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Health & Fitness

The Success of a Mompreneur

Starting a business is hard for anyone, but for mothers- it can especially be a challenge! Similar to the feeling of when your little one decides to doodle on your kitchen tile, or when they lose their first tooth – there are the same ups and downs when starting your own business!  And much like those moments, you learn to roll with the punches and push forward. It may help to tell you that you’ve already triumphed over the most difficult part- you have made the decision to go out on your own. Many daydream of starting a business about something they’re passionate about, but few actually take the leap into action. Congratulations! So, now what?

What it means to be a Mompreneur

Although many think of us as “super moms”, it is important that we cater to both sides of ourselves: you are a mother and you are ALSO a business owner. As you can understand, the two roles will cross paths sometime or another- but the importance lies in how you stay successful in 2 jobs that are round-the-clock!

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What Should I Know?: Mom

1.  “Now I can work whenever I want” What mother wouldn’t want the ability to schedule a work day between daycare, doctors’ appointments and runny noses!  But it is important to know that owning your own business actually creates more work.  Just remember- the harder you work on something that is 100% your own, the more rewarding it feels.

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2.  Life Stays Messy: Keeping your house and kids clean and having a fool proof schedule can become tricky for any mom! So the most important thing to understand as a mother:  it’s OKAY to be chaotic. You can have your day planned out from the minute you wake-up until the time you tuck your kids into bed- and the chaos of the day just unravels. As long as you have the ability to prioritize and understand that you are always going to have a to-do list and that some things can wait until tomorrow.

3.  Take a Break: Much like you need an hour break from motherhood or a night out to yourself- the same applies to being a business owner. Learn how to shut the phone off during dinner and pencil in a date or two in your schedule. Taking a break allows you to stay productive and start back up with a fresh, positive mindset! 

What Should I Know?: Business Owner

1. Take Advantage of Networking: Don’t be afraid to go business to business and introduce yourself to owners in your area! The great thing about small businesses is that they want to help each other out! Karma plays a huge role in this- what goes around, comes around. If you support local businesses without expecting anything in return, eventually your genuine kindness will rub off and things will fall into place naturally.

2. Be confident and educated: A big part of owning your own business is that things are always changing! Make sure you are constantly researching the latest trends, products and technologies that could benefit your business and separate you from competitors. You want to specialize in your service but also be an expert in your industry. Knowledge is power!

3. Write down your goals. When starting your own business, it’s important to have an end result in mind. For example, when I opened Blush, my goal was to continue to open new locations. Now that I have invested so much time learning the ins and outs of my industry- my goals have shifted. I am now more focused on my product line and educating other sunless professionals to help my industry grow as a whole. It’s okay to reevaluate your goals every once in a while, but just make sure to always have them.

As a mother and successful business owner, I have learned to take this journey one day at a time. I have also learned that more goes into owning a business than utilizing advice such as “stay organized.” Much like every mom has a different way of parenting, each business owner has a different model of success. Know that you are a strong individual who has decided to work for yourself, that alone is a great accomplishment.

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