Starting a hi-tech start-up with two kids in nappies probably sounds like a bad idea. It’s never easy to balance a business with raising children, yet alone when they are aged 1 and 3. And being sleep-deprived and on a tight family budget certainly doesn’t help a first-time entrepreneur, right?
Who in their right mind would want to start a business that requires so much of your mental and physical capacity when you’re giving so much of it to nurture your babies? A mom, of course. Because starting a business is really like having another baby.
For me, my business, a website that helps parents find childcare, has been baby number three. Although it has been incredibly difficult to start while having young kids, I realise motherhood has also been my greatest asset. Being a mother has helped me develop so many of the skills that are critical to being an entrepreneur.
As a stay-at-home mom, I recall having multiple conversations with other moms about the risk of being out of the workforce for too long. We feared that being stay-at-home moms would hurt us. The truth is that since launching my start-up I’ve realised many of the skills that make you a great parent are also valuable in your professional life, especially for business owners.
Why moms are better entrepreneurs
Here are nine reasons why being a mom makes me a better entrepreneur:
1. Juggling priorities and multi-tasking become innate. Moms are professional multitaskers. We are constantly juggling household responsibilities and doing work for multiple people, like getting kids washed and dressed, doing laundry, planning holiday schedules, and trying to stop a fight between siblings. You get the point. The mastery of juggling a gazillion tasks prepares you for the constant reprioritisation you need to do as an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs are jacks of all trades: a salesperson, a designer, an accountant, a marketing manager, a recruiter, an HR specialist. That rhythm isn’t for everyone, but it makes it easier if you’re used to it.
2. Moms know how to manage money and be thrifty. As a mother, you become financially responsible for two, three or more people with pretty much the same amount of money in the bank as when you didn’t have kids.
Statistics show that moms make most household purchasing decisions and are budget-conscious and capital-efficient. You probably also figure out how to get what you need at a lower price. This is a vital skill for entrepreneurs who have a tight budget and make a lot of financial decisions.
3. Being a mom makes you a great storyteller. As an entrepreneur, whether you’re pitching an investor, a potential client, or recruiting a new employee, it’s crucial to be able to lead with a hook and to deliver your message clearly. Moms are experts at telling stories and breaking down complex subjects using everyday words, even when the subject is anything but simple.
4. Moms are natural salespeople and they don’t take no for an answer. You get your kids to take a bath or eat their veggies one way or another. Entrepreneurs also have to be great salespeople and attempt not to tire out of hearing “No”.
5. We thrive on unpredictability and being ready for “come what may”. As a parent and an entrepreneur, you have to be ready for just about anything. Have you seen a mom’s bag? It weighs a ton and has just about anything you’ll ever need. Being a mom prepares you for anticipating scenarios.
6. Moms are natural nurturers, in touch with other people’s feelings and excel at reading others. They can tell when someone had a bad day, doesn’t want to do something or is trying to trick them. Having the ability to read people is useful, with customers or employees.
7. Creativity comes with the job. A great approach for one child may not be right one for another and so you learn how to be creative and tackle the same problem in multiple ways. Entrepreneurs do the same. Thinking creatively helps you find the right solution.
8. We lead by example. No job comes with a greater responsibility than being a parent. The well-being of one, two or more lives is in your hands. As a start-up founder or business owner, you are the leader and have to take responsibilities for your actions and those of others.
9. Moms don’t give up. Moms develop the resilience and endurance that is also critical to entrepreneurs. Deciding to become a mom is a long-term commitment and there’s no way out. As an entrepreneur, your business is only as good as your commitment to it.
Over the lifetime of your business, good and bad will be thrown your way. Moms learn how to put up with a lot of doodoo just to enjoy a moment of pleasure, an unexpected “I wuv you, mum”.
Entrepreneurs, too, need to be resilient, work hard and not give up. – The Washington Post
Evgeniya (Jen) Usmanova is a mother of two, and the founder and chief operating officer of CareLuLu, an online marketplace that helps parents find daycare and preschool places for their family.