Starting your own business when you're a new parent may sound like a risky idea to some people, but as more parents are coming to understand, the timing can actually be ideal. The first year of parenthood is usually when mums and dads reconsider the whole work situation in search of jobs that offer more flexibility. By the same token, having a baby can often lead to the next big business idea, as numerous baby products have appeared due to a parent's 3a.m. desperation.
Prepare Yourself and Plan Accordingly
Even though it's 2021, Scientific American notes that women still may find it more challenging to get funding for their ideas than men. If you find yourself in a brutal battle to gain bank funding, consider using a crowdfunding platform like Crowdcube or Indiegogo, both of which have had massive success raising incredible amounts of support from fans of an idea.
Learn to Split Your Time
Your enterprise is your other child, and you have to know that a new business will need time and attention, just like your children. Being your own boss can offer you more flexibility, starting a business from scratch can be time-consuming so consider options such as franchises and partnerships where you have support and guidance from people who have already ‘been there and done that.’ Learning to delegate specific tasks and aspects of your business will also make it easier to dedicate some more of your time to your baby. Using freelance services will be incredibly advantageous for your business as you don't have to permanently hire the professional -- you can use them on an as-needed basis. A task you can delegate, for instance, if you are starting your business from scratch, is the graphic design aspect of your business. There are thousands of professional graphic designers to be found on online job platforms -- you just need to check their reviews, delivery times, and prices before hiring them. Their usual hourly costs are somewhere between £15 and £35, with the prices going higher if the professional has more experience and knowledge.
Be Adaptable
Managing a startup and being a new parent concurrently means a new challenge is awaiting you each week. Just when you’d think you'd figured a thing out, you may have to confront something entirely new. It might be challenging to keep your initial culture as your startup expands, but try to be as adaptable as possible - both in business and in your new role as a parent. Use technology to communicate when possible, learn to outsource certain aspects of your venture, and change your marketing strategies if you need to.
Don't Try to Do Everything at Once
Mums are masters at multitasking, attempting to simultaneously parent and build a business can be a recipe for disaster if you don't know what to prioritise. Sometimes, the business will come first, and other times, the baby should be a priority. To juggle these two aspects, create a schedule for each day and break big goals into small steps you can take easier. Ask for help when you need it - either from your family or friends - and hire a babysitter or childminder for a few hours a day so you can spend a part of the day focusing on business, and the other on your family.
The Bottom Line
It's important to know what you're getting into before taking the leap. These tips can help you- once you've decided to start your own business - to balance both the start-up and raise a family. Businesses such as BabyBeats® offer franchise opportunities to new parents which can be ideal. They help the balance between start-up and being employed. They have a tried and tested business model with all the graphics, marketing, policies, and solutions any business needs along with daily business support for any aspect of daily business running.
Running a business can... yes be hard at times but it can also be the most rewarding, it can offer solutions to working around children’s activities and mean you are the main caregiver in your children’s lives. It can offer the greatest sense of pride when sales come in and you are successfully bringing your own earnings and building something to be proud of.
BabyBeats offers new mums a class that aims to improve and boost the bond between the mum and baby. The unique class uses multiple elements, such as baby yoga, postnatal exercise, and sensory play. BabyBeats also offers support for new parents setting up their own businesses as well as full training on delivering BabyBeats classes.
For more information, browse the BabyBeats website.
Guest Blog by Jenna Sherman - to read more of Jennas blogs visit
http://parent-leaders.com/