5 Ways to Be the Best Mompreneur

Every business owner knows that the road to success has plenty of hurdles that need to be cleared along the way. The plain truth is certain business owners face bigger and more difficult obstacles as a result of a bias towards their gender, ethnicity, etc..

For mothers who work, there’s no denying that the going is tough. But for mothers who own a business, it takes enormous effort to balance the demands of their careers with the obligations of parenthood. That’s why there’s a unique term for those special mothers: mompreneurs – yes, this is a real word.

We’ll explain all there is to know about mompreneurs, including business ideas for moms, below. Keep reading…

What is a mompreneur?

Never heard of the term? A mompreneur is a business owner who balances the responsibilities of motherhood with the responsibilities of entrepreneurship. Though the two roles have their differences, they both are demanding journeys to embark on.

Both motherhood and entrepreneurship require:

• Waking up before the sun rises
• Preparing daily schedules for multiple individuals
  • Working very hard to stick to those schedules
  • Being able to adjust schedules to unexpected changes
• Working when sick
• Supporting and managing a team of individuals who often don’t cooperate well
• Keeping calm and collected when faced with barriers that even Wonder Woman would have difficulty handling

Mompreneurs do all of the above and much, much more. If you hadn’t heard of the term before it’s likely because it’s become more popular within recent years with the advent of social media marketing and online purchasing/selling.

Those technological innovations have provided moms with the means to go from what was always seen as the luxury of working from home to the absolutely awe-inspiring ability to run a home business for women. The leaps and bounds taken by so many mompreneurs have made the business world more equal for females and paved the way for future generations to continue doing so.

What do we know about mompreneurs so far? Continue reading to learn all about these miraculous mothers…

Female entrepreneurship statistics

It’s all good and fine to praise the job done by mompreneurs. They deserve it, after all! But nothing is quite as effective at proving a point as statistics. So here are some of the most impressive bits of female entrepreneurship statistics.

All of the data was found in the 2019 publication of American Express’s annual State of Women-Owned Businesses Report.

Noteworthy female entrepreneurship statistics:

• The number of women-owned businesses has grown 21% over the past 5 years – the national growth rate for all businesses is 9%
• There are currently 13 million women-owned businesses
• Women-owned businesses make up 42% of all U.S. businesses – up from 4.6% in 1972
• Women-owned businesses generate more than $1.9 trillion in revenues (4.3% of total business revenues)
• The annual growth rate in the number of women-owned firms over the past five years has been more than double that of all businesses

What’s the big secret to becoming a mompreneur? Besides choosing from all of the different business ideas for housewives, what does it take? While there’s no single route to success, we’ve gathered together a list of useful tips to help you get closer. Keep reading and find out…

5 tips for mompreneurs

There are a lot of cheesy tips when it comes to entrepreneurship: “Do what you love”, “Believe in yourself”, “Learn from mistakes”, etc.

Instead of pouring out an endless list of pointers that’ll make you say “well, duh!”, we’ve narrowed down the list to the top 5 tips for mompreneurs. After covering these bits of advice, we’ll provide you with some of the best small business ideas for women.

Tips for mompreneurs:

1. Focus on your ‘driving force’

Mompreneurs, as with all other entrepreneurs, eventually experience days that test their willpower. Sometimes the stresses become too overwhelming and the thought to throw in the towel will cross your mind. Be sure to remember what inspired you in the first place. You’ll need an answer when you ask yourself questions like “Why did I start a business” and “Why should I continue”. Find your ‘why’, and you’ll always have a star to guide you along your journey.

2. Draw lines between your two roles

As mentioned above, the demands of your career can often interfere with the responsibilities of parenthood – and vice versa. It’s crucial to create boundaries between the two in order to minimize the overlapping. Clients won’t want to see you distracted by the kids, and the kids will also want their own dedicated mommy-time.

Organize your schedule so that you keep the two worlds separate as best as you can. As a result, your clients and your children will learn to respect your ‘other’ role.

3. Don’t hesitate to ask for help

Occasionally, business owners will get to a point where they feel that they bit off more than they can chew. Don’t allow pride or ego to keep you from seeking help, especially when you really need it. The health of your business and the happiness of your children depend on having all hands on deck.

So, be sure to investigate what services are available for you to take advantage of in your area – daycare or after-school activities for the kids, a housekeeper to help with the chores, or a nanny to do all of the above. You may also consider taking time to find the right business partner to share responsibilities.

But don’t count out family and friends either. We all know the old adage – it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a team to run a business. There’s no need to go it alone.

4. Stay on top of your finances

Getting funding for your business idea is not an easy task, and it gets even harder as a mother. Lenders often see motherhood as something that stands in the way of handling a business effectively. There’s a chance that you’ll be seen as less likely to succeed, and more likely to be distracted by the duties of being a parent. Women-owned businesses statistics prove just how much gender bias plays a role throughout the business world.

Financial technology companies, such as Become, use specialized algorithms to help raise the odds of obtaining business loans. The application doesn’t request you to specify your gender or the number of dependents, so there’s never a bias against mothers.

One important note: Of course, the type of business will affect the kind of industry loans a business needs, as well as the specific circumstances that business finds itself in. Be sure to weigh your options carefully in order to choose the right funding solution for your business. There are also a number of special business loans and grants for women to consider first.

There’s also the matter of balancing your finances between your business and your household. This can be much harder than it sounds because both are important in their own right. For example, you may want to make a big purchase for the business, but at the same time, your child may need to get braces.

Side note: While this article is all about mom business owners, it’s never too early to start preparing for your grandma years! Time will fly as your kids grow, and before you know it you’ll be getting ready to cash in on your pension.

Women and retirement is a specific topic that requires special attention – don’t put it off too long!

It could be any number of situations, but the point is you need to keep your two financial situations as separate as possible. Keep two savings accounts, two checking accounts, two credit cards, etc. Avoid using your family-related assets as collateral for business-related loans. And in general, be careful about making big unnecessary purchases. You never know what tomorrow may bring for the business or the family.

5. Find what works for you

There’s no single formula that will work for every aspiring mompreneur. Experience is the best teacher. Take what you learn from successful mompreneurs and test it out for yourself. Don’t feel discouraged if a certain technique worked well for someone else and not so well for you. As with everything in life, it takes a lot of trial and error before you strike the right balance. It takes determination and a good deal of passion to perfect your mompreneurship skills.

As cliche as it sounds, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Small business ideas for women & housewives

What are the best home based business ideas for moms?

If you’re just taking your first few steps on the path towards becoming a mompreneur, you may still be unsure about what sort of business to start. There are a couple of criteria you should keep in mind when evaluating your options.

1. When you start comparing business ideas for housewives, keep in mind that it’s got to be something you feel passionate about.
2. It’s got to be scalable – the business idea has got to be viable in terms of making money in the long-run.

It can take a while to accurately assess how much time you’ll have available for work, what sort of work you’ll be able to handle alongside parenthood, and how you can use your pre-existing skills effectively. Don’t sweat it, we know you’ve got enough on your plate.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best ideas of a home business for women to consider. All of the ideas below take into consideration that you’ll have restricted time slots and that you’ll depend heavily on the usefulness of the internet.

Here are 8 of the best ideas for mompreneurs to consider:

1. Interior designer

Do you love keeping your home appealing to the eye? Have you got a knack for organizing, decorating, and furnishing? Consider becoming an interior designer!

Perks: You can start by doing work for friends, family, and colleagues, or even get experience by freelancing for a real-estate firm. As your network grows, you’ll be able to branch off and start your own business. There are plenty of business ideas for housewives, but interior designer is one of the best options because you can choose when you want to work, plus there isn’t a ton of equipment you’ll need.

2. Photography

Family and friends always looking to you for a good portrait? Is your Instagram page already getting a lot of likes? The market for photography can be difficult to get into, but once you’ve proved your expertise and established your footing the business can take off.

Perks: There’s always the demand for photographers at all sorts of events: weddings, baby pictures, family portraits, and so on. While the initial work does require some commuting, all of the editing can be done from your home computer. And thankfully, high-end photography equipment will last you a long time – there won’t be the need for replacing cameras and tripods every year. Photography is one of the most flexible small business ideas for women with children.

3. Clothing/accessory designer

If you’ve got a creative eye and design skills, then apparel is one industry you should seriously when considering home based business ideas for moms. People love standing out from the crowd, so you don’t need to come up with an entire clothing line to pitch. You can make one-of-a-kind pieces and charge a bit more for them – there is always a niche for customers who want unique clothes or accessories.

Plus, much of the time, advertising yourself as a mompreneur will add a level of impressiveness to your brand. Embrace your motherhood, don’t shy away from it!

4. Web designer

As mentioned earlier, the internet has opened up career opportunities for many moms to work from home. One of the more intuitive business ideas for mompreneurs in today’s day and age is web design. So if you have that creative eye but aren’t as dextrous when handling a needle and thread, consider getting involved in web design.

Every day, small businesses are opening and they need an online presence that will attract customers. And since they are small, they are typically not financially able to afford hiring a full-time employee to design their website. That’s where you come in! You can start off by freelancing and eventually earn the reputation to establish your own business.

5. Nutritionist

Nutritionists are essentially consultants who provide advice on how to live healthy by eating healthy. This doesn’t require an office or any expensive equipment. What it does require is a fair amount of nutrition knowledge, and often times some form of certification (a degree, license, permit, etc.).

Perks: The biggest perk is that you can take clients at your discretion, meaning you can take on whichever clients fit your schedule. Becoming a nutritionist is one of the best ideas for mompreneurs because of the flexibility that it offers and the demand for the position.

6. Pet care

Got a soft spot for furry friends? The best business ideas for women aren’t restricted to working with humans – and, let’s be honest, dogs are usually a lot nicer anyway. In all seriousness though, if you’re looking for an idea of a good business for women to start, there should be no question about putting pet care on the list of possible options.

Pet care can include grooming, walking, training, day care, and more. You’ll have the luxury of taking on clients at your convenience so that your work won’t interfere with your parental responsibilities. And if it’s a home business for women that you’re in search of, you don’t need to look any further. Most types of pet care services can be done from the comfort of your home, which makes it even easier to balance your role as mom.

7. Personal trainer

Similarly to nutritionists, personal trainers work according to their own schedule. Plus, their profession benefits themselves as much as it does their clients! And as with nutritionists, a personal trainer may not need a license to practice but it’s a good idea to obtain one if possible.

Perks: You can work from home, visit a client’s home, or choose a local park to meet at. No need to rent a studio, and no need to buy loads of specialized equipment. With a healthy amount of creativity, you can obtain everything you need without putting a huge dent in your budget.

8. Event planner

Thankfully, most of the work associated with event planning can be done from home (big perks!). You can take clients at your leisure, and handle the necessary steps on your own schedule. You’ll also know far in advance what days you’ll need to block off since on the day of the event, of course, you’ll need to be on location arranging and coordinating. And being that the physical labor involved in arranging an event is typically contained to one day, it’s also possible to hire people to help on the day of the event.

The key to being a successful event planner is building a reliable network of reputable professionals to provide all of the services your clients will need. You’ll have to handle a ton of logistics so if you have what it takes to coordinate important events for others, event planning may be a viable business idea for you!

9. Daycare

One of the more common-sense business ideas for moms is to base the business around the baby. If your time is already occupied with taking care of your child, it might not be a bad idea to turn that obligation into a way to make money. And running a daycare isn’t restricted to new moms either – if the kids are already in school, they’ll be out of the way all day anyway.

To run a daycare, you’ll need to get the proper licenses. While the paperwork may cost a bit to get done, the rest of the expenses involved in running a daycare from home aren’t very demanding.

10. eCommerce

Online retail, otherwise known as eCommerce, has grown into one of the best business ideas for women over recent years. This is a particularly good business for women to start if they want to turn a skill or hobby into a profit-maker.

It’s as easy as opening an account on an online platform such as Etsy and Shopify. As you start designing your business plan, be sure to keep an eye open for eCommerce trends for retailers so that you can stay ahead of the competition.

Successful women entrepreneurs

A successful mompreneur is one who combines her passions and skills to form a practical business. We selected four female entrepreneurs who we feel achieved that combination the best. These success stories were found through Mompreneurs, a Canada-based organization that works to “empower moms in business”.

1. Kari Fulmek – Equine Connection

When she started the business in 2009, Kari Fulmek aimed her sights on creating a foundation that would bring together her skill for training horses with her passion for helping women achieve their goals.

Today, Kari is recognized as the founder of Equine Connection, a successful entrepreneur, published author, and – let’s not forget – a mother of three daughters. Kudos to Kari for her continued efforts to help other women reach new heights.

2. Charissa Skinner – Crushed with Love (Natural Vegan Skin Care)

In 2015, Charissa Skinner turned a fun hobby into a successful business while on maternity leave from her position as an elementary school teacher. She caught her big break when she began selling an all-natural healing balm to a local cosmetician, which became a huge hit in her community.

Today ‘Crushed with Love’ produces balms, bath bombs, scrubs, and soaps – with 100% all natural vegan ingredients. Her recipe for success was to take what she already enjoyed doing and build a business around it. Charissa is a proud mother who continues to spread her message of ‘going natural’. Way to go Charissa!

3. Kate Belbeck – Belbeck’s Family Farm & Rent the Chicken

Kate Belbeck is the mother of 3 sons and owner of her own family farm. Not only does she help bring fresh eggs to local customers, but she also provides customers with the education and resources to raise their own hens. She says that her driving force is helping her community, and that the best part of owning her own business is the ability to keep her family involved.

Today Kate takes pride in being able to bring people together through education while balancing her family and business.

4. Samantha King – Fempire Builders

Since 2016, Samantha King has branded herself as the mompreneur to turn to if you are aspiring to become one yourself. Her inspiration to become a mompreneur was her daughter, Penny. As the pressures of parenthood mounted, Samantha decided that she “wasn’t going to spend [her] time doing things if they didn’t make [her] heart sing.”

Today, Samantha leads Fempire Builders in their continued mission of educating, supporting, and empowering women who want to take the leap into entrepreneurship.

If these moms can do it, so can you! 

Summing up

In the world of entrepreneurs and small business owners, mompreneurs face unique struggles. The demands are doubled when you have to juggle the role of ‘mother’ with the role of ‘business owner’ – it’s not a task for the weak-willed, that’s for sure. Yet despite all odds, mompreneurs continue to prove their ability to overcome hurdles, spread their influence, and succeed as mothers and business owners.

We’re sure that with this information, you’ve gained an appreciation for the efforts that mompreneurs must put forward in order to achieve their goals. Let’s continue to encourage mothers, and all women, not to let societal norms stand in the way of their biggest dreams.