Many mums today have chosen to live life on their terms. Whether she chose to stay at home, returned to employment, or decided to start her own venture, the most important thing is for her to live the life she wants to live. As a society, we need to support these mums on their decisions.
For women who choose to start up a business after motherhood, the early days (and sometimes years) are challenging beyond imagination. Taking the already hectic life of motherhood and adding a business on top of that is emotionally and physically draining, but very rewarding once the business baby takes on a life of its own.
For these mums or those wanting to get into business and are a bit unsure of where to begin, here are some tips for success:
- Get clear on your reasons for choosing this path. Unfortunately, the mantra of ‘if you build it, they will come’, isn’t all that accurate when it comes to business. To be successful, you need to firstly create a product that the market wants and then hustle you little heart out to make sure the right people hear your message. When you are clear on your ‘why’ and your purpose for choosing this life, it makes those hard days easier to navigate. Your ‘why’ will serve as your guiding light when everything else feels like it’s bringing you down.
- Plan your week but be ok if the plan falls apart. To give yourself the best chance of success, schedule everything from business time to family time to those everyday errands that need to just get done to keep everything ticking by (school notices and car rego – we’re looking at you). Know when your most productive opportunities are and when your little people need you the most so that you can plan your day accordingly. But also don't be surprised if things don't work out as planned - just surrender to the situation and try to get back on track next chance you get.
- Find a support crew. No one understands the life of a mum business owner better than another mum business owner. Everything from the juggle to resentments and fatigue are common themes that your sisters in business have most likely experienced themselves and can relate with you on. Surround yourself with people who get you and who are eager to lift you higher.
- Run your own race. The best way to undermine your productivity is to compare your achievements to what others are doing. You don’t know the resources that others may have, how long they’ve been doing it for or who else they have in their corner. The only things you know for sure are your goals, your time and your limitations. You are not on a deadline and baby steps are far better than no steps at all.
- Schedule in time for you. As you take on more with a business, it becomes even more important to make sure that you are taking time for yourself to avoid burnout. Whether it's exercise, time with a book or a catch up with friends, it's critical to create some space where you can refuel your tank and reconnect with yourself.
- If you don't love it, reevaluate. Life's too short to be stressed all the time and if your business is making you a cranky mummy as opposed to a well rounded mummy, it's time to have a look at the current situation and make some changes.
- Just jump in. Trust that it’s okay to be underprepared. You will never have all the answers and you are far better off putting something out in the market and making changes based on customer feedback than to spend months and months agonising over how to get it perfect. A wise person once said to me ‘if you absolutely love your first website, you launched too late’. Know that your perfectionism will be your biggest barrier in getting to market and be willing to trust that good enough is good enough.
When all the pieces fit together and your business life exists in harmony with your family, the life of a mum business owner can be rewarding and rich. These tips will help get you through the tough days and put you at ease when it all seems too much.
About the Expert
Uldouz is a former lawyer and sometimes fitness instructor who has turned her attention towards creating The Mothers Den - a meeting place for mums who want to get together and have meaningful conversations about how to best and efficiently grow a thriving business while raising kids. She also worksprivately with women who are looking to recreate their life on their own terms. When she's not busy being wrestled to the ground by her own three boys or working in her business, she enjoys regular cheese, wine and Netflix date nights with her husband.
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