So you’re a mom who wants to start her own business?
Girl, I have some advice for you.
Mompreneurs, aka entrepreneurial mamas, are on the rise and crushing the game.
The days of having to choose between a career and family are over.
You can have both. But balancing business and babies definitely isn’t easy.
Between feedings, diaper changes, nap schedules, homework, and all the rest, finding time to launch and run your own company may seem impossible. But thousands of women just like you are making it work and building successful businesses with their little ones by their side.
If they can do it, so can you. Keep reading to get the real deal on what it takes to make it as a mompreneur straight from women who have been there.
You’ve got this, mama. Now let’s get down to business.
The Rise of Mompreneurs: Why Mothers Are Dominating the Startup Scene
The rise of mompreneurs is real. More and more mothers are starting their own businesses, driven by the desire for flexibility, financial independence, and work-life balance.
The Struggle is Real but the Rewards are Worth It
Balancing business and family is no easy feat. The days are long, the schedules are chaotic, and the guilt over divided attention is constant. But for many mompreneurs, the rewards of entrepreneurship make the challenges worthwhile.
You get to do work you’re passionate about on your own terms. No more rushing out the door to beat traffic or missing that school play. You can build a business around your priorities instead of the other way around.
As a mompreneur, you have the potential to achieve an income well beyond the “mom penalty” many women face. For instance, in a podcast with Farnoosh Torabi, an American journalist, speaker, researcher and behavior change scientist, Dr Jacqueline Kerr, throws some light on the ‘mom penalty’ that many women are subjected to.
She says that around 41% of the moms in the world are the sole breadwinners and yet, most of these women are being penalized for choosing to become a mother. There are other negative impacts of the motherhood penalty, ranging from less wages to leading to a biased evaluation of a woman’s abilities and competence.
So, becoming a mompreneur will help you to assuage your ‘mom guilt’ and will also help you identify different streams of earning income without compromising your family time.
The financial benefits are motivating, and the money you earn goes straight into providing opportunities for your family.
A New Kind of Role Model
Mompreneurs are trailblazers, carving out a path that combines career ambition and motherhood in a way that works for them. Their success proves that you don’t have to choose between your dreams and your family.
For other mothers, mompreneurs serve as role models, demonstrating that entrepreneurship is possible and the seemingly impossible can be achieved with passion, determination, and the courage to forge your own way.
The rise of mompreneurs shows that empowering women to pursue their purpose and potential ultimately strengthens society as a whole. And that is something worth celebrating.
Finding the Work-Life Balance: Tips for Mompreneurs
As a mompreneur, finding the balance between your business and personal life can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you stay sane:
Set Boundaries
It’s easy to let work bleed into family time, but setting clear boundaries is key. Decide on designated work hours and stick to them. Make sure to schedule time for your kids, spouse, and yourself. Having dedicated family time will make you more present and help recharge.
Get Help When You Need It
Don’t try to do it all yourself. Ask family and friends for help with childcare or household chores when things get busy. Consider hiring a babysitter, nanny, or virtual assistant to help out. Delegating will free up your time and energy so you can focus on what really matters.
Take Time for Yourself
As a parent and business owner, it’s easy to put your own needs last. But practicing self-care is essential. Try exercising, meditating, or pursuing a hobby. Take short breaks when you can, even if it’s just reading a book or taking a bath. Recharging will make you better equipped to handle whatever comes your way.
Communicate Openly
Talk to your spouse or partner and be open about your needs, challenges, and schedules. Come up with solutions together and compromise when you can. Strong communication will help set the right expectations and ensure you’re both supporting each other.
With hard work and the right mindset, you can find fulfilment in both your business and your personal life. Stay focused on what’s really important to you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You’ve got this, mompreneur! Success is within your reach.
How to Start a Business as a Parent
As a mompreneur, figuring out how to balance launching a business with raising kids can be tricky. But with some planning, it is possible to have the best of both worlds. Here are some tips to get started:
Define Your Business Concept
First, determine what skills, talents, or interests you want to leverage for your business. Think about problems you can solve or needs you can meet. Run some ideas by friends or family to get input. Once you settle on a concept, outline your business plan.
Set a Schedule
Create a routine that allows you to focus on your business and your family. For example, spend mornings on your business, afternoons with your kids, and evenings wrapping up work after they go to bed. Be flexible – you may need to shift your schedule around some days. The key is making the most of the time you have.
Find Support
Don’t try to do it all yourself. Ask family and friends to pitch in with childcare, meals, or chores when you need to focus on your business. You might also consider hiring a babysitter, nanny, or housekeeper if needed. Joining a community of mompreneurs can also provide advice and empathy.
Starting a business as a parent definitely has challenges, but by leveraging your skills, setting clear priorities, building your support network, and taking good care of yourself, you absolutely can find success as a mompreneur. Focus on what really matters – your business, your family, and your own well-being. Everything else will fall into place.
Being Your Own Boss: The Benefits of Entrepreneurship for Mothers
Being your own boss as a mompreneur has some major perks. You get to set your own schedule and be there for your kids when they need you. No more rushing out the door to beat traffic or missing important school events. You’re able to achieve that elusive work-life balance so many working parents struggle with.
Create a schedule that works for your family. Be available when the kids are off from school or if they’re sick. Take time off for vacations without asking a boss for permission. Meet with clients during school hours or in the evenings after bedtime. The flexibility to run your business on your own terms is invaluable.
More Time with Family
Spending more time with your kids is one of the biggest benefits of becoming an entrepreneur. You get to be fully present for them in a way that’s hard to do when working long hours for an employer. Make breakfast, volunteer in the classroom, and attend all their activities. The time you gain back is priceless.
Career Growth
As a mompreneur, you have full control over the direction of your business and career. No glass ceilings or lack of opportunities for advancement. The potential for income and career growth is unlimited. With hard work and perseverance, you can build a highly successful company.
Purpose and Passion
Running your own business allows you to pursue work you feel passionate about. Do something that ignites your creativity and talents. Build something from the ground up that provides value to others. Finding purpose and meaning in your work leads to greater happiness and satisfaction.
While being a mompreneur certainly has its challenges, the benefits of entrepreneurship are compelling. The opportunity to achieve work-life balance, spend more time with family, advance your career, and pursue purposeful work is life-changing. If you’re looking for a way to have it all as a mother and business owner, becoming your own boss could be the answer.
Additional Tips on Business, Motherhood and Everything in Between
Focus on One Thing at a Time
When you’re juggling work and home life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The key is to focus on one thing at a time and be fully present. Learning to compartmentalize will make you much more productive and help avoid burnout.
Yes, it’s easier said than done. With zillions of tasks that need your attention along with your kids and family, compartmentalizing isn’t an easy job. But, it isn’t impossible either. Start slowly focusing on one thing at a time. Don’t try to multitask or juggle between multiple issues.
If you fail, it is absolutely okay. You can try again until you get better.
Learn to Let Go of Perfectionism
No one can do everything perfectly, especially when juggling the demands of work and family. Learn to prioritize what’s really important and let go of unrealistic expectations.
Your house may not always be spotless and you may not make it to every school event, but your kids will remember the time you did spend together. Focus on what matters most rather than chasing an unattainable ideal. In this regard, Purvi Gandhi, an occupational therapist and a mother says,
“Failure is a part of life, so when you fail, grieve, cry but get up, face it and get going. A difficult situation or circumstance remains difficult if you don’t face and conquer it. Always Be you, do what you like and love what you do”
The life of a mompreneur is challenging but rewarding. By following the advice of those who have come before, you too can build a successful business without sacrificing time with your family. The key is finding the right balance and being kind to yourself along the way.
It’s Time to Build Your Amazing Business
So there you have it, the inside scoop on how today’s mompreneurs are building successful businesses without sacrificing their families. As you’ve seen, with the right mindset, support system, and time-management skills, you really can have it all.
The key is not striving for perfection or comparing yourself to unrealistic societal standards of the ‘ideal’ businesswoman or mother. Focus on what really matters to you, set boundaries, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. By embracing the chaos and imperfection, you’ll find the sweet spot where your business and family life not only co-exist but actually enrich one another.
You’ve got this! Now go out there, kick some entrepreneurial butt, and build an amazing business and life on your own terms. The future is female, mompreneurs are on the rise, and there’s no stopping us now!
Gayathri Gopalan is a 30-year-old from Chennai, India with a master’s degree in Math. She’s an extroverted pet fanatic, a bibliophile, and an ardent fan of Jeffrey Archer and Cecelia Ahern. She loves playing chess, cooking diverse dishes, and nature. She also loves to concoct stories in an engaging, enjoyable manner, making complex topics easy to understand.
Gayathri’s approachable personality reflects in her writing, where she loves to make her readers feel connected. She has also written a book called A Plethora of Emotions, which is a collection of poems on various topics.
This content was originally published here.
