Start Your Journey as a Mompreneur With These 5 Useful Tips
Article Written by; Chelsea Lamb
As reported by Mompowerment, one in three businesses in the United States are currently run by mothers. Additionally, moms are twice as likely to start businesses than their male counterparts. If you’re a stay-at-home mom contemplating starting a business, now is the best time to do so. This article by The Grid will provide you with all the insights you need to navigate through the steps of starting and running a successful business.
Find a Great Idea
The first challenge you’ll face as a mompreneur is finding a great business idea. Don’t expect this process to be instant, as finding the best idea will take time, research, and a lot of effort. This is because there are already numerous well-established businesses in every market. For your business to be successful it needs to bring something new to the table and have solutions for unsolved customer problems.
If you’re looking for inspiration, read up on stories of other mompreneurs and what inspired them to start their respective businesses. Some notable examples include:
- Leadership Girl
- Little Likes Kids
- Sutton Creative Studios
- Nail Taxi
- Earth Mama Organics
Set Realistic Expectations
Take stock of the time you currently dedicate towards household responsibilities. Based on your availability you can begin thinking about the type of business best suited for you. For instance, starting a service-oriented business will require you to work on deadlines provided by clients, which could fluctuate from time to time. Conversely, choosing to sell products will give you greater control of work hours, but you’ll need to take into account the time and effort needed to create your products.
Additionally, when setting goals, follow the SMART method i.e. creating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. Using this method will help you set realistic goals allowing you to establish and run your business in an organized and efficient manner.
Develop a Routine
Having a routine will give your day some much-needed predictability, allowing you to gain control over your time rather than juggling between responsibilities. When it comes to choosing work hours, select the period when you are most productive and can work without disturbances. For instance, if your child is old enough to attend school, use the hours when they’re in class towards working on your business. Additionally, you’ll need to learn how to maximize pockets of time you receive when they’re napping or playing towards completing business tasks.
Build a Support System
No.1 tip for any mompreneur is – don’t try to do everything yourself! Between handling household responsibilities and running a business, you’ll have a lot on your plate. To avoid feeling overworked, and develop a good work-life balance, reach out to those around you for help and assistance. This can include:
- Hiring a babysitter to care for your child during your work hours.
- Delegating household chores to other members of the family.
- Connecting with fellow entrepreneurs in your network to gain advice regarding business areas where you lack expertise.
Additionally, set aside at least an hour a day towards activities that help you relax and rejuvenate, such as journaling, reading, exercising, meditating, etc.
Leverage Technology
There is various software on the market that can help you in all facets of your business, such as:
- Marketing: Social media scheduling apps allow you to create a content calendar with ease. Additionally, you’ll overcome the tedious task of manually uploading posts each day.
- Project Management: While handling various moving pieces of your business, it becomes easy to miss out on the small details which can then cause major problems. As reported by Projectsly, project management tools allow you to stay on top of deadlines and work in an organized manner.
- Sales: If you’re selling a service, it is important to create an invoicing system for receiving timely payment. If you’ve never made an invoice before, use an online generator for your invoice design and use accounting software to schedule sending invoices, and payment reminders to clients.
Being a mompreneur can provide you the perfect balance between spending quality time with your family and achieving your professional goals. And in an industry booming with mom businesses, now is the perfect time to start your entrepreneurial journey.
