While running a small business and being a mom is very rewarding, balancing it can be challenging. Being a mompreneur takes a special kind of person. You're taking care of at least one (or more) other human beings, along with running a business. When you're a business owner and a parent, time management is the focus of your life.
A mompreneur juggles so many responsibilities. They're a business owner and entrepreneur and manager, employee, helper, and role model to their children. This is what makes these Mompreneurs so amazing. But seriously, what's the secret sauce? We asked these mompreneurs how in the world do they do it! Here's what they had to say about being a mompreneur and running successful businesses:
Mumbi Dunjwa, Founder & CEO of Naturaz
Naturaz is a clean health and beauty company that harnesses the power of nature to care for curls. Naturaz formulates, manufactures, and sells 100% vegan hair care products for curly hair.
Their signature three-product solution, the Moisture Burst System, is formulated to sustain 3x more moisture in curly hair. This system addresses significant hair problems, including hair dryness, breakage, thinning, frizz, and hair loss, affecting more than 60% of women worldwide.
How do you do it "all"?
There'll never be an ideal time to start your business. There'll always be some obstruction or distraction or excuse to stop you from taking the bull by the horns and going after your dreams. We've all come here to earth to make our contribution, and if you feel a strong calling to step out of the box, strap on a parachute, walk to the cliff and hop off in pursuit of a major passion—then do it!
My mompreneur journey is not perfect, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't always have a great work-life balance because entrepreneurship is challenging and bootstrapping even that much more. I wake up every day and do my utmost best to be a great mom, wife, sister, daughter, relative, friend, and early-stage business owner. I have to manage my time well and multi-task a lot. I try to be present when cooking or when I set aside time for my daughter or family activities.
Mompreneurs can just about do it all if they have lots of support from family, fellow entrepreneurs, and the general community as a whole. Mompreneurship is not a solo journey. It is a communal journey that can only succeed when there's a rich exchange of information, support, and resources.
As Mompreneurs, we are ultimately role models for our kids, and we stand upon the shoulders of other mompreneurs who had gone before us and overcame incredible odds to make a difference in our world. So look out world—here I come!
What is your self-care routine?
I love reading and journaling, and incorporating these activities into my nighttime routine helps me relax, empty my mind and just wind down. I also take Epsom salt baths to relax my muscles because I work on the computer a lot and the stressful nature of entrepreneurship results in tensing my muscles without even knowing it!
I commit to one yoga class a week, and when I can get to a hot yoga session, I do it for detoxification, relaxation, slowing down of the mind, and more. One last self-care bit that I do for myself is finding a reason to laugh hard—whether this originates from my daughter doing silly stuff or some funny comedy. I like to fill my being with all the goodness and healing energy that comes from a good belly laugh.
What advice do you have for moms who want to start their businesses but are hesitant because they're unsure about how to balance it all?
I was there once but observed other super moms and realized I could chase my dreams without sabotaging my life. It is possible with some good time management, lots of support, planning, especially financially, and tenacity. Seek and find help and entrepreneurial communities that can help you along your journey. If you are bootstrapping your business, make sure you have enough savings to keep you going and pay yourself to proactively eliminate stress related to limited resources.
This can be detrimental to your family relationships and life. Secure the support of your husband or life partner because your journey becomes their journey too. Put together a strong business plan and do the difficult things around it so that you can position yourself for success. Enlist the help of an expert to help you flesh this plan out so that you start your business on sound footing. Find and join organizations in your local and online communities that support female entrepreneurs.
Please don't be misled that mompreneurs can have it all or always have a work-life balance. A lot of elements (including those I've mentioned above) have to come into play to make your foray into entrepreneurship easier and successful. Remember that if you want to bring something special to the world and feel called to do it, you can do it with lots of tenacity and support. You will not always be perfect - neither is life, but if other moms have done it, you can too!
Kendall Nelson, Founder of Impact Insight Co.
Impact Insight Co. is a social impact strategy company that specializes in designing operations systems for mission-driven organizations.
How do you do it "all"?
I had to change my definition of "doing it all" from doing everything myself to doing all the important things for me to do personally — and delegating or getting help with the rest! With three little ones at home, there's a lot to manage. We're blessed that my husband's work schedule allows him to be home during the day most of the week. And thank God for my mom, who recently retired to be a full-time grandma. I wouldn't be able to put any time into my business if it weren't for their help.
Also, I've had to change my perspective on accomplishment. I used to get so frustrated if I didn't knock out a whole, long to-do list in a day. Learning to give myself the grace to roll things over to the next day and measure my accomplishment weekly instead of daily has made a huge difference in my outlook.
Making "mommy Monday" a thing has helped a ton, too. That's the day I'm not "in the office" and can focus on the kids and getting stuff done around the house. Doing that at the start of the week helps me be more focused on days when I am working.
What is your self-care routine?
Prayer time in the morning, before the kids wake up, is the best thing I can do for myself, my family, and my business. It anchors me and connects me to the Source from which flows all the love, patience, creativity, and perseverance I need to do all that I do in a day.
What advice do you have for moms who want to start their businesses but are hesitant because they're unsure about how to balance it all?
When I'm working with a client on her business blueprint, I always have her start by writing her rules of engagement, as I like to call them. That's what sets the parameters that ensure your business fits into your life instead of forcing you away from it.
Determine the workload, operating hours, and off days you need to stay sane yet productive and build in the margin. Most importantly, build a business structure that doesn't have to rely solely on you. Make room for help, find the right people, and grow your team as you're able.
Learn more about Impact Insight and all that they do.
Natasha Hall, Founder of My Networking Apparel
My Networking Apparel makes it easy to get the conversation started. Their pieces serve as the ice breaker that creates a professional culture for ambitious entrepreneurs to connect, grow, and empower each other through diversity, collaboration, and like-mindedness.
Our vision is to become the leading supplier of networking apparel for ambitious entrepreneurs across the globe.
Get the conversation started to connect, develop, and empower entrepreneurs by creating a culture of like-minded, ambitious, and diverse entrepreneurs that network, collaborate, and interact with one another through activities that fulfill the need for success, personal and professional growth.
How do you do it "all"?
Doing it all is being able to do it with my eyes closed (lol). My son keeps me accountable as I tell him the game plan for the day. If we're headed home, and I forget to go to the post office or to the office to pick up something, he reminds me that I forgot to go where I needed to go. As he learns to cultivate his basic skills, I utilize him to count out inventory for me and pack products with me. It's also a bonding time for us, and it helps build him educationally.
I have an amazing support system in place. The grace my family and friends give me to conquer the world every day has been the biggest blessing God gave me. The misconception of always seeing a working mom without their kids means they don't have them is false news. A lot of moms like myself battle with mommy guilt all the time while trying to reach our dreams to leave a legacy for our children. The narrative that we should always be seen with our children is toxic. We need lives too!
What is your self-care routine?
My self-care routine has come to me recently, and I must say that I'm a better leader, a better CEO, a better mom, a better daughter, a better sibling, etc. When I need a nap, I take a nap! When I need to eat and crave a full meal, I get dressed and take myself to eat a full meal. When I want to watch TV, I get my favorite snacks and get under the covers to binge a show.
I finally outsourced cleaning my house to focus more on cooking or having more "me" time. Every night at least 30-minutes before falling asleep, my son and I listen to meditation music with a black screen to doze off with great thoughts and dreams.
At least once a day during a commute, I listen to complete silence and allow my thoughts to run. The more I become in tune with myself, the more I find ways to take care of myself internally and really just say, yeah, I'm not doing anything that goes against my peace.
What advice do you have for moms who want to start their businesses but are hesitant because they're unsure about how to balance it all?
My best advice to any mom looking to start their business is to get a full understanding of your WHY before you start. You will need this daily reminder every day all day to keep you going. You will need to understand that every day isn't perfect and will teach you something new about yourself every day.
If you do not try, you will always underestimate your capacity as you walk through the rest of your life. Your business should be your passion project, and when I say "project," I mean it shouldn't feel like work and understand that there isn't a long-term attachment. There will come a time to pivot to greater; you have to think like an investor and not a mom that cannot let go.
Browse and purchase your networking apparel here.
Tracey Kennedy, Founder of California Country Organics Body Care
I was a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom with fine dining chef skills under my belt and completely bored and lonely in my marriage. I spent my nights avoiding my marital issues, applying my philosophy towards the benefits of quality food towards body care, researching how to heal my son's eczema.
In creating what is now known as Skin Soldier Healing Cream, I not only healed my son's skin inflammation but also began healing myself and learning how amazingly talented I was.
Developing a new kind of love for myself, I began formulating a wide variety of everyday products from big repellent, muscle rub, toothpaste, you name it! Now, I everything except soap because part of my brand integrity is I add zero chemicals to my products! All products are made with 100% raw, organic, unrefined ingredients that are infant to elderly safe and seizure safe as well!!
As my company grew, my husband became cold, cruel, and extremely unsupportive of my growing success. I refused to live in darkness because he didn't know how to shine. In 2019, making just enough to maintain my company, I left my marriage. I took my two incredible children with the biggest hair that could be seen from the moon and focused on turning my hobby into a full-blown hustle and grind to survive and show my children; nothing would hold their mom back from being her best.
Fast forward to now, I have been on local TV and radio multiple times and multiple articles written about California Country Organics. I'm becoming a community activist to rebuild and revitalize my community, grow my company to support myself and my children. But most importantly, I became a better woman, a better business owner. A mother, my children, brag about to anyone that will listen. I redefined my life. I Redefined Love. I redefined myself. I learned to love myself organically. That is how my company slogan came about; growing into the woman, I am meant to be.
What is your self-care routine?
Gardening! I firmly believe the more I nourish this Alabama soil my ancestors blessed, the more I flourish in every aspect of my life.
How do you do it "all"?
I have no CLUE how I do it all! Ha! Living with anxiety, I don't sleep very much. I'm pretty sure that has been a blessing and a curse. On days when I feel as though I can't possibly go any further, my son hypes me up. My daughter gives me a massive dose of reality, my two dogs give the best unconditional love, and my friends cheer me on. My significant other provides the absolute BEST support system any mompreneur could ever conjure up in our wild and crazy minds!
What advice do you have for moms who want to start their businesses but are hesitant because they're unsure about how to balance it all?
The same advice people give you when you are on the fence about having children; just do it! Stop waiting to be ready because you'll never be "ready." There will always be hurdles to jump over, but each hurdle builds your strength, your courage, your drive to succeed, and will create a self-love that society will tell you you aren't worthy of.
Check out California Country Organics for all your organic body care needs.
Ehime Eigbe, Founder of Sweetkiwi
Sweetkiwi is a woman-owned brand that makes the best tasting, low calorie, yet nutrient-dense packaged treats that have targeted functional benefits, made with natural ingredients, carefully sourced from local businesses within our communities.
How do you do it "all"?
I work to create balance instead of focusing on the notion of having it all. I try to plan around having a balanced life as I nurture my daughter and grow my business. I learnt to prioritize what is important and remove the false pressures I impose on myself.
What is your self-care routine?
I love meditation early in the morning and late at night, sometimes in the middle of the day. Taking long walks and prioritizing doing things that I love to do, so I make them a part of my schedule to ensure I get to do them.
What advice do you have for moms who want to start their businesses but are hesitant because they're unsure about how to balance it all?
You just have to start! I had my first child just before the pandemic began, and I really was anxious about the impact of being away from my business amid a pandemic, but it helped me balance my life and work better than I had ever done. You will be surprised how well you rise to meet challenges. Everything you need is already inside you.
Check out more of Sweetkiwi's delicious treats.
Dominique Townsend, Founder of We Optimize Work
Domonique Townsend, I am the founder of We Optimize Work. We Optimize Work helps businesses create optimal work approaches for organizational effectiveness.
One of my core focuses is to support working moms in their personal aspirations without feeling forced to downshift or leave their career plans. I apply engineering principles that I used to solve the most complex problems in business and modeled them into a Work-Life Success framework to meet both the personal and professional needs of working moms like myself. I have trained over 4,500 people in her areas of expertise for over the past 11+ years.
My signature service is a Moms Who Lead 4-week accelerator and certification program. The program teaches professional working moms how to create systems and processes that align with their capacity and allows for success in meeting business or work outcomes while prioritizing their family and taking time for themselves without stretching themselves thin.
How do you do it "all"?
Moms are constantly put into a default category where anything we do outside of the societal "role" as a mom is a mystery to the masses as to how we manage it, leading to the infamous "How do you do it "all"?" question. My answer, I don't do it all. I do what matters to me the most. Running a business is important for me because of the impact I seek to make in this world. I want my children to witness my actions to demonstrate what is possible for them in their life's journey when they follow their hearts. I direct my focus on making decisions and taking actions that align with my values and beliefs. By doing that, I don't experience the pressure to do it "all," just what matters most at the moment.
What is your self-care routine?
For self-care, I set a block for when I would like to do something for myself, and I work all of my tasks, meetings, and family time around that. Within the time block, I give myself the freedom to do anything that helps me recharge and regroup. From reading a book, watching Netflix, dancing to music, getting a manicure, and wandering around at Target, I don't define what my self-care looks like according to what we are often told to do that falls into the category of self-care.
What advice do you have for moms who want to start their businesses but are hesitant because they're unsure about how to balance it all?
First, moms who want to start their own business know that you are fully capable of pursuing everything you desire. My advice is for moms to not compare your availability to the availability others have as your measure of success. Getting comfortable in what works for you according to your capacity is essential. Define how many hours per week you can focus on tasks for your business. Even if you have 2-3 hours per week to focus on key tasks, you can still make amazing progress with clarity in the things that need to be done.
If you're a mom looking to get back in the workforce then We Optimize Work is a great place to start.
Whitney Osei-Akintaju, Founder of Ethnic District
Ethnic District is a digital marketplace that connects Africa's best brands to consumers in the U.S. who are looking for authentic African specialty goods.
We offer fulfillment for brands we work with, so all items ship from the U.S. and are delivered to our customers within 2-3 days.
How do you do it "all"?
I have a schedule, a supportive husband, an amazing team at work, and systems in place--this is the only way that I can do it all. Being a Mompreneur is the hardest thing I have ever done--and this is coming from someone who has given birth without an epidural.
There is a common misconception that you can't be a mom and do it all! I am proof that you can! I started my company with $80 in my garage, and we are now operating out of a 25,000 sq. ft. warehouse (AND I BOOTSTRAPPED). If I can do it, you can do it too! All you need to do is delegate, build a great team, and have systems in place to reduce manual operations.
What is your self-care routine?
Recently I've been going to the gym as part of my self-care routine. When I look better, I feel better, and that means making my health a top priority this year. My gym time is my one hour a day when I can step away from my laptop and the demands of being a mother, put in my favorite playlist, and just spend time with myself--doing yoga, weight training, or just walking on the treadmill. Afterward, I always treat myself to a refreshing Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit refresher. It's been amazing.
What advice do you have for moms who want to start their businesses but are hesitant because they're unsure about how to balance it all?
Delegate. Delegate. Delegate. For a while, I was scared to hand off certain aspects of my business to others, but that quickly led to me being burnt out constantly. Now I have a team that handles social media, finance, operations, and more --which has allowed me more time to work on the parts of the business that only I can do. It also means that for the first time, I can literally work a Monday - Friday work week and spend more time with my family. It has really given me a work/life balance.
Black Girl Ventures is so proud of these moms who are—every day defying the odds and redefining what it means to be a mom! We hope these moms inspire you as much as they've inspired us. Let us know which story resonated with you the most.
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