Proof That Skills Developed in Motherhood Prepares You for Entrepreneurship – Despite what society says overall, motherhood is a tried and true method to develop vital skills toward entrepreneurship! Don’t just take it from us – take it from these local moms who are each a force to be reckoned with! Learn about these ladies who are killing it as moms and entrepreneurs right here on Newsymom!
So there’s this unspoken societal stigma out there that says being a mom isn’t a skill, right?
Thanks to our patriarchal tendencies as a society, moms are always left out to dry. However, the truth is that this world would literally stop if we all just…stopped.
Icelandic Women Prove Our Worth To The World
This theory was actually put to the test on October 24, 1975. All of the women in Iceland rallied together and took the day off – from everything. The goal of the strike was “to emphasize that women’s work was socially and economically indispensable yet often undervalued”. (Icelandic Women’s strike, FutureLearn.com)
It totally worked! Here’s what happened:
“The strike—which many Icelandic men treated as a joke when it was first suggested—was reported nearly 100 percent effective. The biggest problem was communications, with telephone service at a virtual standstill. In addition, newspapers closed because the typesetters are women and theaters shut down because actresses wouldn’t work and many schoolchildren were left untaught since 65 percent of the teachers are women. The national airline had to cancel flights for lack of stewardesses and banks managed to remain open only because executives staffed the counters instead of female tellers.
In essence, without the labor of women on 24th October, Iceland was brought to a standstill. The strike was organized efficiently and comprehensively, with nearly 90% of Icelandic women taking part in wide-scale collective action. In Reykjavík, approximately 25,000 women, a significant portion of the city’s 82,000 inhabitants, filled the city’s streets. Though the protest was concentrated in the country’s capital, smaller meetings and demonstrations were held across the country. The strike also had a significant personal impact on Icelandic men, who were forced to take their children to work since women refused to partake in childcare duties. Icelanders also recall how on the day food shops ran out of easy-to-cook meals like hot dogs, which Icelandic fathers could prepare for their children without the help of their wives.”
(Icelandic Women’s strike, FutureLearn.com)
This paved the way for better conditions for women across the country.
Local Moms Show Their Strength and Tenacity Right Here At Home
Here at home, we’ve got thousands of moms who are exhaustedly killing it both as moms and entrepreneurs. In fact, because they became moms, a lot of skills from motherhood made the transition into entrepreneurship easier!
Let’s meet some of these incredible, local ladies right in our communities:
Shelby’s Why: After graduating college with a degree in Healthcare Administration I struggled to find my “why” and purpose. I have always wanted to be a business owner but the path to entrepreneurship was a long, unique road for me. Now, I strive to empower and support local entrepreneurs who are breaking into the retail setting for the first time.
Abby’s Why: I am a full-time teacher by day. Heading back to school in the fall of 2020, after being shut down during the pandemic, I decided I wanted to do something fun for my students on their birthdays. I taught myself (ok, YouTube taught me) how to twist balloon animals! I found that I really enjoyed it. From there I discovered the world of balloon decor and all of the things that are possible with balloons. I fell in love and shortly began my journey as a business owner.
Kristina’s Why: I have always loved art and creating things by hand. My parents bought me cheap film cameras for all of our little trips and to use around the house. As I entered early adulthood, society led me to believe careers couldn’t be made in art or photography, so I followed a healthcare career. After spending 8 years in an OBGYN office and family care, I had my own children and realized how fast the days truly go. I picked up a camera again to document my baby growing and received interest from friends and family. Through amazing support from my husband, I was able to leave my job in healthcare to pursue photography full time which has also blessed me with more time for my children. Life really feels like a dream come true!
Brittney’s Why: We are a mother-daughter team working together and supporting each other every day. Nine years ago, I started my journey with chronic illness. Over 30 surgeries and several chronic illnesses later, I was determined to start a small business to bring awareness to rare conditions. We started off our business focusing on apparel with funny sayings related to chronic illness. Obviously many people sell custom t-shirts, so we didn’t get a ton of traction.
In March of 2022, I had brain surgery. While recovering at home, many loved ones were sending me beautiful flower arrangements. Watching tv or looking at my phone would make my head hurt worse, so I spent most of my time watching the flowers die a bit more each day. Knowing how expensive floral arrangements are, I wondered to myself if there was another type of flower that wouldn’t die so quickly. I realized succulents can stay alive and flourish for years!
A lightbulb went off in my head… we could customize succulent pots to make the gift even more special. I ran the idea past my mom, and we decided to try it out at local markets. We were blown away by the response! Our business grew so quickly! We went from barely selling anything to hundreds of products a month!
In November, we set up at a market in Medina at a new warehouse turned small business mall called The Common Ground. We had our best show yet, and decided to take the leap and open a storefront at The Common Ground! Being a Medina resident myself, I loved the idea of opening up shop in our town. Customers at our store and traveling succulent bar get to make their own succulent creations. They pick a custom pot, a succulent, a rock topping, a mini sign, and a floral pick for a one-of-a-kind creation! Our pot sayings range from funny plant puns to health awareness and hometown designs.
In addition to our store, we also do succulent workshops, parties, personalized pots, and favors. We are so excited to see how our business continues to grow.
Sara’s Why: I’ve always loved teaching and sharing information. I was both a teacher and an administrator but stepped away from that world to raise my 3 children. I’ve always been health conscious but having children really made me look closely at ingredients in not only foods but products we use daily. I formalized my passion by becoming a Certified Natural Health Specialist, and starting a blog/ social media community with “The Tree Hugger In Heels'”.
I was working mostly with adults, but the questions were pouring in about what products and brands were good for young girls to use. As their daughters would want skincare or want to try makeup, overwhelmed moms would ask for recommendations. Many of the moms following along with me now had girls entering this stage of life, myself included. Knowing about the crazy world of beauty, skincare, and personal care I realized there was a void in the market for girls. The products were out there but they weren’t easy to find and decoding the labels could be overwhelming. From this need, Green Girl Goods was born. I decided to start a subscription service that introduced girls to new products 4x per year to coincide with the seasons. Moms no longer had to read every label in the skincare aisle and girls loved getting a delivery of 6-8 products right to their doorstep.
We offer a 4x per year subscription, one-time orders, birthday boxes, sleepover boxes, custom orders, and more.
Megan’s Why: I have always had a passion for photography and small business. My first job was at a family-owned frozen yogurt shop, and I instantly knew I wanted to own my own business someday. When my daughter was born, I wanted to be an example for her that she can do anything. I have always been someone to dive in with everything I have, so exactly one year ago, and only 4 months into professional photography, I pursued my business full-time.
Amy’s Why: I worked in a healthcare career for 14 years prior to starting my first business. I was going through the motions, raising kids, working 40 hours a week, and moving through life on autopilot.
It was in my heart for years to start a residential home organization business, however, I never felt like I had the time or energy to even try. Raising toddlers, working 40 hours a week, and managing all of the day-to-day chaos of life were enough on my plate. It wasn’t until a pandemic occurred that I took the opportunity to re-evaluate my life trajectory.
It was in starting and growing my own business that I discovered my true purpose. As I was growing my business I felt alone. I was told that I had to prioritize my business or my kids, compartmentalize to keep business and family separate and was asked how my “little mommy business” was doing. These narratives were fuel to my fire.
On a whim, I started The Moms on a Mission Facebook Community to see if there were other moms out there feeling the same way. It turns out that there are… a lot. The response was incredible. In growing my business I learned a lot about business and found myself sharing what I learned to help other moms navigate entrepreneurship.
Meanwhile, I was able to grow my organizing business to exactly where I dreamt it would be to the point where I was ready to walk away from my career in healthcare, which was part-time at that point, but something felt off.
What I discovered, was that I was more passionate about empowering others to grow a thriving business and navigate mompreneur life without burnout and overwhelm. So, I pivoted away from the thriving business that I always dreamt of and stepped 100% into my community.
Through messy action, I continue to grow The Moms on a Mission community and have been able to completely “retire” from my career in healthcare. I now work full-time as a business mentor to other moms, host a variety of local and virtual events and training to teach fellow moms the tools and tactics needed to build a thriving business, and host The Motivated Mompreneur Podcast.
Moms Reflect On These Motherhood Skills Learned That Made Entrepreneurship Easier:
“Patience! Prior to becoming a mom, I moved at lightning speed and now as a mom, I have been challenged with slowing down, taking a breath, and enjoying the little moments. Resilience, patience, and communication.” -Shelby Zlotkowski
“Multi-tasking, self-awareness, empathy, management, negotiation skills, the ability to ask for help when you need it…”-Abby Messner
“Patience. I have to be patient with my business. I cannot expect to see growth overnight or compare my business to the success of another.”-Kristina Gump
“Things rarely go exactly how you planned in both motherhood and entrepreneurship. The ability to not dwell on things that are out of your control and adapt to a change of plans is vital in not only motherhood but entrepreneurship as well!” -Brittany Geerken
“My growing empathy has allowed me to deeply connect with other parents and families. Sometimes during photo sessions, the kids are just not having it. Some days kids don’t want to just sit and smile. Parents want gorgeous Pinterest photos of these angelic-seeming kids. Trust me- I will get the beautiful photos with patience and let the kids take the lead. Let their personalities shine through. It’s also been nice to build a community outside of my mom identity and get to just be Megan.” -Megan Mitchell
“With motherhood, you have to learn to multitask. There is no way around it. Somedays it feels like I am an extreme multitasker and really don’t know how I am supposed to attend to everything that needs to be done. On other days I feel like I have a handle on it. I tend to carry very high expectations and don’t like to “half-ass” things. Learning that some things don’t have to be perfect and to prioritize needs vs. wants is really helpful and something I continue to try to work on.”-Sara Marino
“In order to rock life as a mom, you need to have the ability to ask for and accept help, community is key, and the willingness to embrace the journey. It’s a wild ride, but it’s the most challenging and rewarding role I have ever been in!” -Amy Traugh
A Word of Advice to Moms Out There Who Want to Start Their Own Business
Take it from our experienced mompreneurs: these are the words you need to hear if you’re thinking of starting your own business (or are already running one)!
“Don’t be afraid to put yourself first. As moms, we are always taking care of our families but it is important to be empowered as a woman! Be the role model and business person your kids will be proud of.” –Shelby Zlotkowski
“Do your research and network, network, network!” -Abby Messner
“Don’t be afraid to fail. It’s all a learning experience. Some things will work and some won’t. Either way, you’ll have learned something valuable. Also, invest in education. If you want to be good at something, there is likely someone that teaches it and can put you years ahead and skip a lot of mistakes. Believe in yourself!” -Kristina Gump
“A lot of things will happen that are out of your control. It’s okay to feel negative emotions. Let yourself feel sad, disappointed, or angry for a short amount of time. After that, it’s time to pick up the pieces and focus on the good. Find the good in every situation. Change the plan. It’s OKAY to change things in your business! Your product. The way you do things. Your priorities. You will figure it out eventually! Failure is a part of the game and will make you a better person and business owner in the long run. Believe in your product. Believe in your business. Believe in yourself. You can do this!” -Brittney Geerken
“Stop dreaming and start taking messy action. Your past experiences in life, your career, and your role as a mom qualify you to be a business owner. You will never feel ready and “find” the time. If it’s on your heart to start a business, be intentional and make the time to go for it. I’m proof that you can do it too.” -Amy Traugh
“Just do it. It won’t be perfect. It will be chaotic and messy, but if you are truly passionate about it you just need to jump in.” -Sara Marino
“You absolutely should and deserve to go for it. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of free resources, networking opportunities, and reaching out to those who are living the dream you want to live.” -Megan Mitchell
Take It From These Mamas – You Can Do It!
Whether you’re a mompreneur, stay-at-home mom, or working mama, you can get through these trials of juggling being a mom and following your dreams! You deserve all the beautiful moments of happiness this life has to offer.
You’ve got an incredible support system with your families, here at Newsymom, and in your local community. Get connected to build a supportive community to raise your kiddos to be kind, loving humans.
