Mompreneurs Gain Momentum
Once upon a time, a mother's work consisted of cleaning the house, mopping the floor, and cooking dinner. Now, a mother's job could be all that- plus much more! Below, Cupcake investigates an exciting new trend of how stay-at-home moms are making the surprising leap into the business sphere.
Mompreneurs, as they are known, are stay-at-home moms who start small businesses- to huge success! One of the most interesting things about these mompreneurs is that their domesticity-the very thing thought to disqualify them from the workforce- is exactly what's inspiring them to start successful businesses. In fact, the vast majority of mompreneurs begin their businesses out of frustration over not being able to find a certain satisfactory domestic product, like sufficiently cute baby clothes or sweet baby gifts. For these self-starters, frustration is the mother of invention, and pretty soon there's a new product out there making moms' lives a little easier!
For example, successful mompreneur Cause Haun began her highly successful shoe line, See Kai Run, after a mall quest to find her son the perfect first shoe proved fruitless. Today, her highly sophisticated children's shoes sell like hotcakes and have been featured everywhere from Urban Baby to Footwear News.
Haun is just one example of a mother who made the transition into mompreneurship. All sorts of women are candidates for the same metamorphosis. From educated mothers looking to use their degrees, to mothers frustrated with the rigid corporate schedule that doesn't allow them time with their kids, to moms who don't want the pressure of full-time work but are still interested in business, the mompreneur movement is gaining momentum.
In fact, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners, of the 3.5 million home-based, women-based businesses in the United States, 2.1 million are run by women with children.
Similarly, a quote from USA TODAY states "mompreneurs" are definitely an emerging trend in this economy, as more and more mothers are finding ways to start their own businesses, contribute to the family income, and still take care of the family.
In fact, TIME magazine tells us women-based businesses are beginning to outnumber mens! A recent article states: "According to a study by the nonprofit Center for Women's Business Research, women are starting new businesses at twice the rate of men and own a 50% or greater stake in 10.6 million U.S. businesses."
There are many reasons why mompreneurship appeals to mothers. Running your own business is a great way to ease back into the workforce without the total "corporate whiplash" or returning to the office. Mompreneurship is a great way to make a little, or in some cases, a lot of extra income. Being a mompreneur means getting to set your own hours, choose your own clients, and decide your own office dress code. But perhaps most importantly, it's a great way to break the isolation of motherhood and get out there and network with other people. Regaining a place in society without having to sacrifice time with your kids makes mompreneurship a dream set-up, and one that's becoming increasingly viable.
Here's why:
- The advent of the internet has made it possible to make deals and conduct entire businesses online. Haun sells her adorable footwear right here at www.shopcupcake.com!
- Entrepreneurship in general is on the rise, making mompreneurs a natural progression.
- With groups like mompreneursonline.com and Ladies Who Launch, there is more support than ever for mother business owners. Ladies Who Launch, an online women's-only networking group offers live workshops to its 25,000 members--40% of whom are moms
- Increased paternity leave and a general increase in spousal support is giving women more time to concentrate on their business while Dad takes care of the kids.
- Because they work! Mompreneur Erin Murphy was depressed by all the dull baby clothes out there, until she launched her company Baby Lulu, whose bright, creative baby clothes feature self-made fabrics. Today Baby Lulu is so successful, Murphy's husband quit his job to come on board, and the baby clothes line is available in L.A. hotspots like Nordstrom's and Fred Segal. When mommy Jill Morgan, former software engineer, founded Purple House Press she made enough profit publishing out-of-print children's classics for her husband to quit work and move the whole family to their dream Kentucky ranch. These incidents aren't isolated. Many mompreneurs are experiencing such great success; they're breeding a new crop of stay- at- home dads! In fact, according to Entrepreneur Magazine, the average annual income of a successful home-based business in the United States is $50,250, while the average annual income of the traditional employee in the United States is $26,000. We'll let you future mompreneurs do the math...
While there are many great benefits to being a mompreneur, the job is not without its challenges. Getting your kids to understand that while you're home, you're not available to refill milk and mediate sibling rivalry is a big one. Getting part-time childcare is a great solution to this problem. Another wonderful way to soothe this divide (using that awesome mommy wisdom), is to involve your kids in your work. Save billions on a secretary by putting your little helpers to work stapling, filing, or answering calls. Either they'll get really into it, or avoid you like the plague once you announce it's "work time." Either way, problem solved.
Another challenge to becoming a mompreneur is getting people to take you seriously. Professional marketing, a good website, and nice business cards are all great ways to nip misperception in the bud. And even if you can't afford a publicist, make up for it with confidence in yourself and your product. Remember as a mompreneur you have every right to be taken seriously: as a mother, you already have the toughest job on the planet!
A third hurdle many mothers face can be lack of business experience. Not knowing how to write a business proposal, get a business license, or secure a loan can all be daunting factors that prohibit women from becoming business owners. To that Cupcake says, don't let this deter you. Many women started out in the same situation, and went on to become very successful mompreneurs. How? The same way anyone would: research, networking, persistence. Online resources especially for moms, like those listed above, also make a great starting point.
Lastly, before you let lack of business savvy discourage you, consider all the unique business skills you've been honing on your own ever since giving birth. Moms are especially crafty at finding creative answers to problems, using their natural resources to come up with supernatural solutions (like turning stale spaghetti noodles into a savory Italian dinner), used to working under pressure, good at rolling with the punches, not to mention master multitaskers. With skills like these, you're halfway there!
Why become a mompreneur? Besides just improving your own financial outlook, family life, and self esteem, mompreneurship has other, over-arching benefits that make it a worthwhile endeavor. As a mompreneur, you'll be fulfilling a vital market need, often one that will help other frustrated mothers live a happier life. You'll be giving back beyond your own family, and allowing others to profit off your mothering wisdom. You'll be keeping busy and you'll be a valuable contributor to society.
No wonder mompreneurship is gaining such popularity! Indeed, according to the Associated Press, roughly two-thirds of all home-based businesses are owned by women with children. We're starting to see why.
Some information taken from:
Womensenews.com
Time Magazine
USA Today
Entrepreneurship Magazine
