Being A Mompreneur - Combining Entrepreneurship With Being A Mom

I have written extensively about Being an Entrepreneur in the past.

Today, I want to do something different.

With the help of my online friend Gwen Payne, I want to focus on the entrepreneurial opportunities available to Mothers who combine bringing up a family with being an entrepreneur.

These special people are often referred to as Mompreneurs (or Mumpreneurs in the UK).

Wikipedia defines a Mompreneur – as a female business owner who is actively balancing the role of mom and the role of entrepreneur.

But I prefer this definition…

“A Superhero who raises her babies while building a business”

Some of my best friends are Mompreneurs. Their business accomplishments while caring for children have me in awe!

Of course, this is equally applicable to stay-at-home dads who are increasingly looking for side hustles that fit around childcare.

No matter your gender – I salute you!

How to Start A “Mompreneur” Business While Keeping Your Life In Balance

By Gwen Payne

Many women think they have only two choices once they become moms: either go back to their job or become a stay-at-home mom.

Either of these options is perfectly fine if it’s what you want, but if neither one seems to be the right fit, you may want to explore a third option.

The term “mompreneur” has come about in recent years to describe moms who build their own business working from home. And while we call this a third option, being a mompreneur can take many different forms.

The Best Business Ideas for Work-From-Home Moms

If you put your career goals on hold when you became a parent, this is your opportunity to think again!

Most moms would agree that the ultimate goal is to create a solid stream of income while balancing life with kids, but beyond that, your personal career goals may be completely different from other moms you know.

The great thing about building your own business is that YOU get to choose the model that’s right for you.

Create A Business With Built-In Flexibility

For many work-from-home moms, flexibility is a top priority.

You need a business that you can fit into the nooks and crannies of your day, whether that means working first thing in the morning, during nap time, or late at night. Running a business from home is one of the best ways to find flexible work, but some businesses have more flexibility than others.

Some of the best online businesses that allow lots of flexibility involve sales, like setting up an ecommerce website and selling products as a drop shipper.

Starting a dropshipping business is affordable. As Fit Small Business explains, it’s easy to do in just a few steps. You start by choosing a type of product or niche to target. Then you’ll choose from suppliers, build your website, and start marketing your business.

Throughout this process, you get to choose when you work. Even once you’re up and running, you can continue to work on your schedule, plus it’s up to you to reach out for resources when you need them. When you’re ready for your business to grow, experts like Barry Dunlop are there to help with problem-solving and strategies for boosting sales.

Create A Business That Will Use Your Existing Skills

If you loved your job but want the flexibility to work from home, look into whether the skills you used in that position could be useful as a freelancer or business owner.

For example, marketing professionals may want to start a blog, a copywriting business, or become a social media manager.

Or if you have experience in technology, there’s a huge demand for IT professionals, like web developers, security experts, and app designers.

It’s easy to get started if you just connect with an online job platform and advertise your skills! Upwork and LinkedIn are both good places to start.

Using the skills you have may seem like the most obvious solution, but if you’re ready for a change of pace, you may want to consider learning new skills to meet a need that’s in demand.

This could include the web-related ideas we already talked about, or it could be something entirely different, like medical transcription.

Another option for breaking away from your career is to turn a hobby into a business. With a minimal investment of time and money, you can start your own website to sell artwork or crafts, or use a platform like Etsy as an easy way to connect with customers.

Special Note

You can grow your Mompreneur business into an even bigger business while still working from hope by outsourcing. In that case, consider a business phone system for your remote teams.

Create a Business That Offer a Service

Starting a home-based business that’s service-oriented is often the best way to achieve that perfect mix between using your talents and finding your passion.

For example, the Entrepreneur Website suggests starting a coaching business as a way to make money while helping others achieve their goals.

Another option is to create a Freelance Service – managing a team of freelancers on behalf of fellow Mompreneurs. This article is a good primer on how to go about finding freelancers.

Your area of expertise could be business, fitness, parenting, or something else entirely! Along the same lines, someone who has professional expertise could start a consulting business in their field.

To start your coaching or consulting business, you’ll want to set up your own website and social media accounts, then connect with potential clients to provide services. As well as face to face, many coaches and consultants hold sessions primarily over the phone, through video chats, or by holding webinars.

Work-Life Balance as a Mompreneur – Is It Possible?

Yes, it is!

The catch is that you can’t expect it to happen without an effort.

Being a work-from-home mom has some added challenges but also some benefits that you wouldn’t get from a normal job. The hard part is that you’re working with kids around, which means you have to manage both jobs at the same time, or else juggle your schedule to work around your children’s needs.

The plus side is that you don’t waste time (or money) commuting, so you can make the most of that time for getting in extra work hours and extra kid cuddles.

Practicing good time management, combined with finding your own creative strategies, is key to minimizing the hard parts about working from home. Lots of work-from-home moms find that it helps to set a schedule that structures your day, while at the same time, allowing for flexibility when things go off kilter. This may mean you want to work early before the kids get up, or you may schedule blocks of work time throughout your day.

Along with a routine that works for your family, be sure to take the advice of other parents who have been there – and done it successfully. For example, the moms at Motherly recommend designating a separate office space in your home, along with setting aside special toys or activities for kids to do when you need to focus on work.

Don’t Forget to Have a Life of Your Own!

On top of everything else, it’s just as crucial to have a life of your own.

Working your business and caring for children are admirable tasks, but you can’t do any of it effectively if you don’t take care of yourself too.

Identify what you need for your own health and well being, and find creative ways to work those things in.

That might mean getting a jogging stroller so you can exercise with the kiddos, or downloading audiobooks that you can listen to while prepping meals – whatever you have to do to prioritize self-care.

Life as a mom is hectic, no matter what else is on your plate! The thing about becoming a mompreneur is that every little task is worth the effort. You know you’re putting in the hard work for your little ones, for your family, and most of all, for yourself. Best of all, your business is in YOUR hands, which makes the payoff even sweeter.

->14 Side Hustles Perfect For Stay At Home Moms

Author Bio: Gwen Payne is a stay-at-home mom with an entrepreneurial spirit. Over the years, she has raised her two daughters while side hustling to success through small ventures based on her passions — from dog walking to writing to ecommerce. With Invisiblemoms.com she shows other stay-at-home parents how they can achieve their business-owning dreams.