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| Starting a business with children at home |
Tips For Parents Launching A New Business
Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent looking for a creative way to earn extra income or you’re in desperate need of a career change, launching a new business could be just the thing. However, it’s not all fun and games.
Owning a business, and especially starting one from scratch, isn’t the fairytale you might imagine. It takes long hours and it can be mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting.
If it’s a Business endeavor you’re thinking of pursuing, here are some tips.
1. Forget Free Time
It’s like having a newborn. You know what that’s like, right? It simultaneously fills your heart with joy and drains you of all energy. It’s your baby. You love it with all your might, but you don’t think you’ll ever sleep again.
If the whole reason you wanted to start a business was to spend more time with your kids, you probably need to think twice. At least for the next five years or so. You need to know going in that your business needs a lot of attention, too.
While being your own boss gives you a lot of the flexibility you need while pregnant or being a parent, it means late nights, early mornings, and long hours that don’t allow you to clock out and forget about work when it’s time to go home.
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| A boss Work Schedule is long hours, but flexible |
Not only that but when you are spending time with your kids, you’ll constantly be thinking about work. It’s always on your mind. When you’re the one responsible for its success, you’ll always be coming up with things you need to do right now to make it more successful. It’s hard to let go and take a mental break.
You’ll need to dedicate yourself to blocking your calendar for family time and make sure you can be 100% present when your family needs you without thinking about your business or letting those worries get in the way. You need to know what is a good work-life balance for you and your family.
Being honest with your partner and your children is sometimes one of the best ways you can communicate and be present for them, so they can understand your needs and serve you.
2. Have a Plan for Your Kids
As you enter into an endeavor that means a lot to you, make sure you have a plan for not only the business but your family, too. If your kids are getting less attention, they may act out. Young children may whine when they notice your attention is on something else, while older children may start talking back or misbehaving.
Rather than getting frustrated with their response, carve out time to spend with your children doing what they love. It could be popcorn and a new movie in the living room, puzzles, LEGO sets, or a special activity out of the house.
At other times, when you need to focus, make sure you have plenty of things they can do to entertain themselves, like
🗹 sidewalk chalk,🗹 a sandbox,
🗹 or educational tools to sharpen their mind.
Sometimes even a list of chores to keep them busy and in a routine can help them feel like they have a purpose and like they’re helping you around the house.
3. Involve Them in Your Business
Many parents dream of their children one day taking over the business. If your kids are old enough to understand what you do or some of the steps involved in starting a business, let them help you.
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| Map out a plan for your business |
Sit down with them while you
🗹 map out your plans,🗹 fill out paperwork,
🗹 design workspaces,
🗹 products,
🗹 or build your website.
There are so many things they could help with and there are probably a lot of things that older kids can do with your supervision.
If you can help them feel included, they won’t feel as left out when you have to prioritize your work and ask them to entertain themselves. They’ll also be able to take pride in your business when they see you working or tell their friends about what you do.
You’ll likely be inspired by the contributions your children, no matter how old, make to your business. They often have fantastic ideas that you can incorporate in large or small areas, and it makes your work much more meaningful.
4. Don’t Do Everything at Once
You’ve heard the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Chip away at your business little by little. It takes time to build a successful business, so there’s no need to overwhelm yourself with doing everything all at once.
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| It takes time to see a great profit |
It’s important to remember that you often lose money in your first year and break even in your second. By the third year, you will slowly begin making a profit.
As a mom, you’re already a great multi-tasker, but don’t try to do too much. It’s already hard enough to be a working mom, so give yourself a break when you are trying to separate your work and home life as you start a business. It’s not easy.
Prioritize your time and remember that you can have it all, it just won’t be all at the same time. There will be times when you have to focus on the business and times when you have to focus on the kids.
Related: Make Work from Home Easy with Portable Laptop Table
5. Passion Trumps Expertise
You don’t always have to be the expert. You don’t have to have a business background to start a business. However, you do have to be 100% devoted to what you’re doing. You can’t start a business without dedication.
Passion is often the key to running a successful business, but you will have to make sure you do the market research to back it up, especially if you want funding.
Let your passion lead the way, and be prepared to back up your passion with hard work, knowledge, and resources.
Final Thoughts
You’re smart, brave, and strong. You already know that, because you have kids! Starting a business is no walk in the park, but you have what it takes. Just remember to stick with it and you’ll be successful, no matter what happens.
