For many women, being a mom is a full-time job. Their lives are centered around their kids. An average mom’s day involves driving children to school, picking them up from school, taking them to basketball practices or ballet recitals, cooking dinner while checking homework, and, of course, listening to kids and talking with them about everything. Being a mother is what makes you happy and many mothers wouldn’t trade it for anything. However, motherhood is also a reason why many women lose their interests and realize that, since they’ve got children, they’ve also lost everything else they that made them happy.
Taking care of your family is good, but it’s 2018, and women shouldn’t sacrifice their careers and personal development. Mothers shouldn’t see being a parent as the end of their ambitions and professional growth. This is a reason why the mompreneur movement becomes more and more popular. Many moms appreciate an opportunity to spend time with their families and to pursue career goals at the same time, with no need to choose between work and family.
What Is Mompreneur?
The term “mompreneurs” is often used when referring to full-time mothers who also start their own business. Most often, mompreneurs run their business from home. They build a healthy work-life balance, taking into account the needs of their children, and working mostly when their kids are at school or don’t need much attention. Most mompreneurs are running a small business, for example, selling products on eBay or Etsy.
Mompreneurship appeared not so long ago, becoming especially popular thanks to the internet. Today, everyone can sell products sitting at home, in front of a laptop, instead of building a brick-and-mortar shop. Some mothers choose to sell crafts, while others become freelancers or retailers. All these kinds of activities allow moms to create a flexible schedule so that they have enough time for their kids.
Being a businesswoman is not an easy task, especially if it’s a full-fledged business with the office outside of the home and full-time employees. No matter whether you work from home or from the office, you should be prepared for various expenses, including government taxes. You should also have the necessary knowledge and be able to manage your finances.
Successful Mom Entrepreneurs to Inspire You
1. Rachel Rouhana
Rachel is a founder and creative director of Haute Stock — a website with paid membership that offers affordable and stylish photographs. In 2015, when Rachel decided to start her own business, she didn’t have any experience in design or photography. Today, her website is used by entrepreneurs, bloggers, and business owners. Rachel says that she was moving towards success slowly and now she understands that you don’t need to know all the details at the very beginning — there’s nothing wrong with learning on the go.
2. Catherine Choi
Catherine is a woman with a difficult past. She was a drug addict who suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts. Today, the story of her healing serves as an inspiration for her kids and clients. Catherine says that the only thing that helped her overcome her problems was her passion to think big and the belief in her capabilities. Her brand, SoYoung, is known among such celebrities as Heidi Klum, Jessica Alba, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
3. Natalie Eckdahl
Natalie started her BizChix podcast as a side hustle, but its success quickly exceeded her expectations. Now she works with other female entrepreneurs who are willing to pay $2,000 a month to get her advice. Natalie says that she just gives a brainstorming opportunity for those who attend her group meetings.
4. Cathy Heller
Cathy has always loved music. At one point, she decided to turn her hobby into a source of income, helping musicians with licensing their tracks and selling her own music. You can hear her jingles in ads for such brands as Walmart, McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, etc. In addition, Cathy has her podcast, online courses, and agency, which doesn’t stop her from raising three kids.
Secrets of Rockstar Mompreneurs
1. Be patient
Raising children takes time. Any mom should be patient and understand that children don’t grow and learn immediately. The same applies to business a well. It takes time to turn your idea into a full-fledged business, so don’t be disappointed if you cannot achieve the desired result right now.
2. Plan everything in advance
This is another mom’s skill that will turn out to be very useful when starting your own business. Plan meals, breaks, meetings, etc. When you have a clear schedule, it gets much easier to stay focused. Balancing parenthood and business can be a difficult and exhausting task, however, if you plan everything ahead, you’ll make it much easier. Time management is important for everyone but it’s especially important for mompreneurs.
3. Build a connection
Connecting with your customers is the key to success. Most mompreneurs do it naturally because they often choose something they are passionate about and turn it into a business. When your business is what you actually believe in, it’s easy to connect with others and to tell an engaging story.
4. Mind your “why”
Why did you decide to start your business? Why do you want to be good at what you do? For many mothers, their main why is their kids. Others want to live a fulfilling life and so they turn their passion into a career. No matter what is your main reason for doing what you do, you should remember it, especially when everything goes not exactly how you’ve planned.
Conclusion
Being a mother is not easy. Starting your own business is also not easy, however, it doesn’t stop moms from becoming entrepreneurs and succeeding in business. Many moms who work in the office wish they could spend more time with their children at home, and entrepreneurship is a perfect solution. Just remember your goals, maintain a work-family balance, and be patient.
About the Author: Ester Brierley is a QA Engineer in a software outsourcing company, a competent virtual assistant for College Writer and a seasoned content creator for many websites. She knows the secret for balancing freelancing and her full-time job. Follow her on Twitter.