Kelly Boucher

Kelly Boucher continues to be an inspirational role model to her daughter as she studies for the second time with the Business School.

It has been a whirlwind period for 36-year-old Kelly from Lincoln due to some personal highs and lows, all with the backdrop of part-time study and full-time work.

Having started her online studies just before the pandemic in February 2020, she has now moved straight on to a postgraduate degree with the goal of transitioning from managerial roles to working in human resources.

She embodies B&Q’s long-time advertising slogan of ‘You Can Do It’, having worked for the DIY retailer for the last decade across four different stores and achieving three promotions in the last few years, despite several life-changing experiences.

Her mum died in 2023 and her dad, now in his late 60s and paralysed from the waist down, was diagnosed with stage four cancer at Christmas. The positive news is that Kelly also got married in September 2024.

Kelly said: “My OU journey began at 29, when I became a single mum to my then four-year-old daughter and I made one of the most defining decisions of my life… to begin a BA (Hons) Business Management degree. Everything felt uncertain as I was adjusting to parenting on my own, working full-time and trying to create stability for my daughter. Deep down, I knew that if I wanted to change our future, I needed to invest and motivate myself to achieve this.

I had always worked hard but I wanted to truly understand how organisations functioned through strategy, finance, people management and leadership. I didn’t just want to do a job; I wanted to build a career with purpose and progression. More importantly, I wanted my daughter to grow up seeing that challenges do not define you; your response to them does.”

‘Sacred’ study time part of family routine

With B&Q remaining open to the public as an essential retailer, with various Covid restrictions in place, Kelly said the first year was the hardest. “I was balancing full-time work, parenting a young child and adapting to academic study after many years away from formal education. There were evenings when I was exhausted and questioned whether I could sustain it. However, I quickly realised that motivation alone would not carry me through; I needed discipline and structure.”

A promotion at work meant a longer commute which only added further time and energy pressure. “Instead of giving up, I refined my routine to manage the busy schedule and become successful at this. I discovered that structure worked best for me. Once my daughter went to bed at 7pm, I committed to 90 minutes of uninterrupted study every evening. That time became sacred and became part of our family rhythm. Even now, my now 12-year-old daughter understands that 7pm is ‘mum’s time’. What began as a survival strategy became a powerful example of boundaries, commitment and self-respect.

“As the years passed and my personal life became more settled (including getting married!), studying no longer felt like something I was squeezing in – it became part of who I was.

The degree gave me more than academic knowledge; it strengthened my confidence, sharpened my strategic thinking and deepened my understanding of the organisation I work for. I began to see the bigger picture of how decisions impact performance, how leadership shapes culture and how commercial awareness drives growth.”

Two further promotions – and more studying!

Kelly said the impact has been tangible with two further work promotions securing the ability to work closer to home and improving the family’s quality of life.

“But the greatest achievement has been internal; I proved to myself that I could commit to long-term goals, even in extremely challenging and ever-changing circumstances. My response has always been to push through and exhibit adaptive behaviours that my daughter sees and acknowledges. This is one of the fundamental lessons she has learnt and helped navigate changing between primary and secondary school. She now appreciates ‘my’ study time to complete her homework.”

Kelly finished her degree in October 2025 after five and a half years – she is pictured graduating at one of the OU’s recent Barbican ceremonies in London in March 2026 – before beginning her MSc in Human Resource Management the following month!

She continued: “Now 36, I have the same determination I had at 29 but with greater confidence in myself and my abilities to adapt and achieve. The structure, the purpose – and the 7pm routine! – all remain and I’m fully focused on my next three years of study.

My journey began with a desire to be a better mum and provide an amazing life for my daughter. I discovered that by investing in myself, I was teaching her one of the most important lessons of all. Growth is always possible, no matter where you start and your initial outlook on yourself. You can always be successful and strive to achieve better things.”