even more focused on making sure that my friends and family are happy, too. I appreciate the small moments a lot more now.”

Finally, when it comes to re-evaluating the way she views boundaries and happiness, Humes says that entering her 30s was a turning point. “Having been in a girl band, there was always an air of: ‘You’re lucky to be here,’” she explains. “But I don’t feel that impostor syndrome as much anymore. I’m not afraid of saying ‘no’ – so much so that I made it a new year’s resolution. I think I got really brave in my 30s.”

Images: shot by Farheenxo