What is a Momtrepreneur?
According to Wikitionary.org, “A mother who runs a business out of her home, implicitly to earn extra income outside of traditional employment.” But I prefer Investopia’s definition: “Mompreneur, or “momtrepreneurs,” is a slang term describing women who start or run their own businesses while also acting as a full-time parent, where mompreneur is a combination of the words “mom” and “entrepreneur.” AKA a Super Mom, a Mom Boss…
Every day it is more and more common to see a mom balancing their family obligations while starting a business to have a flexible schedule. Even though the term is fairly new I prefer it to just the term entrepreneur because it shows how amazing a woman needs to be to handle both.
My 5 Favorite Tips for Momtrepreneurs
1. Throw Away Mom Guilt
Mom guilt does NOT belong anywhere. You mustn’t feel guilty for following your dreams or for working to help pay the bills. Build a village around you, even if you don’t really have a family. Just having someone to vent to really does help.
2. Separate Online & Offline Time
As a business owner, it is really difficult to separate work and home time. The way that has made it the easiest for me is by setting up online and offline times. This helps me be more present with my kids and my family.
3. Know You Are Not Alone
I need you to know you are not alone. We always tend to feel like no one would understand but that is not the case. I know the struggles of juggling both motherhood and entrepreneurship. With the number of people that fall into this category lately, you will have another momtrepreneur not far from where you are. If not, there are social media where we can keep in touch no matter how far we are. Check out this article to give a more in-depth dive into this.
4. You Are Setting a Better Future for Your Family
It might feel like you are sacrificing so much right now, but you also need to think long-term, Momma. You are setting up a better future for your family. Starting a business is hard work but at one point you will look back and feel so proud of everything you have accomplished.
5. Don’t Give Up
I know this is easier to say than do. But it is super important! If you give up, you will always have a what-if gut feeling. Small businesses are not instantly successful. They take hard work and effort but in the long run, they are worth it. This is where setting up a village around you can help with motivation or talk you out of quitting. My recommendation is to find your own mom village to have people that understand what you are going through. You can even find other momtrepreneurs to add to your village.
Key Take Away
The most important takeaway from this article is that you don’t have to choose between being a business owner or being an awesome and happy mom. You can do both, just don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. It is all about a mindset change to realize you can’t do everything yourself and you can’t be perfect. So don’t forget you are still an awesome mom no matter what you choose.
Are you a momtrepreneur? What tips or advice have you received that have been helpful to you?
