Mothers have always had an entrepreneurial streak; we are only just on the cusp of recognizing how to use it to its full potential. In our households we have to think of our feet, manage often uncooperative “employees,” multi task and balance the books. Over recent years though changes in family dynamics are inspiring women to bring their home and work together in a unique way and are being dubbed as Mumpreneurs.
Why is the Mumpreneurial life on the rise?
In most modern families one wage is not enough anymore, gone are the days when the women even had the luxury to choose to “stay at home with the kids.” For the majority of women it is expected that they return to work after having children and most of us are happy about the opportunity to enrich our lives.
The problem is that creating a work/life balance is a challenge and although women want their careers and independence they also want the time to be mothers. A particularly difficult issue for working mums is what they do when their child is ill. In my family I take the time off to care for them due to my husband’s more specialised skills needed in our agricultural business and the fact that he may not have had any sleep the night/s before as weather is what dictates the work. And besides if my little ones are sick I want to be there for them.
Another issue that faces the working mother is the cost of childcare which continues to rise. It is right that those who look after our children are well trained and paid, we want them to be good at their jobs and be paid enough to care but the logistics of paying for it is a physical stumbling block for many families.
How one woman became a Mumpreneur
One of my clients wanted to share her experiences and what led her to a Mumpreneurial life. She was so excited when she got a part time job working with disadvantaged teenagers. It was an area that she was passionate about and with a commitment of only 4 hours a day she felt this would provide the balance she craved. Her dreams fell apart though when she had to look into child care. With a baby and a child in preschool she would have been paying out more in fees to the child minder than she would have been earning. That’s right; she would have actually had to pay to go to work!
As an ambitious woman with a family to support she discovered the world of the Mumpreneur and has never looked back. Now she combines business as a freelancer with raising a family and pays zero in childcare. Additionally she is always there for school plays, events and if her children are sick.
This client is one example of many who was able to work around a potential challenge to her achieving that dream. You may have family who can assist or your significant other may be able to help out at certain times. What will you do to let your inner preneur shine?
Who could be a Mumpreneur?
Any mother with inner drive and ambition can be a Mumpreneur. They work in all areas of industry including artists, writers, consultancy, crafts, health and fitness, nutrition, parenting support, graphic design, fashion, beauty, media and ironically childcare.
There are specific challenges for the Mumpreneur; learning to juggle running a business with running a family home can be overwhelming but with practice, focus and guidance comes clarity.
What all new Mumpreneure should know?
When you begin your Mumpreneur journey you have to be aware that your income will take time to grow, it isn’t like walking into a job with a set monthly salary and building up your business is a process requiring time and energy. It is also important to remember that the monthly income can vary considerably and when you start earning a proportion should ideally be saved away for a time when business is slower. This is especially true for business areas that rise and fall depending on the seasons and public holidays.
With this in mind the most important thing you should do as a potential Mumpreneur is to make sure you are investing in something you love. You must be passionate about what you do, when you are working for yourself, motivation is vital. As much as we all love money, alone it is not enough. You need to really value the service or product you are offering and believe in it. If you don’t, you can’t expect anyone else to.
Working for your self can be lonely and isolating so connecting with others is vital. Business networking is often dominated by men as I discuss in a previous post on the Four Benefits Of Business Networking And One Of Its Major Flaws, but because there are so many women now taking this path there is a growing area of networking specifically for us.
An example of this could be in your local Chamber of Commerce or other networking or meetup groups that focus on events for women in business. Locally and with plans to grow virtually I created the Business & Bubbles Mumpreneur Networking opportunity so mums could have a night out and network with other mums. Click here to learn more.
We all need guidance and support. As well as investing in my own personal and business growth through coaching and masterminds I also provide one-on-one and group business coaching targeted at Mumpreneurs. I love my profession; it is so exciting to meet so many inspiring women in my daily life, proving that when we believe in ourselves and each other, we really can have it all!
What are you doing today to grow your business? How are you balancing work and play? Do you prefer to work around the kids being home or to dedicate specific work days while they are in care or school? I would love to know more about your mumpreneurial journey…
To Your Success
Cheers
Kate
