How to manage Running a Business as a female entrepreneur
This entire article came to me today, while I was having one of my random catch-ups with a really good friend of mine.
We spoke about the importance of being consistent and how hard it is to be entrepreneur. Because, the fact is, it’s not for everyone. We all deal with failure differently, no one builds anything without mistakes and to be honest they have the greatest lessons to teach us. But, what really stuck out to me during our conversation was his question about drive, and how different my drive is to his, because I’m a mother.
Being a mother while working full-time and building a startup isn’t easy. To be fair, being a mother and running a business full-time isn't easy either. The drive is different, the daily schedule and routine is different and so is the pressure. How do I juggle a family of five, with three children? With a shot of whisky! Ha – no that would work depending my location and the circumstances, but no that’s not the magic serum.
Here are my top 5 tips to make your business work as an mumpreneur:
1. Plan
Simple to say, I know, but this will save you so much time. I generally spend 20 minutes on the train home, working through how well I got on with the tasks I had set for that day. I steal minutes everywhere I can.
Once I am home, I take great care in eliminating anything work related. This allows me to really connect with my family, catch up, do homework and unwind, until they are all in bed and I am back in-front of my laptop.
Once they are in bed, my prep begins. I don't want to sound like an unrealistic superwoman, working around the clock. I have such amazing support from my partner, so everything goes a lot smoother.
I prepare my articles, interviews or any features I have ready for my website – this way they are ready to go live the next day. Any meetings, emails or opportunities I want to get involved in, I take my time now to work through them and research whether they suit my audience and myself. At this point my notepad is key.
2. Take any negative result as a lesson
You’ve heard this before and it does work. It's very rare that a negative experience has nothing to teach us. I just feel, that worse case scenario, you learn that it was a waste of your time.
I learnt very quickly, that although I may put in 100%, some things just don’t go to plan, so it’s wise to take from it what you need and then let it go! You will be helping yourself more than you know. The longer that negative wave ripples around your mind, the harder it will be to focus on the next plan of action. It is always about moving forward.
3. Take a break
You’re not a machine, so remember to take timeout for yourself!
We all need a little down time, and mine is on Wednesday evening and Sunday mornings. Believe me, once you choose your day and make it concrete, you will be sending me thank you emails! I used to run through the week without taking a break, flat out exhausted by the time I get to Thursday morning, praying it was Friday.
I didn't want that to be my week anymore, so I made a choice to take my Wednesday evening break about 2 months ago, which means on Tuesday night I do a little extra before bed. I tend to finish Wednessay nights with my son in my arms as he’s still really young, and makes up his own rules, because his little face makes me a complete pushover.
4. Collaborate
This is important and it will benefit your business if done right. Talk to people, keep communication open with those who are on the same wavelength as you are. Suggest a project you can both collaborate on, as you will both benefit from this. Plus, your audience will appreciate something new and so will theirs. You will both end up driving new traffic to your website, while possibly gaining new and regular clients. There is nothing wrong with sharing – it’s very healthy for businesses who can offer added value just by collaborating with each another, and it takes less time on both sides as it’s a shared venture.
5. Let go of perfection
Try not to compare your results to anyone else’s - be yourself and introduce yourself to your audience. If you enjoy writing articles, with la comedic flare or packed with intriguing facts then do it and share it!
Being unique is exciting and creates so much more interest. Try not to compare your website reach to another site, that has been up and running 8 years before yours – it’s not healthy. Yes, it’s important to have a goal, but keep your focus on your business as it is now and allow it to evolve with you.
I realised early on that I was checking out other websites similar to mine and I was scared to launch, because the competition made me feel as though I wasn't ready. Then I remembered that sometimes you have to just start – even if it isn’t perfect. I have been tweaking this website since its launch in January 2015 and I doubt I’ll ever stop, as I learn something new every day.
I launched without worrying and I have been chugging through ever since.
As mothers, we have a bigger task and a greater drive – that’s why we juggle and compromise so much, and in the end it will all pay off. I'm still on a very long journey and I have already accepted that it. It's the long haul for me, so I had to adopt a way to get through every day without burning out or wanting to turn back. You can too...
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