Entrepreneurship “mom” version

Going into business takes strong bones (no hiding here). What about going into business while being a mom? That is done ? Where do we find time? What does stress level look like? Instability of schedule and income, how do we manage that?

Here I share with you my version and my personal vision of the entrepreneurial world as a mother. I reiterate, this is my personal vision, because I believe that there are a thousand and one profiles of entrepreneurs and although it is a whole world, we all have our personal visions, our personal objectives, our personal working methods , our personal motivations, and this is what makes us all have different entrepreneurial profiles.

Why not a 9 to 5 job?

Personally, what I love most about having my own business is the freedom it gives me. I'm lucky to work hours that suit me (most of the time), since I work mostly from home. So if my Lincoln wakes up a little later one morning, no problem. He gets sick one day, no problem. We have an important meeting, no problem. I find that it is possible for me to be more present and flexible for my child with this type of work. We agree, I sometimes have to work until late in the evening if I have to take hours back from my day, but it's a sacrifice which, for me, is not a sacrifice. Still, the hours I'm taking back are under the same roof as my child who sleeps peacefully next to me, I'm not complaining!

This freedom is also expressed by the fact that I have the chance to develop myself and acquire infinite knowledge in almost infinite specialties. I love learning and developing in many areas. When starting a business, we often try to do everything ourselves to try to reduce costs as much as possible. Whether it's finances, marketing, customer service, order management, supplies management, social media management, and so on. I touch everything. We agree, I have a bachelor's degree in nutrition, so I have things to learn! It's challenging, but motivating. The days follow each other, but are not the same. I don't know that routine, and it's perfect for me!

The weather

In all sincerity, I believe that you have to be a bit of a “workaholic” to go into business. You don't have to count your hours. If you like routine, having a stable work schedule and not exceeding your 40 hours per week, it would be ideal for you to stay in a salaried job in my opinion. Combining family life and having your own business can be done. But baby naps and hours after 7:30 p.m. (post-sleep routine) pay for themselves.

Stability

I believe that stability and entrepreneurship are two antonyms, at least when starting a business. Schedule instability often means salary instability. It is often recommended to have a job and start your business on the side to avoid financial stress at the start. The many hours of work that are invested in setting up and developing a new business are often unpaid or very little paid (depending on the speed of success, obviously). You must therefore ensure that you have the capacity to manage this aspect of the business which can be anxiety-provoking for many. If you have a good savings base or any financial assistance, so much the better! Because according to statistics, start-ups become profitable on average after 3 to 5 years.

That said, my biggest piece of advice: don't go into business just to become a millionaire and buy yourself a Benz G-Class. In my opinion, it takes an entrepreneurial passion, a personal mission and a fundamental purpose to succeed. It is with this in mind that we do not count our hours and that we are truly dedicated to moving our business forward!

Lincoln & Catherine