There is no entrepreneur on earth that would say running a business is a walk in the park and there is no single-mom in the universe that would say raising kids on their own is a breeze. Just imagine how tough it must be to juggle both – growing a business and raising a family.
Just because it is hard – super-hard – does not mean it is impossible, as the single-mom-entrepreneurs we spoke to have proved to themselves and the world. Through sheer grit, unabashed creativity, and unrivaled determination, these moms have managed to turn what society deems a disadvantage and build highly successful brands.
How each of the women we spoke to managed their balance differs, as is the advice they shared with us. One that is absolutely clear is how their role as a single mom helped them get to where they are now. Either they worked hard to provide a better life for their children or they were inspired by their kids to launch the idea they had. Without further ado, here are the best lessons we learned from the inspiring moms we talked to – lessons we hope will help you along the bumpy road to success
1. Absolutely Own Your Circumstance
“One of the hardest things to overcome is the mindset of being a single mom. People see it as a setback, but this is absolutely not the case. The big reason for this is people think being a highly successful entrepreneur means you have to be working hard on your business 100% of the time. They think you have to be grinding, hustling and plowing on with just one thought in your mind: Business. But that isn’t true. Yes, owning a business is a lot of hard work, but don’t let that belief stop you from joining the race. Being a single mom means you have some of the most desirable skills out there, things like being able to multitask, operate on a budget, stick to a routine, be flexible when needed, problem solve and be awesome on no sleep. Trust us: we would rather employ a single mom of a five-year-old than someone straight out of college.”
2. Positive Influence Only
“One thing we have to say is: Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood is hard enough without people constantly bringing you down with the negativity. That’s why you need to put a carpet ban on any negative or toxic people in your life. As it stands, there aren’t enough hours in the day, there isn’t enough help available, and the only thing keeping you going through the mad times is your dream and your kids, so if those around you aren’t offering support or positive vibes they need to go. No good can come from someone bringing you down. Ever. So get rid of them and fight for that business you want to start.”
3. Make It A Family-Business
“When you are trying to balance the tough-tasks of entrepreneurship and single-mom-hood, the best way to overcome the fears and worries and struggles is to make your family a big part of your business. After all, they are going to be enduring the hardships and enjoying the successes just as much as you. Think of them as members of your board as much as you do kids and involve them in the entire journey. If you move house and they have to share a bedroom so that you can open a store downstairs, let them make their bedroom as awesome as possible, let them help pack the truck for the move, let them have a say on the product packaging. All that stuff. Whether you are a single mom or not, your kids are more than likely the reason you are trying to make this business a success – you want to give them the best life possible.”
4. Make Your Life As Easy As Possible
“The thing I found the hardest was the balance and the thought that I was spending more time on the business than I was with my children, so I made it my mission to make my entrepreneurial life less time-consuming. That meant finding a way for my employees to work remotely, it meant hiring a virtual assistant and focussing on ways to automate my processes. I even spoke to the guys at https://www.ej4.com/ and delved into blended learning to save time on training new employees. The other thing I did was take advice from a creative copywriter friend about working hours. Instead of doing 8 until 6, I would work from 8.30am until 4pm, and then pick up the laptop again when the kids were in bed so that I had the most amount of time with them possible.”
5. Make Time For You
“Entrepreneurship can be full-on as can motherhood, and that’s because neither are 9-5 roles. Sometimes you can be up until the wee hours of the morning trying to perfect a press release before a launch and then have to be awake at 6.30am to get the kids ready for school. This is hard. It’s also why you need to give yourself a break every now and again. It could be a quick spa session or it might just be taking your coffee into the garden to smell the roses. Either way, stepping away from the madness can help you stay sane, which you need to be for both your business; and kids’ sakes. Another tip I picked up is having a sense of humor. You need to be able to laugh at the situation you are in. You need to be able to chuckle when things go wrong, when your kids cause a mess, and you need to be able to step back and see how hilarious life has gotten. It’s the only way you’ll make it through. It’s the only way you’ll be able to enjoy both motherhood and your business. And remember, you really are a superhero. Truly.”
Photo Credit: Mojitos and Munchkins, Unpslash
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