* This article was written by Leslie Campos, whom you can find on https://wellparents.com
Starting a business as a stay-at-home mom is no easy feat – with the added responsibilities of entertaining and caring for kids, you might find your time (and patience) is limited. To thrive in the working world, you’ll need to prepare well ahead of time and learn to balance your tasks.
Coming Up With A Business Plan
Before you commit any time or energy towards pursuing a business, the first thing to do is confirm the viability of your idea. This means carrying out plenty of research, including an analysis of your potential competition and learning about your target market. The goal, at this early stage, is simply to determine whether your product/service is likely to survive amongst other brands and offer something unique that will draw in new customers. Your next consideration is financial. Even if you have an incredible idea that could revolutionise the market, there is always room for failure and you need to make sure you’re financially covered. The Small Business Administration (SBA) estimates that the average micro business requires around $3,000 of funding (although this figure can deviate, depending on what you’re planning to do). Ultimately, you need to make sure that you can cover the expenses, fund your first projects and survive any setbacks.
Finding Work-Life Balance
Founding a business is often easy in theory but difficult in practice. If you want to succeed in your venture, it’s worth considering some lifestyle changes to accommodate this undertaking. The first step may be to partition a section of the house for working – this could mean separating an area of the kitchen or living room for a desk or monitors. By doing this, you can create a clear divide between the place where you work and the place where you live. You may also decide that you need to reduce clutter or purchase a few new plants to invoke a more stress-free, productive environment. As a stay-at-home mom, one of the key obstacles when trying to succeed in business is going to be the kids. The trick is, not only to keep them occupied but to do so in a way that you feel is productive. If you can afford it, there are all kinds of extracurricular activities that they’re sure to enjoy and that will make constructive use of their time. Alternatively, you could invest in art materials, sports equipment, or musical instruments to help them burn off energy and learn new skills in the process.
Finding Collaboration
Even when you’re surrounded by kids, the process of founding a business can feel daunting and isolating. It’s important, then, to seek out like-minded souls who are going through the same thing that you are. This isn’t just useful from an emotional point of view, it’s also a great way to improve your business prospects, as you collaborate with other small business owners, learning and supporting each other’s endeavours. There are plenty of online forums and platforms to help you connect with others, including Facebook groups and Instagram communities. It’s also important that you communicate clearly with partners, live-ins, friends, and family about what you’re trying to do and what it might take to get there. You’ll find the journey is far easier when you have the support of your loved ones than if you’re receiving resistance from them. It will help to get others involved in the work process – those who are personally invested in a project are less likely to disparage it and more likely to encourage it on to victory. There’s no doubt, mompreneurs have higher hills to climb, but if you can plan ahead and, if you’re smart about how you manage your time and energy, there’s every chance your business ambitions will come to fruition at no cost to your family life.
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