Managing a household is a full-time job. Add the responsibilities of launching and nurturing a business to the mix, and you’re talking about superhero-level multi-tasking. This is the everyday life of the mompreneur. The one who also has the titles of ‘mom,’ ‘chef,’ ‘chauffeur,’ and ‘CEO’. Attaining business success is not a single achievement. For moms, a successful business is multiple layers of accomplishments.
Balancing motherhood and business success can be challenging. It is almost as challenging as convincing your littles to settle down for bedtime without numerous (and sometimes comically creative) excuses not to sleep.
As a business coach of busy moms, I want to share five practical steps for moms who are currently balancing business dreams with the real demands of motherhood.
1. Visualize Your Business Success
Every business starts with a dream. But it’s the clarity of your vision that will turn a good idea into a great business. As a mom and a business owner, the first step toward business success is to visualize what it is you’re building.
Set Clear Goals: Begin by setting clear, achievable long-term and short-term business goals.
Envision Success: Visualize what a successful business looks like for you. Where are you operating from? What are your working hours? What do your financials look like? Who are your customers? What problems are your services/products solving for your audience, and how do they find you? Visualizing more details clarifies the path to achieving desired outcomes.
Celebrate Small Achievements: Remember to note and celebrate the small milestones. They are markers of your progress toward your vision.
This mental blueprint will keep you focused when challenges arise. It’s your guiding star in a sea of responsibilities.
2. Create Realistic Action Plans That Lead to Business Success
A dream without a plan is just a wish. Your action plan turns your vision into actionable steps.
Break Down Big Goals: When creating action plans, you want to work backward. Start with the end goal and then walk through what needs to happen to accomplish that goal. (Feel free to check out my Goal Snowball Method to help see just how much you should break your goals down.)
Example: Say you love making floral arrangements for family and friends. But, you desire to serve luxury brides through custom wedding day arrangements. The end goal is to serve luxury brides. To create your action plan, ask yourself, “What is needed of me to make this possible?”. It will be those answers that start to shape your actions.
Set Deadlines: Set realistic deadlines for each step of the process. (Please note- I said realistic. Yes, I am speaking to you, the mom who gets a new idea and wants it accomplished as of yesterday.)
Be realistic about what you can achieve with the time you have. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day – it was built by steady, consistent progress towards a single goal.
Checklist Mentality: Accomplishing tasks is empowering. Creating a checklist and ticking off items (while doing a little Happy Dance) as you complete them will boost your morale and make the bigger picture less overwhelming.
3. Establish Boundaries
One of the toughest parts of being a mompreneur is learning to say ‘no’. No to business opportunities that you know you can’t fully commit to. No to commitments that don’t align with your long-term strategy. And sometimes, no to being available 24/7 to meet your kids’ every request. And for my moms out there, who are people-pleasers, this might be the hardest part of running a successful business.
Learn to Prioritise: Assess every opportunity by how it fits into your personal life and business’s overall plan. Say ‘yes’ to the things that move you forward and ‘no’ to those that take time away from your core goals. This means that sometimes you must say “no” to your business so you do not compromise healthy boundaries with your family. While simultaneously accepting that you may need to choose to say “no” to your family so that your business does not lack the attention needed to thrive.
Establishing boundaries proactively will prevent future regrets, safeguarding your role as a mother who is fostering business success.
Be flexible: Being a mompreneur means juggling multiple roles; sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Be prepared to adapt and be flexible in your approach when necessary. Remember that life happens, and it’s okay to take a step back or re-evaluate priorities when needed.
4. Focusing on Business Direction, Not Speed
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and grind of running a business. This is especially true for moms, who often feel they have to achieve double to keep up. However, it’s important to remember that a business should be run with precision, not speed, as it navigates a constantly changing market.
Long-Term Approach: Take a long-term view of your business. It’s about building a legacy, so look at your progress over months and years, not days.
Adaptability is Key: Things might not go as planned, and that’s okay. Be flexible and willing to pivot when necessary.
Continuous Learning: As a business owner, keep learning and improving. This might be through reading business blogs, attending webinars, or taking courses. Knowledge is a key secret to a successful business.
It’s the small, consistent actions that will propel you toward your destination. A daily commitment to your business is far more valuable than occasional bursts of speed.
5. Consistency and Discipline: The Winning Formula for Business Success
Consistency is the compound interest of hard work in business. Doing the little things every day eventually leads to big results. Discipline is what holds it all together.
Routine Building: Create a routine that fits your business and personal life. Schedule fixed working hours and maintain regular family time.
Personal Accountability: Hold yourself accountable to your goals and the steps in your action plan. You can do this by finding an accountability partner or working with a business coach.
Self-Care Is Not Optional: As a mom, taking care of yourself can feel selfish when your business and family demand so much. But remember, you are the engine that powers it all. The healthier/happier you are, the higher capacity you have to pour into your family and business.
Remember, the main formula for business success is showing up consistently over time. You can’t lose if you do not quit.
If you birthed children, you can birth a successful business!
For the busy mom, it’s not merely about balancing business success and motherhood. It’s about understanding that the two roles can powerfully complement each other. By visualizing your business potential, setting realistic goals, establishing boundaries, and practicing consistency, you are setting the stage for a thriving, successful business without sacrificing the joys of parenting.
Here’s to you, mompreneur, and to the success of your business ventures!
