While the pandemic has left working mothers fatigued and even jobless, it has inspired many to start their own business. Since salaried employment has been difficult to obtain for working mothers due to the lack of childcare available during the pandemic, working women have found that starting their own business offers great flexibility, independence and a higher standard of living. However, many mothers have been under confident and have doubted if they have any relevant skills and experience to take on the challenge of entrepreneurship. Luckily, being a working mom qualifies one to become an even more successful entrepreneur.
Skills That Working Mothers help them to become better entrepreneurs
1. Multitasking: Every working mother has the incredible skill of multitasking. Not only do mothers juggle and play different roles in life as a mother, wife, daughter and friend, they are also dedicated employees. Helping children with homework while preparing for an upcoming meeting or even aligning schedules, working mothers have been trained to juggle responsibilities efficiently. Moreover, mothers with multiple children can improve their multitasking skills even further. Planning meals for one child while creating a daily schedule for another, is only one example out of various more than working mothers observe in daily life. Through these holistic and various responsibilities, mothers have gained the valuable skill of multitasking. When starting a new business, this vital skill allows mothers to thrive across departments and projects, from finance to communication. It is especially important to utilise this skill when embarking on an entrepreneurial journey since it can prove to be crucial when managing various tasks including creating social media profiles, building a consumer base and financing your goals.
For example, famous actor turned entrepreneur, Jessica Alba started to research family-friendly detergents after having two kids. Alba launched The Honest Company after a generic household detergent problem and has now led the company to an astonishing revenue of over 300 million.
2. Flexibility: With experiences such as handling a shouting child during an important meeting or a babysitter cancelling at the last minute, working mothers exactly understand how common it is for plans to not work out. Combating challenges and adapting to circumstances is key for any working mother. This is an important skill in any business environment, especially with constantly changing business scenarios. Flexibility allows entrepreneurs to quickly respond to changes in demand or act upon feedback easily. Flexibility further allows mothers to easily grab every opportunity available and work towards success. Sticking with a rigid plan often leaves space for regrets and by maintaining a flexible attitude, mothers can navigate through options and choose one that is most beneficial.
3. Dedication: Working mothers already understand priorities and commitments when they have caregiving and financial responsibilities. A commitment to maintain a healthy work-life balance and satisfy both responsibilities already shows tremendous dedication. Working mothers always go the extra mile to provide the best life for their children. This dedication further helps fuel their commitment towards being successful entrepreneurs, even if there are obstacles along the journey. Working mothers also experience the challenges that accompany parenting, such as an angsty teenager. Despite these phases in parenthoods, working mothers continue to have tremendous persistence and work towards turning things around. The entrepreneurial journey also inevitably experiences challenges and roadblocks but with commitment and dedication, the journey is bound to be successful. Moreover, this dedication can not only inspire your employees and family, but it is also sure to impress investors as well.
4. Inventive: Working moms know exactly what is at stake when taking up a job and managing children, despite any statistics and obstacles, working moms fearlessly work towards their goals. This fearless attitude also helps working mothers boldly innovate and stand out when starting their own business. The innovative spirit, whether observed when negotiating with a toddler using new tactics or entering a new market, helps working mothers create a distinguished USP.
Naomi Simson, the famous blogger and entrepreneur was inspired to create her online gift company Red Balloon after leaving the corporate tech world and giving birth to her first child. Naomi is now one of Australia’s most renowned, respected and successful entrepreneurs.
In conclusion, parenthood is equivalent to attending a life-long leadership and entrepreneurial seminar. While raising families, working mothers learn key business concepts and develop critical skills. A dedicated working mother can seamlessly translate into a successful entrepreneur.
