Business Tips | Business Coaching
Being a WAHM is a juggling act. You have to keep lots of balls in the air at once and you have to mentally shift between business owner to mom multiple times a day. It really is a unique experience that only those who do it understand.
I remember when I first started my business I would see photographers on social media living a business that could literally only exist in my dreams. I would see immaculately clean kitchens, weekly plane travels, and multiple weddings a weekend. I would see these businesses experience exponential growth and almost a sort of social media fan base for their brand begin to grow. Watching this happen while you are cleaning spit up from your shirt, wiping your toddler, and preparing dinner for your children that you know they won’t even like…well, it can be a bit deflating.
First of all, your perception through social media may not even be accurate. Social media is not real life. Secondly, comparison is the thief of joy. Every business has its own journey and of course a business owner who has no children will have a different journey than you! All businesses look different. Whether it is attributed to a different life stage, different personalities, or different strengths…no two businesses are identical in their journey to success.
Sometimes we as WAHMs can forget that we have the most precious gifts of all. Our children! How unlucky for the social media stars you see online, they aren’t your kids’ mama! I believe when you have young children at home and you are trying to run a business, you have to give yourself an abundance of grace. You have to grow slow. You simply cannot compete with the business owners that can take on 3x as much work as you can. The key to running a successful business that experiences longevity is SUSTAINABILITY. It truly is the secret. Below are 2 ways that I believe are essential to creating a sustainable business in this season of life.
Time is your greatest asset. You can always make more money but you cannot make more time. Before accepting work, take out your calendar and black out dates set aside for your family. Take NO work on these black out dates. This can be so hard to do when you are first starting out because you want to take on as much work comes your way, but that isn’t how you stay sustainable. Put your family first by creating space for family time. (example: Black out son’s soccer games, daughter’s gymnastics days, family camp weekend, etc)
In addition to black out dates, set boundaries on how much work you will take on in a week/month and stick to it. What is a sustainable amount of work for you and your family? You could start small and add more later if you believe you can stretch it. (example: Only take 1 wedding per weekend and only 2 weddings per month)
Community over competition. It is imperative to find other business owners who know exactly what you are going through. Find other WAHMs that you can chat with and experience the ups and downs of normal business together. Having other small business owners in your circle can also help keep you accountable to the boundaries that you are setting in your business.
(Did you miss the first part of this blog series? Find it here!)
Need accountability or looking for a fellow WAHM for an extra push? Hire me as a business coach. I’d be honored.
If you are looking for more free educational resources head over to my Youtube Channel and follow along over on Instagram!
