‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life’, said Confucius. So who are we to argue with him (although his terrestrial absence may also make it a little bit harder). Examples are every around: Tory Burch did it while starting a business in her flat, so did Victoria Beckham! But so will the mum you want to be if you decide this is the path to go on as there’s good news and no time for compromises, the mumpreneurs are rising…
Yet who are these mumpreneurs we keep hearing about? Well, they are this cool new group of women with children responsible for generating an impressive figure of £7.2bn for the UK economy and supporting 240 000 jobs last year only, according to a recent post in the Telegraph. Yet raising children is a full time job anyway, so why would a few mums jump swiftly into the risky unknown when a 9 till 5 job already offers a stable financial security, possibly a good position and a decent paycheck at the end of the month?
As a mumpreneur myself, I gathered here the 7 main most convincing reasons why this may be the best career decision, move and change. I promise it will not be easy, but if you strongly believe in your dream, your luck is just about to change…Because mum’s got a business.
1. Discover a new cooler, faster, wiser ‘you’
Forget about the old self working for others, contributing to the posh holidays your demanding boss can afford and who is probably right now carelessly sipping on a Mojito, right by the blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Couldn’t that be you instead? Setting up tasks for yourself will eventually make you better at your job as you would meet and live the ultimate motivation: being your own boss. It’s now up to you how to deal with scary deadlines and stressful conference calls while not missing another play or cricket match from your child’s school program. You would only put on the best show for your clients because you’re the face of your business so your genuine efforts could finally pay off.
2. Exploring the limits of your passion
Childcare, holidays, food, entertaining, a bit of fashion updates, good education, none of these comes for free (and the list of expenses parents have to put together can go on and on and on)…Then you’re asking yourself why nowadays we require at least two good healthy income sources in order to raise a family. However we, caring and loving mums who want to do it all and well, would love to be able to spend more than 30 minutes for a daily catch up while converting quality time into educating and looking after more than their basic needs. Now it’s high time to put those skills to work, anything that you’re good at is worth being explored. You won’t know how successful your ideas may be until you give them a try. Quite crafty and artistic, hard working, a good mentor or a convincing motivational speak? Pay yourself that next salary.
4. Stronger, better, tougher cookie
Going on your own won’t be a piece of cake, it’s a learning curve and you must welcome this with an open heart. Paying your own bills and taxes, being other people’s source of income, writing, creating, delivering, packing, unpacking, solving complaints, protecting the image of your own business etc it’s now all on your shoulders alone. Mistakes, bad calls and wrong decisions will make you a better learner and a tougher business woman. They will happen despite your efforts of avoiding them as you should be now a risk taker, but you’ll learn from each of them.
5. Oh yes, more organised as a mum…
Of course being organised is a must if you want happiness on both your lives, professionally and personally speaking regardless of your career choice. But in order to keep sane while working on your success as a mumpreneur, you’d have to constantly work hard around a calendar which means children will not skip dinner because mum is not around (do not rely on dad’s cooking as it means you may be ok with your children paying a quick visit to a drive in!). Your work, your terms, yes, you will definitely get those skills to become a more organised person, therefore a mum with better organisational skills too.
6. Flexibility
This is pretty much the reason 300,000 UK mums have chosen to become entrepreneurs. You may be working around the clock, but your calendar will be a tiny task to grant you freedom each time you need it. Technology is such a great help nowadays and you know the tricks of allowing time for yourself and your family: postponing jobs, scheduling posts, arranging early pick ups and deliveries are only a few of them. Pack up now, it’s time to surprise your children with a fun Disney holiday.
7. Be the inspiration they need
I saved this for last as it is by far my favourite. Yes, being a mumpreuner can be tricky at times, can make you work twice as hard (hell no, 10 times as hard!) and bring few days of low self confidence, but watching them watching you enjoying the perks of motherhood on days of full professional satisfaction, well, this is pure bliss and the reason you, cool mums, should go on and try make your children want to be like you, look up to you and brag about you everywhere they go.
Not yet convinced?
Maybe a good piece of advice would be to start creating a business step by step, with very little investment if you’re not quite a risk taker, see how you feel under the pressure of your own work volume, watch yourself grow as a business woman, mother and partner. If it suits you, go for it and never look back!
If you’d like to know how a regular day of a busy mumpreneur looks like, check out Irene Arango, (founder of Nama Food), a cool mum who is enjoying the perks of a very successful raw vegan restaurant business while watching her little family taking shape. Things didn’t happen overnight for her, but dedication, a strong will and her dream made her business what it is today.
If thirsty for more creative fun ways to enjoy motherhood and its perks, follow Allmumstalk Facebook page or you can get lots of colourful ideas from my Instagram #allmumstalk. Cool mums tweet, so throw at me your tips if braver (#allmumstalkhere)! 😉
Motherhood can be beautifully challenging yet tough. But don’t forget, cool mums and bumps, we’re all in this together 😉
