What It Really Takes to Be a Successful Mom Entrepreneur Being a working parent is a nonstop juggling act. Melissa Musen Gerstein and Denise Albert of The MOMS talked with Jessica Abo to discuss how they're helping other mothers with a new tech platform.
By Jessica Abo
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As the mom of an 8-month-old, I am living a totally different life than I was a few years ago. Before having my daughter, my days consisted of waking up at 2 or 3 in the morning to go to work. After my shift, I went to back-to-back meetings for my side hustle. Somewhere in that routine coffee replaced meals, I came up with some of my best ideas on a SoulCycle bike or Orange Theory Fitness treadmill and sleep was a commodity. My business was my baby and I was driven by the work that (always) needed to get done.
I miss being as productive as I once was, but I truly love my new job. Being a mom is an incredible gift and I've found new connections with fellow moms trying to be a present, loving parent while still trying to maintain the person they were before they became a mother. I've found this sentiment echoed in many communities on social media. So, when I do have five minutes to check my phone, I like turning to other entrepreneurs to see what life hacks they're sharing, and supporting their unfiltered moments, because, let's face it, we all have them.
I've found humor on days I needed to laugh on The MOMS Instagram feed. As I shared in my book, Unfiltered: How To Be As Happy As You Look On Social Media, I followed @themomsnetwork even when I was single because they share ideas, information about cool brands and a peek into parenthood. Co-founders Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein are known for posting what it looks like to live your hustle, what it takes to be a great parent and how their work-wife relationship actually works. Life isn't always picture-perfect, so they dedicate their community to talking about the highs, lows, twists and turns that come with being a working parent. That applies to moms who go to the office and moms who, like me, are working from home.
Through their town hall event series called Mamarazzi, Albert and Musen Gerstein provide influential moms, and media, an opportunity to discuss parenting topics with celebrities. To date they have hosted more than 400 events with stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Garner, Kevin James, Elizabeth Banks, Tina Fey, Hugh Jackman and Pitbull.
Musen Gerstein and Albert have hosted TV shows, a Sirius radio show, partnered with networks, film distributors, book publishers and nonprofits and even presented three fashion shows for moms at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. They have turned motherhood into a major business venture that reaches millions of parents each month and now they're expanding their platform with The MOMS Marketplace, which will bring mom entrepreneurs together from across the country to sell their products and digital services. Albert and Musen Gerstein say they are on a mission to give women an opportunity to be better caregivers, and moms, without sacrificing their own financial goals; and, they're banking on their "Shop, Sell, Support and Share" model to do just that.
In this week's episode, Musen Gerstein, who has three children, and Albert, who has two, share how they've become the moms and businesswomen they are today, and their advice to anyone who is trying to change careers, go for their dream and build a business. To learn more about The MOMS, learn how you can be a part of the Marketplace launch or attend an upcoming LIVE Marketplace at a Mamarazzi event, email moms@themoms.com or go here.
Related: Why Your Network Is Your Net Worth
Watch more videos from Jessica Abo on her YouTube channel here.
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