Life as a Mumpreneur

Lots of people ask us what it’s like to run a growing business from home while being full-time mums to small children. Here is what we think life would be like if we translated it to a traditional office environment.

7am Turn PC on.

• wipe the toothpaste and/or cereal smears off the screen.
• Turn keyboard upside down and remove as much of the liquid as possible
• Locate and reattach tab and spacebar key.

Between 9am and 5pm Attempt to work. Every 10 minutes (if you are lucky) be interrupted by a colleague telling you they:

a. Are bored
b. Are hungry
c. have done a poo
d. have tipped an entire bottle of water on the couch
e. have put their toothbrushes down the toilet

Deal with all of the above whilst replying to emails, packing customer orders and answering the telephone - all at the same time. For added authenticity carry a sack of potatos or small feral dog in one arm throughout the day.

6pm Wave to the nice man cooking dinner in cafeteria. Thank him for the meal.

7pm to 8 pm Break up fights, console and get to sleep two of your junior colleagues.

8pm to 10pm Reacquaint yourself with cafeteria man, who you recall having slept with on occasion.

10pm-1am Start work. Attempt to fit 8+ hours work into 3, turn PC off. Realize you don’t have to change into your PJ’s because they are still on from the day before - BONUS.

1am Sleep at your desk – that’s right you now live at work

Repeat.

Important Notes:

• There are no days off; a weekend is for people with real jobs

• There is no sick leave; if you or your child are sick please replace “cereal/toothpaste smears” in Point 1 with “vomit and snot”

• Pay rises are only applicable if you are paid something to start with

• You can technically fire yourself but you must be fully reinstated in under an hour

New Zealand Womens Weekly

Our story is in the New Zealand Womens Weekly this week! We had fun predicting what headline they'd run if we were celebs: "Heidi's wedding nightmare" or "Louisa's shock family split" :)

Back in the real world where we aren't or are never likely to be celebs, we were pleased they went with "Expecting Success"

More info on the media page

I notice I'm looking a lot like Heidi though according to the caption!

Mumpreneurs a backward step????

Check out this post from Sue, the editor of www.mamaflossie.com

Here is my reply:

I have mixed feelings about being a Mumpreneur. The dream of starting a business in order to stay home with my children meeting the irony that a start-up business is incredibly hard work and I no longer have the quality time with my kids that I’d imagined.

But I hope the imbalance is a temporay one and it is a satsifying feeling knowing that all the hard work is *for* my children and not someone else’s bottom line.

I know a lot of Mumpreneurs who operate their businesses outside the Baby & Child Industry. Graphic Designers, Lawyers and Accountants who have started their families but can’t fit back into the workplace and so start their own business. You possibly don’t hear about them because they have full client lists through word of mouth and simply don’t need the publicity!

When Mumpreneurs are successful they invariably employ other mums. I think they understand the constant juggle motherhood brings and have back up plans in place when employees kids get sick or they need to go and pick someone up from the nurses office.

I agree that energy should still be put towards more flexible working conditions but being a Mumpreneur is not a step back for women, it’s simply another option. And running your own business is a fantastic skill to have on your CV if and when you decide you’d like to stop being your own boss.

What do you think? Please let us know.

Belly Beyond TV - Episode 3

It's a fantastic idea to work out your Elevator Pitch. We try to continuously work on ours but had two particularly memorable occasions recently; one at a business conference and another in a 140 Pitch for the very on-to-it Glenn Edley (via his posterous blog )

As this episode on Belly Beyond TV shows, we still need to work on ours!



And in a similar vein, also put together a 40 word bio on the company. Short, sharp and stating exactly what you do and perhaps some key product lines if you have room.

Do another one expanding out to 100 words or so. This is really handy to have not only for uploading to directories but also to be able to pass onto media if you get a chance. Make sure it contains an interesting angle, what makes you different from everyone else?

Spend a bit of time on this thinking about what YOU do as a business, what is your mission?

Belly Beyond TV - Episode 2

Look who makes No.1 on the TV3 News list!

Wahay! We are the number one story on the TV3 News website.

and on the Sunrise one too!

Ok Mum, you can stop clicking now. No, really Mum - stop it. :)

Sunrise

Heidi and I made our first appearance on the fantastic Sunrise NZ this morning where we talked with Oli and Carly about the ups and downs of running a business from home. The team at Sunrise are a great bunch and we heard lots of laughter emanating throughout the studio and production areas during our brief visit.

But don't get me wrong, these guys are professionals and it's clear from the first contact that they know their knitting. Was a pleasure to be on the show and thanks so much for having us!

Watch the full interview here (including Oli nicely dropping us in it. "Good Morning" awkward silence....) lol Watch the Sunrise interview