5 Easy Steps on How to Become a Mompreneur
I spend a good part of my day pushing around a stroller, changing diapers, and cleaning Cheerios out of my car. Yup, I’m the mother of a toddler.
But when she sleeps? That’s when I take off my mom hat and put on my entrepreneur one.You see, I run my own writing and coaching business from the comfort of my home, all when my daughter is napping or hanging with her grandparents.
I’ve always been interested in doing my own thing; 9 to 5’s and punching a time clock never really worked for me. However, I didn’t truly put my heart and soul into starting my own business until I saw the plus sign on the pregnancy test, as the desire to be home with my future child as much as possible was the greatest motivator I’d ever encountered.
I’m not gonna lie, this way of life is sometimes tricky, but it’s wonderful. I am lucky and have a ton of support, and I know not everyone is in the same position as I am. Still, if you really want be a mompreneur, you have make it happen. Here are 5 steps to get you started.
1. Make Sure you’re Really Motivated
No one else is going to be checking in on you to make sure you’ve finished your tasks for the day, you’re not going to get performance evaluations, and you’re certainly not going to get an automatic raise every year. Because of this, you must be incredibly willing, ready, and motivated to outline your goals and stick to a plan. It can be even harder to stay on track when you’ve been up all night with a sick kid, or up since 5 am playing Patty-cake.
Pro tip: Pick something you’re extremely passionate about so it doesn’t feel like work; if and when you can, hire an assistant to do the stuff that you’re terrible at (like book-keeping or web design).
2. Research, Research, Research
If you’re currently a working mom who would be giving up an income to start a business, you better make darn sure you’re ready to make the leap to being a mompreneur. Talk to other business owners, see if anyone else is doing the same thing you’re doing, and really educate yourself on what you’d have to do to see your dreams come true. (Things Successful Women Do)
Pro tip: Flesh out your business idea in writing and ask around to see if anyone is genuinely interested in it (or if they know anyone who would be). Ask friends, former business associates, Facebook friends, whomever, just try to get some feedback from real human beings to find out if anyone actually wants to buy those hand-stitched dog costumes you’re thinking about making.
3. Assess your Strengths and Weaknesses
I once coached a guy who ran his own business who hadn’t managed to get his taxes done for the past three or four years. Yeah, that’s bad. Staying on top of his finances on his own was impossible, so the only realistic solution was for him to hire an accountant. After that, he was good to go. Don’t be that guy—know what you’re not good at and proactively find a solution. (Celebration of Strength and Beauty)
Pro tip: Be brutally honest with yourself or, better yet, ask some close (and kind!) friends or family to help you figure out where you truly shine (and don’t).
4. Talk to your Support System
My mother and my husband were completely on board with me leaving my paid gig and starting my own business, and we talked about it at length before I turned in my notice. Without them, there’s no way I could have done it: my mom’s help is essential when I have to put in more hours on my business, and my husband’s willingness to carry more of the financial load for a time was something I couldn’t have done without.
Pro tip: Make a list of what kind of support you are likely to need and who might be able to provide it. That way, when you ask for help you already know exactly what you’re looking for.
5. Take the Leap
You can’t ever go into business for yourself if you don’t, you know, actually go into business for yourself. Maybe you do it on the side for a while before giving it your all, maybe it takes you years to do all your research and pick a business that you think will work for you, or maybe you already know exactly what you’ll be selling. No matter what, when the time is right, take that first step! (Effective Time Management Techniques)
Pro tip: You’ll never know unless you try, so if you’ve got an idea you’re passionate about and are ready to take it from hobby to career, go for it!
