Welcome to the community, Amanda Bell

Amanda Bell spent most of her career as a divorce lawyer at one of London's leading family law firms. She saw firsthand how emotionally, financially, and practically complicated divorce can be - and how expensive legal support has become.

But it wasn't just her professional experience that opened her eyes to the access-to-justice crisis facing separating families. Amanda also witnessed people close to her navigate divorce without proper legal support, and the reality was grim.

"Lawyers are expensive and divorce is complicated: emotionally, financially and practically," Amanda explains. "The reality for someone navigating the process without a lawyer by their side is pretty horrifying."

This dual perspective - as both an insider to the legal system and someone who'd seen loved ones struggle outside of it - sparked the creation of SeparateSpace.

The statistics paint a stark picture. Separating families can't get timely, affordable legal guidance. The family justice system is overwhelmed, with delays in overloaded courts compounding stress, draining finances, and increasing conflict. Research shows that early access to the right guidance leads to better, safer outcomes for children and fairer financial futures.

Yet traditional legal advice is expensive, and the cost-of-living crisis has made the situation worse. Despite government policy encouraging out-of-court resolution, too many families still end up litigating simply to get direction, while others walk away from rightful financial claims because they can't access help.

Amanda created SeparateSpace as the affordable online divorce platform that families desperately need - providing expert legal, emotional, financial and practical support from only £25 a month.

"SeparateSpace delivers exactly that: practical, affordable guidance that helps families make safe, sustainable decisions out of court, focus on supporting their children and protect their financial wellbeing," she says.

Amanda joined Breakthrough Labs to connect with other founders in the same boat. "Being a founder is a rollercoaster," Amanda admits. "I wear so many hats every day and there's always so much to learn. Some days it feels pretty overwhelming."

Speaking of overwhelming, Amanda is also a mum of three girls: twins aged 8 and a 6-year-old. When she's not working or chasing around after kids, she's often in a gym class, listening to podcasts, and trying to stick to a new one-cup-a-day coffee ritual (challenging for sleep-deprived founders)!

Ahead of their next fundraise, Amanda and her team are on the lookout for purpose-driven angels who want to be part of something that is changing the lives of thousands of people. Reach out if this is you.

Welcome to Breakthrough Labs, Amanda!