5 Things Every Budding Mompreneur Should Know Managing a family is a full time job, but we can tell you how you can run a venture and at the same time take care of the kids
By Himani Ladsariya •
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We, Mompreneurs are "Superwomen". We manage not only our businesses, but also take care of our kids and their well-being, our families and the social commitments. As I grow in this challenging role on a daily basis, here are some tips I would like to share with all you mommies out there so that you too take the plunge and achieve your dreams.
1. Don't try to find balance, create it – Work-life balance is difficult to achieve, and some things will always have to be given up when you want to grow a business and make it thrive. So, make sure you know that upfront if you want to succeed. Keep loving your family and kids as priority and know that loving doesn't always mean every ounce of your time. Be 100% present when you are in their presence and spend quality time with your family. Learn to compartmentalize your life – no attending phone calls or emails post work hours. As a mom, it will always be difficult for you to prioritise between work and family, but eventually you will learn the art of balancing it
2. Success takes time – You should focus on building your child's future and your business in a parallel way. Just as a child learns over a period of time, you should know that your business will also take time. It's funny how we expect our ideas to be successful overnight. For any venture to be successful it requires hard work, dedication and most importantly being PATIENT. You have to be consistent every single day and not quit when the response is dismal. Entrepreneurship can be a lonely and frustrating journey.
People will always see the outside, glorified story and not understand the efforts behind it. Today, if I am building a company in a niche sector, only I know the story behind my earlier 2 ventures. Perseverance is the key, keep trying and reiterating and you will definitely see light.
3. Build a Smart Team– As a leader, I believe in entrusting responsibilities on people and empowering them. You choose the best people for the task and then trust them to execute it in the best manner possible. Managing a large staff for my events requires me to constantly improvise and develop strong processes and monitoring systems which can work well even if I am not physically present there all day. This taught me that without the help of my team, it would not have been possible to scale the business. Build a smart team, which is more productivity focussed. It is always better than having a large team, as a larger team increases your internal co-ordination.
4. Flexibility - Probably the number one reason why most people go into business for themselves is the flexibility. When you run the show, you get to choose when to work, the location you do your work, and how many hours you work. Being your own boss allows you to prioritize your life in a much more meaningful way.
Use flexibility as an advantage to accomplish tasks at night or when you are kids are away. This not only helps you in focussing on your work, but also allows you to spend quality time with your kids and family.
5. Give your 100% always- Being a Mompreneur should not be used as an excuse to not give in your 100%. You should not excuse yourself, or give yourself the benefit of doubt, if you are not able to achieve your dreams in the first go. Take this as your chance to Have the courage to ask for help to your family to fill in for you at times. Always keep up in your field by investing in expanding your knowledge. Invest in personal development, participate in networking events and get together with people from your industry to exchange notes.
