Why Mothers Make The Best Entrepreneurs
Calling all creative multi-taskers who are determined and hard working
As a single mother to young triplets, I managed to start a publishing business without any business qualifications and just a very small start-up fund. I know now that if you believe in yourself and work hard, you can achieve more than you ever dreamed of.
If I can do it, you can. The only question you have to ask yourself is, do I want to do it?
If the answer to this is yes, then keep reading. If you decide to take control of your destiny and start a business, then this will be a great place to get advice and support.
Mums have the skills to be entrepreneurs. They already run a corporation, it’s called a household. Organising everything from homework to housekeeping, shopping to shuttling the kids around, you spend your days running from pillar to post. You have to run your life with military precision, especially if you also have a job. There aren’t many CEOs who could compete with the average mum.
What is an entrepreneur? An entrepreneur is………
A creative multi-tasker who is determined and hard working.
Does this sound familiar? Does it sound like you? Well you can take those skills and apply them to make money for yourself and your family.
There are so many things I wish I’d known when I started my company so want to share my experience of other business mums. You probably have lots of questions like…
What qualifications do I need to start a business?
Obviously if you want to set-up as a vet or an accountant then you will need the appropriate qualifications but for most businesses the only qualification you need is a Degree in Life Management , that is, the common sense, multi-tasking, master-of-all, type skills mothers generally have. Good computer and communications skills are pretty essential but otherwise for most businesses you don’t need qualifications.
Having said that you must be prepared to learn new skills so your business can grow. One of my favourite mottos is “Make Everyday a School Day”. It might not be formal learning but you will need to develop your marketing, design and communication skills.
Don’t let the lack of formal qualifications hold you back, it’s you that matters, your ideas, your drive, your ambition. You have your own unique lifetime’s experience to draw on, hard times that have made you resilient, good times that have given you the inspiration and ideas for your business.
Am I too old to start a business?
I doubt it! I was 42 when I launched Accent Press and I know women who have successfully started businesses in their sixties. I do think that everything you learn in life gets poured into the business in the end so sometimes it’s better to have had more to add to the mix. Whatever age you are, you can start a business – remember age is just a number.
“Age is something that doesn’t matter, unless you are a cheese.”
Billie Burke, Actress
Can I really run my own business and still be a great mother?
Absolutely! Imagine your life without your usual commute to work, the frustration and pressure of your job, the constant struggle to find enough hours in the day. It feels better already doesn’t it? Now imagine that each day everything you did benefited your own company, and the satisfaction and pleasure you’d get from that. Imagine your child being ill or you getting snowed in and still being able to achieve everything you need to. It’s much easier to be a great mum when you are feeling happy and fulfilled, and the flexibility of running your own business means you could get more time to spend with your children.
“How do you balance growing the business with raising a family? You just do. I had a business, a lot of orders, and a baby howling for supper. You balance it. You give your baby supper first and then get your orders in. I have worked on more holidays… but what are you going to do?
Lillian Vernon, Catalogue Merchant and Online Retailer
So if you have decided that running your own business then please subscribe for advice and tips from someone who’s been there.