The balancing act between entrepreneurship and motherhood is not for the faint of heart. It is something that so many of our members at The BRA Network face day in and day out. Some days our business-owning mamas feel like they are completely crushing the game, with all the plates of entrepreneurship and motherhood spinning in perfect unison. And, let’s be real, some days feel like a complete SH*T show, when feelings of failure, frustration, and overwhelm abound.
The BRA Network is an incredibly diverse community of female and non-binary entrepreneurs of all backgrounds. We have many members who also wear the hat of mom. With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, we decided to chat with our members about the great balancing act of running a business and raising a child (or multiple children) and somehow surviving to tell the tale.
THE HARD STUFF
First, we had to get real and ask the thing most moms that are considering starting a business want to know; what is the hardest thing about being a mother and an entrepreneur?
BRA Member Lexie Smith, mother of a two year old daughter and owner of THEPRBAR, Ready Set Coaching Community and GROWTH MODE PR & Communications Agency tells us,
“Days like today! My daughter is sick and wants 100% of my attention, yet I have client obligations and work that must be done. I hate feeling like I have to choose between the two. Mom guilt is REAL.”
BRA Member Hilary Hartling, mother of two and half year old Ruby and founder of HILARY HARTLING HQ – Brand Strategy and & Messaging for Entrepreneurs, tells us,
“I’m not only a solopreneur, but a single mom, so the hardest part is having to do everything myself and then having to juggle like crazy when the nanny gets sick, or my daughter gets sick and the fact that I spend less than 1/2 the amount of time I used to spend in my business so I’m always looking for more time!”
Jordis Small, mother of two little ones with a third on the way, and founder of Stellen Design, gave us an awesome analogy when asked about the great balancing act,
“I feel like I am watering trees. Before kids, I had this business tree and I had all these big dreams for my tree; public speaking, big clients, attending conferences, and cool work trips, and I could really nurture the business tree. Then I had a child and I had to water two trees, add in another child tree, knowing there is one more child tree coming… I now have to pour so much more into the 3 child trees while keeping the business tree alive. It’s not thriving, but it’s surviving… this will all shift one day once my child trees are well rooted, I can get back to nurturing the business tree, and that shift in priority is 100% OKAY for the stage in my life. My kids are only little once.”
Other feedback we received included never feeling off the clock, letting go of perfection, and spending enough quality time with kids while also getting everything done. These moms are truly working overtime to prioritize two of the things they love most in life: being a mother and running a business.
Aleya Harris, founder of The Evolution Collective Inc. and mother of 18 month old Ruby Coral, tells us how important it is to let go of perfection and embrace the fact that motherhood is part of her life and part of her brand now.
THE GOOD STUFF
Ok, so we can definitely see that balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship is tough and tricky as hell, but why do it? Why do these amazing women stick with it and stay determined to do both? Because there are also AMAZING parts of showing your children what you can do, what you have created, and how you’ve helped others.
We asked some of our BRA Mamas; what is the BEST part about being a mother AND an entrepreneur?
And they weren’t shy about telling us the good stuff:
BRA Member Jennifer Currier, mom of two sons and owner of Soirèe LA for twenty years, tells us,
“The flexibility! As my own boss, I have the flexibility (most of the time) to rearrange my schedule and attend a school function, or take them to a doctor’s appointment or spend a day playing hooky from it all!”
If you’re anything like us, flexibility is one of the most profound PROS of running your own business. And having flexibility as a mom? WINNING!
Kathy Schuh, mom of two daughters and founder of Kathy Schuh Photography, tells us one of the best parts about running a business while also wearing the mom hat is,
“Showing my kids that they can be and do anything they put their mind to. Plus, being inspired by them and their style keeps me relevant in my business.”
Nothing keeps you more relevant than a tween or teen that has their thumb on the pulse of all that’s new and trendy! We LOVE this!
PEARLS OF WISDOM
Finally, we asked our amazing mompreneurs what they would tell others who are about to embark on the entrepreneurial + motherhood journey. And this is what they had to say:
Michelle Sciuto, mother of two teenagers and founder of Sciuto Marketing, wants to remind the mothers and mothers-to-be to,
- Recognize that you can’t do everything yourself.
- It doesn’t have to be perfect; that’s an unattainable goal anyway.
- Procrastination is just fear of failure; do the damn thing and improve it over time as needed.
Lexie’s response to this question reiterates the importance of asking for help,
“Ask for support! It is near impossible to do alone. You are not less of a mother for asking for or accepting help. Whether it’s paid for and professional, or you need to call in a favor from a neighbor or friend, it really does take a village!”
BRA Member Audra Quinn reminds us of this,
“You will feel strong societal judgment in all kinds of big and small ways – don’t let it eat away at you or thwart you on your path. You are part of this sea change. The world needs to see more mothers building, scaling, selling businesses. Your kids need to see this too! You’re modeling the world we need to see. Entrepreneurship and building wealth is not just for men, just like parenting is not just for women.”
The BRA Network was established to provide support for women and non-binary individuals in business who are also mothers. We commend your remarkable hard work and unwavering dedication. Your struggles are seen, and we admire the legacy you are crafting for your children and countless others who draw inspiration from you. Wishing ALL mothers a joyous and fulfilling Mother’s Day!
