Starting a business when you have a baby or little kids that need a lot of care may sound risky and a bad idea, but as more parents realize, the timing is actually ideal. The first years of parenthood is often a period when moms and dads rethink the work situations they’ve always known and looked for jobs that give more flexibility. Sometimes, having a baby can help spark the next big business idea, as many baby products have been born out of a parent’s desperation.
Being a mom in itself can take up a lot of time and energy, and it makes it harder for those moms who wish to start up their own businesses. But it’s not at all impossible! Of course, there are risks involved, but it’s important to know what you’re getting yourself (and your family) into before taking the leap. Also, it takes a lot of strategies. It is entirely possible to be a mom boss – things may not unfold the way you expect.
If you want to be a new business owner while juggling the demands of home and family, here are a few tips to remember:
Do your market research
While you think the product or service you want to offer is amazing, others may disagree. The key is to find this out before you throw all your time, money, and energy into your idea. Before starting a business, determine if there is a need for the product or service you want to offer. The best place to start doing so is to do market research, first in your own community or neighborhood.
Researching your target market and making sure that the product or service you want to provide is important steps in starting a successful business. Ask around the neighborhood and get their feedback. It helps to listen to the marketplace via the Internet and social media. Join online discussion groups and follow any hashtags related to your idea. But be careful not to get bogged down by researching too much for too long. As long as you got what you need, you can start your business right away.
Prepare your funding
One of the biggest hurdles to starting a business as a busy mom is sourcing the funding you need, especially if your business is primarily online and relies on tech. Many choose to bootstrap their business using personal savings or to borrow money from friends and family to get things off the ground.
But since that isn’t something that can work for everyone, those short on time may prefer to seek help from a peer lending company. You can go and get bank funding, but if you can’t, you can also try a crowdfunding platform such as Kickstarter or GoFundMe.
Plan ahead
The best thing you can do for yourself and your business is to do your best to plan ahead for the number of tasks you have and the time you have to do them. It can be tough to do when you’re working from home since you’re not following a set amount of hours, so use to-do lists and project planning to keep you organized. It also helps ensure that all elements of your tasks come together properly and actually get done. Be sure to check out options like Freedom Business Mentoring as well.
Apply the Pareto principle
To succeed in setting up your business, you will need to direct your time to the tasks that will garner the most results. The Pareto principle focuses on the 20% of tasks that give the majority of results that are in line with your goals, while the rest of the 80% gets worked on little by little. Using this rule allows you to focus on the most important tasks and prioritize them first.
Applying the Pareto principle means streamlining your duties much more efficiently to get more done that actually counts in a shorter period of time. It’s also something you can do to avoid that creeping mom guilt when the house isn’t clean, though we’ve kept the little human alive and happy and had a productive day at work.
Remember that passion can trump expertise
You don’t need to have a business background to start a successful business, so don’t second-guess yourself if you don’t have a business degree. The key is to be 100% in whatever you’re doing. Passion can be the key to a great business. You don’t need to be an expert – your passion will push you and lead you to endure and succeed.
Plan for childcare
If your purpose in setting up a business at home is to spend more time with your child, think again. Actually, your business becomes your other baby. You need to know what’s going in, and it needs as much attention as your actual children. While you may be working at home, you won’t necessarily be able to spend much time with your kids because you will need to stay focused on your business tasks for the day.
This means that sometimes, you need help from a nanny or a babysitter for at least the most intense period, such as the startup process. You will also need to factor in this cost unless it’s a family member or a friend who’s willing to do it for free.
Go slow and steady
It takes time for businesses to be successful, baby or without baby, and it’s important to keep that in mind when you’re starting up. Don’t expect a huge payout when you’re just starting – remember that slow and steady wins the race. If you believe in your idea, profit will happen.
Know your limits and ask for help
Moms are masters in multitasking, but trying to parent and build a business simultaneously is a recipe for disaster. Separating your career from kids is a constant battle that working moms fight, and it’s more apparent when you’re launching your business from home, and work and life balance is easily blurred.
Also, running a successful business is rarely a solo project. You will need support in many forms: a supportive spouse, trusted mentors, family, friends, attorneys, accountants, etc. Don’t push yourself to your limits too much that there’s no energy left for you and your family. Consider tasks and jobs that you can outsource. Maybe you can get a housekeeper or a cleaning service to deep clean the house and do your laundry to help you free up time for family while you’re running your business. You can hire a landscaping service to take care of your yard. Perhaps you can benefit from having a virtual assistant – someone you can delegate some tasks to – so you can focus on the more crucial parts of the business?
As a business owner, you need to choose your priorities. You can have it all, but not all at the same time. Sometimes, there will be situations when your business will have to go first, and other times when your children will.
Get as much work done as possible when you’re pregnant
If you had your idea while you’re pregnant, work as much as you can. Once the baby enters the picture, you will have much less time. Newborns do not nap all day – it’s the other way around! It’s harder to get things done when you have a baby and while you’re still recovering from childbirth. While you are pregnant, seize the time that you have to work on important things.
Limit distractions
One of the simplest ways to focus and make sure you’re productive is to put down your phone and keep it away, especially when you tend to be tempted to check on it every so often. Whether it’s when you’re with your kids or working on a business task, smartphones have a way of seeping into your life. Make sure that you are fully present for every task, especially when you’re with your kids.
Social media and accessibility are essential elements to any growing business, so you don’t need to neglect your phone altogether. Simply designate a time or several times throughout the day that you intentionally check it and catch up. This way, it won’t distract you when you’re trying to get work done.
Schedule family time on your calendar
Running and managing a business can easily consume every hour of your day if you let it. While it’s expected that you’re going to put a lot of time and effort into it, make sure you are also carving out some time for your family.
Scheduling family time ahead will help you ensure that it’s going to happen. If you go on for days and weeks thinking you’ll find the time at some point, you’ll find that it won’t happen that easily, and something may always come up. Later on, your children may grow apart from you. Treat your family time as an important appointment, like any business transaction or client meeting. If you have scheduled time for your family and something business-related comes up, you can say no and have them move it for another time.
Some moms carve out an hour or two every evening away from work to spend time with their children, while others take half a day once a week. Find out what works for you, and make it a priority. After all, any business success won’t give you complete happiness if your children and spouse are not celebrating with you.
Take care of yourself as well
It sounds cliché, but it’s important when you run a business and take care of a household at the same time. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll experience burnout, and you’ll less likely handle your family and business well.
Make sure to eat well and incorporate exercises (even short walks and stretching will be okay) throughout the day. Build up your immune system, so you won’t get vulnerable to diseases and viruses that go around. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep at night, and if you have to, take a nap in your day to catch up. Carve some time to meditate and let your mind rest.
And once in a while, treat yourself for a job well done. Take yourself to your favorite café or restaurant and enjoy. Go shopping and enjoy some of your hard-earned money. Go to a spa and relax. It’s not wrong to prioritize self-care once in a while so you can be refreshed and energized to continue on with life.
Business Ideas for Busy Mompreneurs
Time is paramount, and any mother will tell you that. Caring for the kids and the house leaves little time for anything else. The freedom that comes from launching your own company cannot be overstated. Find out what types of small businesses allow busy mothers to strike a good work-life balance. More options exist for working mothers to run their businesses from the comfort of their homes. Increasing numbers of mothers are starting businesses while caring for their children full-time. The term “mompreneur” has emerged in the realm of micro and small businesses thanks to the efforts of these driven and motivational mothers. Here are some business ideas that a busy mother can start with.
1. Flipping items on eBay
It entails finding low-priced goods and reselling them on eBay, called “flipping.” Rather than focusing on little, inexpensive things, targeting those that sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars to maximize your revenues while minimizing your effort is advisable. You can get items to resale on eBay from various places. Flea markets, thrift shops, yard sales, and auctions are all good places to look for bargains. In comparison, online marketplaces make finding local goods and services easy. You can also turn flipping items into a hobby, a means to supplement your income, or your primary source of income. One of the beautiful things about the real estate flipping industry is that you can ease into it and gradually expand as you learn the ropes.
2. Freelance writer
As a freelance writer, you can choose your hours and work from wherever you like. Freelance writing for blogs and magazines is a great way to earn money while the kids are in school. It’s an excellent option for mothers to start their businesses with minimal effort. Successful writers can profit from each article when their work appears on the most prominent websites. Still, they must have a firm grasp of grammar, the capacity to self-edit, and the knack for accurately synthesizing other content in exciting ways to succeed financially. You can also consider the case of creating electronic books. E-book publishing is a terrific at-home business for any mompreneur because of the growing need for more in-depth and interesting content on the web.
3. Bodywork and Massage
Although becoming a massage therapist requires certification, the necessary certification is relatively easy to earn. You can schedule massage customers whenever you’ve completed your training and invested in a professional massage table. You could repurpose a spare room, transform your garage, or finally finish that basement to create a professional massage therapy clinic in your house. So your massage clients can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere they deserve. You can easily switch between seeing clients and caring for the kids and housework.
4. Creating and selling handmade goods
Many thriving mom-owned enterprises started because the mothers behind them were skilled crafters who could reliably turn out high-quality wares. Starting an online shop to sell your homemade goods is simpler than ever, whether you have a talent for crafting jewelry, pottery, or home goods. Online selling platforms are fantastic ways to sell your products online. Working from home allows you the flexibility to prioritize personal and professional commitments, much like freelancing.
5. Virtual Assistance
Stay-at-home mothers can also succeed in business by providing administrative support to companies as virtual assistants. One definition of a virtual assistant is a person who does administrative activities for businesses online rather than in an office setting. Working as a virtual assistant for numerous clients simultaneously can provide a stable income, much like freelance writing. A university education may not be necessary, but it can be an edge to land a reputable client. You can find clients if you work well and promote your services.
6. Social media manager
The widespread use of social media platforms is now an in-demand business; they facilitate global communication. So, managing social media accounts is a terrific way to earn money while staying at home. Managers of social media platforms can aid SMEs in coordinating their online presence and advertising campaigns. Women with experience in digital marketing or who maintain active social media profiles would be ideal candidates for this position. Entrepreneurs who recognize the potential of social media and would like to hire you would do so happily.
7. Virtual Bookkeeper
Being a virtual bookkeeper is another viable at-home career choice. A virtual bookkeeper is a person who helps firms retain their financial records while working remotely. There is no longer a requirement to work in an office as a bookkeeper because of the widespread adoption of cloud-based accounting software. All your needs can be met without ever leaving your house. Many people can find success in the bookkeeping industry. Both a degree and certification in accounting are optional to hold this position. You need a dedication to learning, a solid work ethic, and a plan to attract customers.
8. Search Engine Analyst
Having someone fact-check the content published in online media and blogs is essential. It can take a lot of time to find correct and relevant information to give to users. Thus, professionals in many fields, including business, academia, law, education, and the media, are generally prepared to pay for a committed researcher. Becoming an online researcher could be an excellent career choice if you have an aptitude for investigating and gathering information.
9. Web developer
To succeed in the web design industry, you must possess artistic flair and technical know-how. Many startups and small businesses need more resources to hire a designer full-time or the expertise to create their designs. Freelancing design services are a common income source for companies specializing in this field. You’re free to take on clients whenever and from wherever you’d like.
10. Facebook Ad Manager
It’s become standard practice for businesses to use promoted posts on social networking sites to reach a wider audience and increase sales. This is distinct from updating social media profiles or responding to comments or questions. Promoting your business on Facebook can yield impressive results. Its advertising technique may specifically target potential customers who are most interested in each product. If you sell a program to teach dogs how to behave, for instance, Facebook can tell you exactly which of its millions of users are dog lovers. Your adverts can be targeted to only appear in certain countries or regions if you so wish.
Most companies understand the significance of Facebook ads but often need more expertise to create and manage successful campaigns on the network. They frequently hire Facebook ad managers to do this for them. There are classes you can take to learn how to advertise on Facebook, and if you can do that, you can sell your services to local companies. Chiropractic clinics, dental offices, car lots, restaurants, grocery stores, and countless more might all benefit from placing ads on the site.