Stay-at-home moms have more opportunities than ever before to establish their independence by earning a living from the comfort of their own homes. Modern technology allows for collaboration with coworkers and clients across distances. You can find many remote jobs online or establish your own business.
Skilled Moms is dedicated to helping women thrive in motherhood and their careers, connecting women with remote job opportunities and virtual training sessions. The below guide explains how you can become a “mompreneur” with a successful home business.
Select a type of business that can accommodate kids
Some business models are more accommodating of kids than others. Entrepreneur provides a list of business options suitable for stay-at-home parents, including freelance writing, clothing consignment, and financial planning. When you choose your business model, consider your personal skills and the resources you already have at hand. This will help to keep overhead costs low.
Register your business as a formal legal entity
Once you’ve decided what type of business you want to open, go ahead and register it as a formal legal entity with your state. Primum Law Group explains that a formal entity like a limited liability company can help protect your personal assets in case your business faces legal issues. Having a separate entity will also make it easier to divide your personal and business finances and can streamline tax filing and bookkeeping.
Set up a space that’s just for work
Creating a dedicated workspace in your home will foster concentration and boost productivity. This is your place to retreat from child care and focus fully on work, so look for ways to create a home office that will encourage productivity. For example, you should strive to minimize clutter, which tends to be distracting. Further, place your office area in a part of the house that doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic, like a quiet corner in your bedroom.
Outsource startup tasks to win back some time
Outsourcing certain business tasks will free up your time to focus on your core business competencies. It will also give you more hours in the day for child care. Small Business Trends suggests tasks entrepreneurs should outsource, including IT, payroll, and accounting. You might also outsource creative jobs like website and logo design if you aren’t an artistic person yourself. Freelance job sites allow you to find logo design experts for hire based on metrics like delivery time, cost, and former customer reviews.
Create a strict workday routine, and stick to it
Working from home offers great flexibility. However, sometimes this can backfire and result in a total lack of routine. A regular schedule will benefit your kids, helping them to feel secure and in control of their environment, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children & Families. You can also benefit from set work hours, which will help you achieve a better work-life balance.
Remember to take time for yourself
In all that hustle and bustle of managing a business and a family, it can be tough to remember to take time for yourself. Set aside at least 15 minutes in your schedule every day for self-care. Get Mom Balanced offers suggestions for quick self-care, like listening to your favourite music, painting your nails, or journaling. Taking a quick break can leave you feeling refreshed and ready to get back to work.
Juggling a family and a business won’t always be easy. However, the fulfillment you’ll get as a successful mompreneur will be well worth it. Follow the above steps to get started.
Skilled Moms is dedicated to empowering working moms. Find out more about how to join our growing network by visiting our website today!