4 Tips for New Mompreneurs to Run a Successful Business
Upon knowing that you're about to become a mother, did you imagine what life with a newborn would be like? Most new mothers do that. In the process, it's quite natural to have a romanticized version of the whole experience.
If you envisioned a reality where you’d peacefully juggle a business and freelance work while your baby slept and breastfed, you're not alone. It takes only a week or two with an infant for reality to kick in.
The universal lesson is that caring for a newborn baby is a full-time job that may leave little room for anything else. Even after months with your child, you may scramble to materialize your dream. Before you throw in the towel in a haze of tears, wondering whether to continue your career aspirations, read this article.
Here, we will discuss four useful tips for new mothers who also wish to run a successful business on the side. These tips will help you balance your personal and professional goals so you can become the mompreneur you’ve always dreamt of being.
Start Small and Make Smart Investments
The good book says never to despise meager beginnings. Even if your business vision is to erect an empire one day, it all begins with a tiny seed of thought. We recommend hiring help or asking for support from friends and family.
In other words, do not nosedive all by yourself, handling every aspect of your firm. If your close ones can help with certain areas, say, marketing, legal licensing, or web development, let them join in.
As a new mompreneur, you're free to set up a virtual storefront or a traditional physical store. Our suggestion is to have both up and running. Since we live in a digital age, a website is key to improving outreach.
This does not diminish the importance of a storefront. As per Investopedia, physical stores may be more engaging for customers and help you close a sale faster. Having both is the best way to survive today's competition.
All you need to ensure is maintaining a good ambiance, both offline and online. For instance, suppose you open a baby food product store in Seattle. We chose this particular city because it ranks among the top 10 best cities to start a startup in 2024.
One way to jazz up your store for employees and customers alike is to paint the interiors uniquely. According to EA Pro Painters, the right paint can be the difference between an inviting commercial establishment and a garish location.
Just hire reliable Seattle commercial painters and have them handle the rest. With improved aesthetics and warm customer service, you can stand out from your competition. Don't forget the virtual storefront! The same rule applies there as you must design an eye-catching website and offer great customer care services.
Have a Strong Support Network
Any business owner knows how vital networking is. Studies have found that small meetings for networking are much more effective than those with over 10 people. When your support group is small but influential, it will boost confidence, help through challenges, and offer industry expertise.
This was from a professional viewpoint. What about your personal needs? A major challenge most mompreneurs face is managing their baby while working. Some days, you may need stronger boundaries, an extra cup of coffee, and even a funny podcast.
On other days, you may want to leave your office doors open for your child to come and play. Let go of any guilt involved with either. Besides a professional network, be a part of a support group full of fellow mompreneurs. They can become your go-to for all “What did you do when your child?” questions.
On a side note, do remember that such questions will arise more frequently than you expected. So, build your network without waiting for the last minute.
Make Use of Modern Technologies
Let's answer an honest question - is there any aspect of modern life still not penetrated by technology? The same rhetorics apply to your small business too. Let technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) assist your daily operations.
The Entrepreneur published an article on how one working mom was able to leverage technology to multitask. As a busy mompreneur, she used generative AI tools like ChatGPT for managing external stakeholders, meal planning, and editing.
Don't let your imagination be limited to the world of business. You can freely use such technologies to streamline your personal life. For example, AI can help with strategic planning at home for doctor appointments, grocery lists, events or family trips, and more.
You can even hire virtual assistants and outsource repetitive administrative tasks. This way, you will free up time for core aspects of your business that need due attention. Find gaps now and as your business grows and if technology can fill them, don't hesitate to leverage it.
Prioritize the Most Valuable Asset
Though the customer is always king, they are not an asset that belongs to a company. For plenty of unforeseen reasons, a customer may decide to abandon the company. Your most valuable assets will be your employees.
Even if you start with a team of two or three, the people running the show behind the scenes are important. The more you prioritize their health, me-time, and professional growth, the more your company will grow.
Allow your team to have a flexible working schedule whenever possible. Organize some fun activities a couple of times through the week to loosen up and relax. Encourage a healthy diet and proper sleep. Conduct training sessions or offer courses/opportunities for upskilling.
In all of this, do not neglect yourself because you're the foundation on which the rest stands. Stick to a fixed schedule, take your me-time whenever needed, and don't wear yourself thin.
Create lovely memories with your newborn, cuddling, caressing, and simply beholding them. Balancing family and business is an art at any stage of life, more so when you're new to both motherhood and mompreneurship.
You’d be happy to know that women-owned businesses across the US are on the rise. A recent study found that nearly 13.8 million companies in America are owned by women.
Together, they employ around 10 million workers, generating a revenue that exceeds $3.9 trillion. Fret not! Plenty of companies from this figure would belong to new mothers like yourself.
Using the tips shared in this article, you can count yourself in. Not only will they help you run a successful business but also be the mother your baby needs.