Mompreneur is a new buzzword that I expect (and hope!) to see much more of in the near future.
Sometimes you'll see the term “momtrepreneur” as well. So is it “mompreneur” or “momtrepreneur”? I'm not sure there is really a right or wrong way. After all, we are making up the word – and the category – as we go!
The important thing to recognize is that as the internet grows, so do our opportunities to make money from home.
Starting a business is no longer about opening a store in-person. We don't have to make all of our goods by hand or shell out thousands of dollars in inventory up-front.
Which is amazing news for moms who want to bring in a little extra income from home without sacrificing time with their kids.
What is even better is that you don't need to have an original idea or a business background. All you need is to connect with other mompreneurs and walk the same path.
Below, I jump into what a mompreneur really is. I talk about several overlooked benefits and reasons behind why I want YOU to become a mompreneur. (It's not just about the money!)
Not sure if you have the skills it takes to become a mompreneur? You'd be surprised. Keep reading to learn the actual skills you need. It's not what you think!
And of course, there's a list of ideas you can start from home, including many ways to make money online. Once you're excited and ready for next steps, make your move! There's a world of ways to connect with me and other wonderful mompreneurs to start your journey.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you find my content valuable and purchase through my links, I may make a small commission. It comes at no cost to you and helps me keep this blog going, so I can help even more! I only recommend products I trust and/or use myself, and all opinions expressed are my own. Read full disclaimer here.
What is a Mompreneur / Momtrepreneur?
First, let's breakdown what the definition of a mompreneur is, and why it deserves it's own special category. Sometimes also referred to as a momtrepreneur, a mompreneur is a woman building a business while raising kids. So yes, it's just like it sounds – its a “mom entrepreneur.”
So why does she get her own special label?
Because moms are already the hardest working people on the planet. Adding in the desire and dedication to build a business from the ground up?! There's not even a word to explain the impressive hustle there.
In comes the “mompreneur” moniker.
Most often, women referring to themselves as mompreneurs are women with the full-time primary caregiver role, and their children are very young. That means the little rugrats are running around the house while mom somehow manages to keep them fed, safe and entertained while being on the phone clients or researching their market online.
All entrepreneurs face challenges related to the industry they are in, the phase of a project they are in, or the environment they are working through. By having a fun and specific “add-on” to the title, it is easier to find other entrepreneurs to connect with that struggle through some of your unique challenges.
Why You Should Become A Mompreneur
You're already SuperMom simply just being YOU and juggling all that you do already. So why in the world would you even consider starting a business on top of it all? Especially with the kids still in the house?!
Well, the easiest answer and first that comes to mind, of course, is to make money.
Sometimes you NEED it, other times it would just help to have more of.
I have always been a huge advocate of diversifying income streams, which is one of the reasons I have had side-hustles since I was 18 years old. Yes, even when I held a great-paying corporate job and didn't need the money.
So if you don't need the money to cover the bills, or you are not money-centric and can always live a minimalist lifestyle, should you scrap the idea of becoming a mompreneur?
Absolutely not.
Because outside of just the money, side hustles and entrepreneurship fulfill other intrinsic needs you may not even realize are lacking right now.
Reasons to become a mompreneur besides money include:
- Did you used to have a passion or hobby that you just don't have time to do anymore? Often because of work and family obligations?
- Was your hobby costing you too much money (like all those crafting supplies?) And you likely had to stop to put the money towards family and bills, right?
- Do you feel like you have too much experience or education that you wish you could put to better use? (Yes, even if you loved giving up a career to stay home with the kids.)
- Are you lacking a social life? Or getting tired of talking to other mamas about nothing but kids? (Not that we don't LOVE gushing about them.)
- Did you always love personal and professional development and now feel stagnant, without having learned a new skill in years?
- Do you want your kids to have a strong foundation about money?
- Do you need “an excuse” for an hour of uninterrupted mom time (that is not just hiding in the shower?)
Every single one of these holds a powerful validation behind why to spend some time building your business. Even as a busy mom. Show your kids that it's never too late to learn something new, try something new, and build something you are proud of. Sure, life is not all about money. But having some extra while covering your bases across the other aspects? THAT is priceless.
How to Be a Successful Mompreneur
If you are wondering how to become a successful mompreneur, you may already have the first ingredient – interest. Even if you are not ready to start a business today, all successful entrepreneurs at some point just get that “bug.”
Wondering about why some people prefer to work for themselves is the first sign that you are headed in the right direction. Developing the interest to learn more about the entrepreneurial lifestyle is key. After all – entrepreneurship has its pros and cons, and often requires a risk in order to jump all-in.
That leads to the next requirement for mompreneur success – passion.
Being passionate about a part of the entrepreneurial journey is a HUGE necessity – and it's one that can't be taught.
Being passionate about the entrepreneurial journey is a HUGE necessity – and it's one that can't be taught.
The Professional Mom
Finally, of course, there are the “learned skills” that all successful mompreneurs need. They are the pieces that brainstorm the ideas, put the building blocks of the business together, and somehow manage it all with young kids in tow.
The great news is that most, if not all, of these skills can be taught.
They can typically also be outsourced.
So, let's recap.
If you are reading this because of potential interest and curiosity (which, you almost have to be, right?) then you already check box one.
If you can find something you are hugely passionate about that can keep you focused and motivated when you hit obstacles along the way, that's a check for box two.
And, if you are interested and passionate enough, then the logic is that you would be committed to doing simple things like learning all of the other pieces, right? That's a half-check for box three, with a very clear path to what you need next to start on your entrepreneurial journey!
As a huge advocate for mamas becoming mompreneurs, I have evaluated some of the top skills that successful mompreneurs show.
The great news is that most skills are innate for moms already, because motherhood tends to bring out them out in us. Meanwhile, the skills that are not innate – like the business skill sets – can be learned or outsourced. So, while some entrepreneurs may eternally struggle with communication skills, moms are ready. For example, those who can convince an angry 5-year-old to eat his broccoli will surely be naturals in communication, sales and negotiation.
Skills Of Great Mompreneurs
Let's discuss some of the most valuable skills mompreneurs excel at. As you read through this section, stop and think through whether it's a skill you already have. If not, is there an easy and effective way to learn or improve it?
One of the biggest worries I hear women concerned about is the lack of “knowing business.”
The overwhelm of knowing where to start, logistics about supply chain and logistics, not to even get started on finance… it's enough to stop anyone in their tracks before they even take the first step forward!
But I want to encourage you to look past that, and challenge you to try this first.
Stop and recognize the skills you already have from the list below that you are under-appreciating right now.
Forget business buzz words and ignore the intimidation of gurus promising to scale your business to six-figures.
Realize that there is always an answer for whatever you don't know, and there will always be a person to help you find it. But you don't need all the answers up front!
So, let's see which of those skills you already have to become a successful mompreneur. Ready?
1. Time Management Skills, Efficiency & Productivity
Any parent will tell you that having kids somehow both forces you to schedule better and yet also somehow will throw more wrenches in your schedule all the time.
The first day you are writing down additional dates and times on your calendar and allowing for extra travel time because a baby slows you down. The next day, the baby gets sick when you are already running late to your client presentation meeting, and the nanny cancels last minute.
One of the best things about being an entrepreneur is the flexibility it enables you to have in your schedule. That means both on a day-to-day and on a month-to-month basis. (Ever wish you could just work from a beach house all summer…?)
The problem is, many new entrepreneurs will tell you that they gave up their “9 to 5” job to get the flexibility to work from “9 to 9″… or longer!
So as a mom entrepreneur, your time management skills become more valuable than ever before. (Which is definitely the inspiration behind my post, 7 Ways to Grow Your Business While Pumping.)
Firstly, you have to manage time correctly and prioritize well. Some women are naturally great at this, and others may get more easily distracted by their multi-tasking brain. (The second one is me!)
Luckily there are great exercises and time management techniques to hone those skills. Some examples of these include:
- Using daily Most Important Task lists. (No more than 3 “MUST DO's” daily.)
- Completing a Priority Matrix to evaluate tasks based on their time and money value.
- Time Blocking your Day
- Learning to say “No” to helping others when necessary. (It sounds harsh, but one of the biggest culprits of time-stealing!)
- Using the Paredo Effect (80/20 Rule) to establish the best use of your time based on the project on-hand.
Secondly, once you have scheduled the time, you have to be able to use it efficiently and productively. There is no use trying out time management skills just to intentionally split your focus.
For instance, if you use the time blocking technique (which I definitely recommend,) scheduling you kid's soccer game shouldn't be overlapped with responding to emails on your phone while you're there. Instead of overlapping and doing each thing 50%, commit 100% to each event when it's scheduled.
Be a fully present mom during the game, and then establish boundaries at home while you commit 30 minutes to do nothing but respond to every email from the day.
Ultimately, I like to break it down into these two simple ways to think about my time blocks when it comes to balancing work and family.
For family, I don't want to regret a second I spent with my kid (“Oh, man, I was looking at my phone when he scored the winning goal!”)
For work, I don't want to finish the day asking myself, “What did I even accomplish today? Did I even finish anything?”
Need Some Help Getting Focused, Intentional, And PRODUCTIVE With Your Time?
Grab The Free Workbook I Made And Use Myself!
2. Communication
Strong communication skills are key in most businesses. The ability to communicate your thoughts in a cohesive and coherent way for others to fully comprehend is not easy for many people.
Communication is such a broad spectrum that it can't be covered just here. However, if you know you need some improvement in your communication skills, think about your business goals, and where you need to be able to be clear and sharp most often. Then, take courses to improve those areas.
For instance, many business owners may need strong communication skills for:
- Customer Service / Improving Customer Feedback
- Public Speaking
- Professional Business Writing
- E-mail Etiquette
3. Networking & Relationship Building
When you start your own business from home, it's vital to know how to connect with people and build your resource network.
In a corporate job, you are automatically connected with peers, managers, mentors and even existing clients. So, while you foster those relationships and grow them, having the existing network to build off of can be a much easier start. Many new entrepreneurs don't factor that in as they step into their own role. Entrepreneurship can be a lonely road and many people don't understand it.
Having the ability to reach out to others you admire in your industry or ask for help where you need it can make the difference between failure and success as an entrepreneur. (But remember – failure is the best way to learn, and WILL happen, so roll with it when it happens!)
4. Self-starter
Because entrepreneurship means you are building something from the ground up, most of us are “solopreneurs” who are working alone to build a business.
That means there is no teacher or boss handing us the assignment for the day. There is no job description for us to stay focused on, and no specific one-thing to deliver by any specific deadlines (until your first clients.) No cheerleaders of fun colleagues are around to boost you up on a day you are really dragging.
The best mompreneur will be a self-starter who can keep the ball rolling forward and stay focused on the long-term goal, even through the tough times. (Surely we will still all have days like that anyway.)
5. Financial Basics
This is a big one, and I said you don't need a business education, but hear me out.
Understanding financial basics are important as you move forward in your business. You don’t need to be an expert, and you don't need to wait to start your business until you fully understand the finances.
What you do need is to understand enough to about finance to ensure three big things:
1. One, make sure your cash flow is strong, especially so you can pay your expenses and taxes.
2. Two, you know you are profitable and MAKING money at the end of the day.
3. Three, you know how and why you are setting your prices, and therefore you are being paid what your time is worth.
Best Business Ideas to Start from Home
I could talk about business ideas to start from home all day long. In fact, I have if you browse through my blog. The more I research how people are making money online, the more excited I get about the potential and realize it is definitely not too late for anybody to get into the game!
Here are a list of some of the current most popular ideas to starting a business from home and making online. For some quick thoughts to help you brainstorm, and see if you can fit any of your skills into a category below.
Easy business ideas from home include:
- Selling New or Handmade Physical Products Online (Etsy is one of the most popular – and easiest – ways to start. Here's how.)
- Reselling Old of Vintage Products Online
- Selling Digital Products Online
- Start a Blog (to make money through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, ad income and more)
- Freelance Working (Many areas of expertise available – Data Entry, Copywriting, Editing, Proofreading, Graphic Design, Website Building)
- Virtual Assistant
- Social Media Manager
- Coaching and Consulting
- Selling Courses you Create
- Tutoring Online
- Teaching English (or any language) online
Where to Find Help as a Mompreneur
The amazing thing about online business is that there are just as many ways to start one as there are to find help and resources when you need them. No matter what stage you are in on your entrepreneur journey,
- Join Facebook Groups. Search terms like Female Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs, Starting Online Businesses, Women in Business and more. Start by jumping into my free group now, and Facebook will even recommend similar ones for you as well!
- Use Pinterest to find bloggers posting help tips or others sharing what was helpful to them. My Pinterest is all business ideas, blogging tips, social media advice, personal development and all that fun stuff… Follow me if you need a refreshing change from fashion and makeup!
- Find Mompreneurs to follow on Instagram. You can click below to follow me – and most of the people I follow are hard working women, too! Search for and follow popular mompreneur hashtags. Some of the ones I use regularly are:
#mompreneur, #mompreneurlife, #mompreneurship, #mompreneurlifestyle and #femaleentrepreneurs
- Hire freelance help for specific jobs you can't (or won't) do.
- Sign-up for courses (free or paid) to learn how to tackle your next step.
- Get a coach. Find someone who has done it before you or who you know you can learn well from. (Send me a message through Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest and I will point you in the right direction!)
