From the time I was a little kid, I had entrepreneurial irons in the fire. From raising and selling chickens and eggs and to teaching piano lessons to neighborhood children, this spirit to earn money on my own accord and run a “small business” was pretty constant growing up. In my high school and college days, this spirit was encouraged even more as all of my jobs before marriage and children were for local small businesses.
But even more important than this small business dream was my lifelong dream of being a mom someday–a mom able to stay home and raise her kids. I never desired a career or work when my kids were small. So when my husband and I became parents almost 4 years ago, what I always dreamed about did come true. I was able to be home with our son.
I’ll be honest with you: our situation has been such that my husband–a small business employee himself–is our family’s sole income because we chose a simple lifestyle. We live in a relatively small home, drive older vehicles, and other than the occasional splurge, don’t spend money on things that aren’t necessary. I know this situation isn’t the case with many families. Situations often dictate that both spouses provide income.
So I consider it a huge part blessing and another part practical decisions. In fact, before we got married, we decided that my income would always be “bonus” money, because we had already planned that, one day, I would be home with our kids.
The thing is, I don’t have to work in the sense that we would go hungry or lose the house if I didn’t. But I have this drive to create and build and earn and grow that is fulfilled within my small business. My drive isn’t based solely on necessity but rather what I can build now to help provide for my family in the future.
Crystal Paine talks about this in her new book Money Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference {which releases today!}. This is an amazing resource for moms and women wanting to start their own business or earn extra income for their family. It’s chock-full of real-life stories of moms who are making it happen, their successes and their failures, and–more than a list of money-making ideas–this book is an encouragement to chase that dream. Crystal provides clear action steps to make that happen.
As a woman and as a mom, there could be any collections of reasons behind your small business goals and why you want to take action (and I would LOVE to hear what yours are! Would you share with me in the comments?), but in her book, Crystal shares four particular reasons to chase that dream.
Find the freedom to dream big and set long-term financial goals.
You may not bring in much income right away, or depending on the kind of business that’s right for you, you may have keep investing your profits right back into growing your business. But building up your sources of income will open up so many other doors that may not have been possible on your previous income.
Give yourself grace, absolutely…especially in the beginning. There’s a learning curve to everything, and more likely than not, you won’t hit a get-rich-quick business scenario.
But also plan for success. Allow yourself to pinpoint goals and dreams that you will achieve with the extra income you hope to bring in.
Start thinking creatively.
Thinking creatively could mean that you use your creativity to start a business. If you knit or sew or design or take photos, you could use these skills to earn money. But beyond what we normally consider “creative” (like arts and crafts, writing, or decorating), thinking creatively also means thinking outside the proverbial box when it comes to running your business.
What can you do to make an impact within your business? One area of creative thinking for me is to figure out the time to work on my business. Now when my kids are little, I work when they nap and after they go to bed, or when my husband is home to take a shift with the kids. But kids grow up and they won’t always nap so I can work. So creativity for me is also figuring out the reality of the juggle! Creativity comes in all sorts of different ways and it can be refreshing to find out what will work for you and your family.
Forge an intentional pathway for your future in line with your priorities.
Once you have your goals–however small they may be in the beginning–create an action plan for those goals. How do you want to grow your business? Are you a mom who is working an 8-5, just dreaming of being home with her kids? That priority can be your motivation.
Are you home with your kids now? If you can “batch” jobs (like freezer cooking or laundry or email or homeschooling) and find ways to use time to the best of your advantage, be intentional about those times to move forward with your business. But remember not to get so caught up in your side hustle that you neglect the real reason for wanting to be at home: your kids.
This can be a tricky point of focus but it is so important for the long haul! Working towards your future is another huge motivation and can lead to success.
Be in a position to help others along the way.
More exciting than anything is the ability to give generously with what you earn. For now, the extra money might be going to pay the rent. And that’s okay. Depending on your situation, this money you’re making as mom could be necessarily to your family’s wellbeing. But as you look toward the future, Crystal encourages all women to look forward, practice good stewardship, and keep their eyes open for intentional ways to can help others with your resources. Your business may not be geared toward donating to charity or consistently giving to worthy causes {or maybe it will be! and that’s a lofty goal in and of itself!} but maybe you can provide a meal to a struggling neighbor or give a little extra to your local shelter. Maybe by earning more, you have more time and can spend that volunteering in your community. Perhaps your line of business will directly help people by your contact with them through encouragement or counseling. It’s impossible to know until you jump in feet-first, but the possibilities are so exciting.
The journey to entrepreneurship and small business is not an easy one for anybody, but for the woman who already has her plate full with a family and household to run, it may seem virtually impossible. I want to encourage you that it is not!
Is it easy? No.
Does it require sacrifice and serious prioritizing? Absolutely.
But it is worth it? I would argue: yes.
As Crystal quotes in her book:
“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.” – Edward Everett Hale
Mama, you have a lot to offer. You have certain skill sets, affinities, passions, quirks, hobbies, personality traits, and characteristics that no one else on this earth has or ever will have.
You are unique. As a woman, as a mom, as a person, you are one-of-a-kind and can use your unique abilities and gifts to start a small business and earn money. All it takes is a little know-how and a lot of drive and perseverance. You can do it.
There is so much potential in the future if you just take that leap and chase that dream.
What is your WHY propelling this small business dream of yours? If there is anything I can do to encourage or help you move forward, I’m only a comment or social media platform away! Let’s be friends and get some coffee, okay? 🙂
