‘What’s Your Problem?’ Wednesday: A ‘Mompreneur’ Seeks Balance
Yesterday was the first edition of Sage Small Business Solutions’ “What’s Your Problem?” Wednesday, where I invite readers of this blog and Facebook and Twitter fans and followers to submit a problem they’re having with their little business to get answers from me and anyone else in the community that can help them ‘get over the hump’.
Yesterday, I received a whopping 1 question! YAY!
It’s only the first week, though, so I expect that the list of questions will continue to grow as the word gets out a little more.
The question received this week came from across the pond (that’s right baby, Sage is international) from Suzanne in the UK. Here’s Suzanne’s question:
I am a Photographer in UK, I am good at Photography and I started up a small business in the hope that it would grow steadily as my kids are still in school, I am terrible at organising and my work/life balance is a mess, business is going nowhere and kids are so demanding I am tempted to fold the business, any tips will be gratefully welcome.
Hi Suzanne!
Thanks for sharing your story. As a single person, I can’t empathize, but I can definitely understand how challenging it must be being a mom and a business owner. So first off, kudos to you for tackling the challenge!
You mentioned that you were: ‘terrible at organizing’ and ‘your work/life balance is a mess’. Have you made any practical steps toward minimizing those weaknesses yet? I suggest the following resources for you to read. These should provide some simple steps for you to start getting those 2 areas under control.
- The Organized Entrepreneur - from LifeOrganizers.com
- 10 Quick Tips for Getting Organized – from Entrepreneur.com
- The Clean Sweep Questionnaire - from BetterMe.org
You also mentioned that your kids are pretty demanding. Do you have a husband, partner, family member, or good friend that you can call on to help you with the kids for a few hours per day or per week? From the pic of you (I’m assuming those are your cute little ones in the photo), the kids look old enough for you to sit down and have a heart-to-heart chat with them about how important this business is for you and your family. Let them know that you’re still going to be there for them, but you’re going to depend on them more to help around the house or otherwise pitch in. You might also try to directly involve the kids in the business in some way. A lot of kids I know love to help mommy and daddy out doing little tasks… it makes them feel like big boys and girls, and gives them a sense of ownership in the business. I remember being so excited as a little kid helping my granddad with envelope-stuffing and other tasks for his business. And if you make a fun game out of it – say, see who can organize mommy’s papers the fastest – they’ll be even more likely to go along with it. You should check out this article on Mom Entrepreneur Success Strategies where several ‘mompreneurs’ share their advice for keeping up with both work and family.
Finally, do you have the right systems and tools in place for your small business infrastructure? Take a look at Step 4 of 30 Steps to Build a Better Business to see where you might need to focus.
I know you’re thinking of folding, and at the end of the day, that’s a decision that only you can make, based on your financial and emotional situation. But the one trait that often separates the successful entrepreneur from the unsuccessful one is: perseverance. You have to keep at it, even when it seems that everyone around you is telling you to quit. As long as you continue to do the right actions for an extended period of time, you will achieve what you set out to accomplish.
That’s it from me. If there are any other readers with advice and pointers for Suzanne, let’s hear ‘em!
And be sure to get your small business problems ready for the next “What’s Your Problem?” Wednesday on July 29. Send your questions to me on Twitter, via Facebook, or by email.
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Sage Small Business Solutions provides inexpensive infrastructure solutions for small and microbusinesses. If you're interested in improving your small business, or implementing techniques discussed in this article, find out how Sage can help.
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Hi there! I’m Kisha Solomon. I’m a writer, business advisor, and the owner of Sage Small Business Solutions.
This blog was created as a free resource for anyone who wants to increase their knowledge of how to own and manage a sustainable small business. New articles are posted once a week. You can sign up to get the blog via email, or you can also subscribe to new posts via RSS.
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