Last week’s AusMumpreneur Awards highlighted the challenges entrepreneurs who are also mothers face when trying to balance a business with their babies.
With the number of female-led and part-time businesses in Australia on the rise, it’s clear that ‘mumpreneurs’, many of whom operate as soloists, are an increasing force in the business landscape.
We spoke to some of the award winners to find out how they do it.
Kelly Northey, founder of Bamboo Bubby – which manufactures bamboo-cotton sleeping bags for babies and which took out the Favourite Product Award – says home and work are completely intertwined.
“I juggle all aspects of my business around the needs of my family, usually at night or during toddler sleep times.”
“A big part of the appeal of starting my own business was in creating one that worked for me and at this point in my life this is what does,” says Northey.
Elise Easdown, managing director of What’s On 4, a series of kids entertainment websites, says being a mother has lifted her productivity.
“I recently heard that having a baby increases your brain’s grey matter by the equivalent of doing two university degrees. I’d believe it.”
“Motherhood trained my body to function on less sleep, to think laterally and to think and prioritise quickly.”
“There’s no time for procrastination when you have a list of 10 items long to complete during your child’s nap time,” says Easdown.
Katrina McCarter, managing director of Bubbler Deals, a deal of the day website for smaller businesses, says working in the evening when the kids have gone to bed is one way to make work and family life fit together.
“Many of my clients are mums operating businesses while juggling their kids. We tend to work school hours and then work in the evenings once the kids are in bed.”
“I find this a great time to reach many of my clients as they are working online then too. Many a deal has been struck in the late evening hours on Bubbler.”
When it comes to making the transition from being a mum into starting a new business, Northey relies on the Nike mantra.
“If you have an idea, the determination and the drive, just do it; even if it at times it seems daunting and overwhelming.”
“Persistence pays off, all you need to do is one thing every day – a year later you will be amazed with the journey,” she advises.
