There seems to be an entrepreneurial boom among women in the world today – especially among mothers, who are giving rise to the term “Mompreneur.” A recent Newsweek article discussed a study done by the nonprofit Center for Women’s Business Research, which showed that “…one-woman businesses, the group that most new moms fall into, have been growing at twice the rate of the national average. You can see evidence of this each time you Google a new baby product."¹ 
 

I have my own impressions about why this business trend is booming. Ultimately, in my opinion, there has never been a better time in world history to be an entrepreneur than now. Technology grants easy access to resources and tools that an entrepreneur could scarcely have dreamed of 10 years ago. Add to that the legions of empowered Gen-Y women, who are overwhelmingly entrepreneurial and family-focused, becoming mothers. But it’s not just Gen-Y: women of all ages want more control over their lives and schedules, and are willing to accept the risk of starting their own business if it affords them the opportunity to enjoy true flexibility.

This surge of Mompreneurs begs the question: "Who is going to make it? What does it take to survive in today’s ever changing economy? What can you really expect from yourself trying to raise your family and run your business, literally side by side?" While I have certainly not arrived at total and complete entrepreneurial success I have learned a few lessons along the way that I think will help me in any business and life in general:

The Power of a Blank Notebook

A simple tool, to be sure: low-tech, low-cost, low-maintenance. One of my favorite things in the world is to buy a brand new unlined notebook. Oh, the possibility that lies in those blank pages! The latest one I've been using I got for free in the mail from Veer.com. There is a little blurb I like in the front of the notebook:

"As a creative, the blank page is where you work, where you play, where you test ideas and prove your points – it's where the rubber hits the road. Sometimes ideas flow effortlessly.  Sometime they take superhuman effort. But you persevere, because it's your job to unlock the potential of the snowy nothingness."

Head to the store and pick up a blank notebook. Keep it with you always - in the car, by your bed, in your diaper bag, wherever. You'll be surprised how often (and where) your brain wants to "unlock the potential of the snowy nothingness."

Build a Brand

Putting energy into “building a brand” can, at times, feel like fruitless work. It’s easy to neglect brand building because something more urgent is always pressing on your time and money: orders to fill, meetings to attend, bookkeeping to tackle. It’s harder to see the immediate, measurable return on the expense of having a great logo, letterhead, packaging and website.

While it’s wonderful to work from home, to do business from the park, and check email at all hours of the day, it doesn’t mean that our businesses, products, services and brand should look like they came right out of our garage. There are so many great businesses out there (especially mompreneur start-ups) with poor brands. Consumers and business partners will evaluate your product or service based on your brand – a good brand builds credibility and confidence in the marketplace. 

Resistance is GOOD!

If you approach resistance with the right perspective you can learn a lot about yourself and your business model. Many people believe that true success comes by pushing through the resistance and the roadblocks: leaping over them, mowing them down or ignoring them. But the bottom line is that resistance is there to teach you something. It’s there to let you know that there are parts of your business that need attention and, often, reinvention. The most important innovations for TodaysMama have developed from our willingness to put the brakes on a project and re-evaluate the roadblocks we’ve encountered. Because we’ve always been willing to examine the source of our obstacles, we have been able to make valuable changes to our business model and strategy. 

Balance is a Myth!

TodaysMama recently surveyed Mompreneurs asking, “Is it possible to give 100 percent to both motherhood and to your business?” This seems like a pretty obvious question, doesn’t it? Most of us would say, “Of course not!” But deep down, we want to put our own feet to the fire and believe that it is possible and that through some magical filing system or computer program we’ll be able to have it all.

Well, 84 percent of our respondents said “NO, I can’t give 100 percent to both motherhood and business.” 15 percent said “YES! I can do it!” I’d like to point out that we received many comments from the women who felt like they could give 100 percent to both aspects of their life, detailing the concessions they have made. Once you accept the concessions, it’s easier to channel your energy into the most demanding aspects of your life.

There will always be more pounds to lose, better dinners to cook, ways to be a better friend, business owner, wife and person. For the rest of our lives as mothers, we will always feel that we need to be a better mom. To think that we can toss all of those balls into the air and that there is a prayer of magically making them synch like the planets orbit the sun is simply insanity.

The Power of a Good Network

One primary result of this boom of mompreneurship is the existence of many thriving social networks. In my experience, there are more women than ever happy to help one another instead of climbing all over each other, worrying there isn’t enough success to go around. You can find great networks online or in your community; the power of having groups of well-connected people in your circle in incredible.

Evolution

We will all evolve: our families, our skills, our businesses. The first attempt in business might simply not work; it might evolve away from your original intention; or you might down right hit it out of the ballpark. In any case, there is no escaping the fact that you are going to reevaluate, grow and move forward. Growing pains will inescapably hurt sometimes – but in the end, if you are willing to embrace them, you can’t help but become better. 

1. "Moms Mean Business," Newsweek: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14869069/site/newsweek/.
 

Rachael Herrscher is co-founder and CEO of TodaysMama, a provider of personal, professional and parenting resources for mothers in print and online form. You can read her blog at http://www.todaysmama.typepad.com or visit http://www.TodaysMama.com.