Finding the balance between motherhood and business ownership can be a challenge. We have a few tips for success for Mompreneurs.
IE 355: Tips for Success for Mompreneurs with Cousett Hoover
Couseett Hoover loves helping mompreneurs. After having a newborn and leaving her Ph.D. program, she wanted to be able to use her knowledge to help others.
She has a computer science degree and married that with her instructional technology coursework to teach moms about technology. Her business is Techie Mamma.
What is a mompreneur?
A “mompreneur” is someone who is running a business and is also a mom, grandmother, or even a main caretaker for others.
They have responsibilities outside of their business to care for a child, spouse, disabled person, or even another family member. They are juggling a lot of different things, running a business and a home.
It is important to focus on your business while still being present for your family. Phones make it easy to be on social media and always working.
How does someone become a successful mompreneur?
It is important to remember that being a mom is the most important part of this equation.
There are going to be times when business takes the forefront and other times when your family is the priority. Learning how to juggle and balance those is necessary.
However, it is important to understand that true balance does not exist. It is really a pendulum. The two parts of your life are never going to be equal.
One will take priority over the other and that will constantly switch back and forth.
You might get a phone call and suddenly have to pick someone up. Everything that was planned for that day will change.
From a male perspective, this is not always understood. Not all men, but most, can walk out of the house and be in their office all day without having the same tasks that many moms have.
You do have to consider that many women take on too much but there is still really no balance in what moms do.
We do need to be transparent and let others we are working with know about this dynamic. While we want to help people, support and teach them, they also need to know that we will not be available 24/7.
Both you and your audience need to give themselves that grace when things in their family become a higher priority. Giving yourself that grace when things change will help you keep your joy in the parenting journey.
What are your top tips for mompreneurs?
- Know your “why.” Realize that life is a pendulum, as mentioned before.
- Connecting and knowing your audience and understanding what problems they face.
- Be brave enough to share the thing that you have created with the world.
- Do not try to make things perfect before you launch it.
- Focus on the important content of your site instead of having your website beautiful.
- Find your community. It could be mompreneurs or elsewhere but find people who understand what you are doing.
We often end up being friends with our clients because we do share more and they understand the work-life dynamic as things come up.
Those people are always in your corner. Those connections can also lead to growth for you even if they are in a different niche or industry.
You can still support each other by suggesting them for a summit or giving them a shout-out to your audience because they have helped you. Groups are important for both the connection aspect and the accountability they give you. They can help you achieve your goals.
What are the benefits of being a mompreneur?
Creating something of my own now that can flourish after the children are grown is a huge benefit of being a mompreneur.
In a world where we can be online instead of brick and mortar, we can be just as successful financially in many different ways. It helps you support your family.
Whether you are the sole breadwinner or just want to earn money to send your kid to camp, you can do it through your small business.
You are also setting an example for your kids to show them what is possible. They can have a business that isn’t done the traditional way. You can show them they can do something from home to make money.
What is the biggest mistake mompreneurs make?
Fear of failure or what others are thinking of you often causes mompreneurs to struggle. You may not put yourself or your products out there because you are afraid.
Being afraid of technology is a big thing also. Technology is a beast for everyone sometimes. It can be challenging and there are so many things to learn.
Self-talk around this can derail you. You need to know that you will not be an expert in everything.
You may have to outsource things or get help. You can trade services with others, even if you cannot afford them.
Know what you are good at and don’t be afraid to ask for help and go for it! It is okay to fail. That is how you learn. Otherwise, you stay in the same spot and get stuck.
When we do not share our services and let people know we can fix their problems, it is selfish. We are not solving problems that we know we can solve.
You are holding your audience back by being afraid or trying to make it perfect instead of offering your solutions to the world. You need to take the risk and learn as you go.
We all continue to learn as trends change. Adapt to those changes and know enough to move forward with what works for you and your audience. Find new ways to do things.
Mompreneur Journey Roadmap
The Momreneur Journey Roadmap is a step-by-step guide for what you need to do to get started in business.
You need to know your “why,” find your superpower, find out what makes you excited and passionate, and figure out what problems your audience faces.
You will then develop the strategy or program to help your audience and find your community to share. You also need to find the people and tribe who will support you.
The roadmap goes through each step to give you guidance on how to put all of this together to be a successful mompreneur.
Action Steps:
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