Many new mothers dream of becoming their own boss. Sadly, however, few ever pursue their passions professionally. We get so wrapped up in our children and our responsibilities that we either give up our careers altogether or go back to working a 9 to 5.
The pandemic greatly underscored the challenges that women face as working moms, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t flip the script and take control of our own financial health and wealth.
Job Loss Or New Beginning? Both!
80% of jobs lost during the pandemic were lost by women. Industries that employed us went away or we were forced to leave to care for children who were suddenly homeschooled. As Jackie Schwabe has discussed before, job loss can be a traumatic experience, especially for a mom with little mouths to feed. But it’s also an opportunity to make positive changes in your life. Starting your own business is one of these.
Can A Mom Really Run A Business?
Heck yes, we can! In fact, there are entire organizations dedicated to helping Mom-Prenuers find each other. Is it easy? Not always. After all, your children require non-stop attention, which is something you also have to give your business. Thankfully, it is very possible to start your own business and maintain the family life you desire.
Your first step is the hardest, and that is to decide that you want to become an entrepreneur. You’ll then need to get a few business ideas together so that you can best define what, exactly, it is that you would like to do.
For many stay-at-home moms, starting a resale company – essentially a franchise – is a good way to dip your toes into the water. Mary Kay Cosmetics and Thirty-One Bags are examples of these types of business. However, you can also choose to freelance, which the Boss Single Mama blog says may help you earn more than 70% of most regular workers. You can freelance virtually any service, from accounting to graphic design to writing and everything in between.
How To Get Started
Once you have your business idea in place, the next challenge is to actually get started. Your first hurdle here is to get your home and business ready.
Try to separate your workspace from the rest of the house to create a boundary. If possible, use a bedroom as far away from the kids as you can get. You also want to outfit your new business with the right tech and, if you plan to have employees, a system geared to handle payroll for startup businesses. In addition to the standard payroll requirements (W-4s, schedules, records and reporting, and withholdings) having software in place will keep you organized and, according to QuickBooks, may even help you keep employees since approximately one-quarter of workers start a new job hunt after a single issue with pay.
Hire Some Help
Keeping your employees happy is one thing, but you also have to keep the kids happy as well. If you don’t already have help in place, consider hiring a babysitter that can come in at least a few times each week. While this won’t be necessary for older kids, if you have a baby or toddler, you will appreciate the extra eyes and hands when the littles want to play outside, eat lunch, or make messes. Especially when you’re trying to land that big client!
Starting a business as a mom isn’t impossible. Yes, sometimes it’s overwhelming, but it’s a challenge that is worth the effort. You can be the master of your own domain while also balancing motherhood, your social life, and a romantic partnership. Start by deciding what you want to do, and look for ways to keep things in check, such as organizing your payroll or bringing in a babysitter.
Jackie Schwabe strives to empire and empower moms from all backgrounds. As a CEO herself, Jackie knows the struggle is real. Her coaching services can help you break through your boundaries and live your life on your terms.
About Contributing Author – Eva Benoit
Eva began her career as an office manager, which actually started her journey to becoming a life coach.
She was constantly bombarded with employees telling her about their work stress, which naturally turned into a conversation about everything — work-related or not — that took a toll on their mental well-being.
She found that her most satisfying workdays were those that allowed her to help someone take control over their stress, whether it was something she was able to do in her role as the office manager or just as a compassionate listening ear. It wasn’t long before she scheduled monthly lunch meetings where the entire office practiced stress-fighting techniques and healthy coping strategies.
About 6 years ago, she left the office for the last time to pursue being a life, career, and overall wellness coach. She has been living her dream ever since, and am grateful for every client transformation she has able to be a part of!
She specialize in helping people with anxiety, but she welcomes working with people from all walks of life. She doesn’t claim to have all of the answers, and there is no overnight solution that will put you on a path to a calmer, less stressful, fuller life. But what she can tell you is that together, you will discover and explore avenues that will bring you balance, peace, and improved overall well-being that can last a lifetime!
Find out more about Eva at https://evabenoit.com/