Moms Can Be Entrepreneurs Too!

Being a mom teaches you many things. How to find your child’s favorite toy they hide, what they are saying when they first learn to talk and how to settle a cranky 2 year old when you are in the middle of shopping at a crowded supermarket.

Being multitasked and a master at it should be no surprise that mothers are good business owners. There are 10.4 million women owned businesses in the United States according to the Center for Women Owned Businesses and I’m sure each day more mothers are joining the ranks. Women are starting businesses at nearly twice the rate as men and mothers have many challenges that they face. These challenges can either strengthen you, or make you more determined to succeed. Or they can overtake you. Many women are jumping into the challenges each with different business goals, household situations and different strategies to balance it all. It’s not easy to balance a business with raising children.

How Do You Do It?

There are ways to balance a business and make it more manageable as well as raising your children. One way is to start working your schedule around your children’s needs. Nap times and when they are asleep at night. That is when I get most of my work done. I had to learn the hard way, trying to take care of my children while working. My 2 year old would jump in my lap for ‘lappy’ time. You can’t type on your computer with a bouncy 2 year old in your lap or try to talk to a client when your children are running around the room laughing and screaming, very unprofessional! Your children need quality time when they are awake, so give them what they need.

Scheduling is very important. Develop a schedule that allows you to focus on your work during work time. If you have a budget that will allow you to hire a nanny part time or put your children in day care for a couple of hours, consider doing this. I was not able to do this, which made it more challenging for me. I worked around that, sometimes I would pack a lunch for me and the children and go to the park and let them run around while I did my paperwork. Ask your family for help, sometimes my sister would watch the children while I went to the library and did some work or my husband would watch them when he could. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, we need all we can get as mothers.

Segmenting your business can be very helpful when you are short on time. Maybe do your computer work at night when everyone is asleep or write your articles and creative ideas when waiting at the Dentist office while your children are getting their teeth done or when you take a lunch break. Try to purchase a laptop computer or a cell phone. You can access your e-mail and even send e-mail to your customers or do some work while you run errands. You can still get something done even on the run. You can even do some of your house cleaning at night or on the weekend. Hire a cleaning service once a week to help out.

It is hard to have set hours when working from home and sometimes your children really need your attention. Just work around it. Make up the time when they are asleep.

You Can Achieve Your Goal!

Having a home based business can be easier than you think. There are many opportunities available. The biggest mistake you can make is not choosing the right business for you. It is important to know what your natural talents are and what you have a passion for. Maybe take a career test to help you decide. I recommend the book, What Color Is My Parachute, by Richard Nelson Bolles. Try making a list of what you love to do and maybe it will help you to come up with an idea or invention that can become a business.

For work at home mothers any business involving the internet from web design to an online store or an affiliate web site. These can be very rewarding.

Starting a business as a parent isn’t easy, but it can be done. Here are some helpful resources you can check out to network with. Bizymoms - where you can chat with other mothers for ideas and information. The National Association of Women Business Owners – a coalition of women business owners.

About the Author

Yvette McElveen is a wife and mother of 3. She has been very successful as an entrepreneur for over 10 years and is the owner of several businesses. www.krelectronicsandbatteries.com