THE RISE OF THE MUMPRENEURS

Giselle Borg Olivier speaks to four mumpreneurs who describe their mind-set, their dreams, and their achievements by finding the ultimate work-life balance, asking them: What led you to set up your own business?

The definition for ‘mumpreneur’ according to Collins Dictionary is ‘a woman who combines running a business enterprise with looking after her children’. It may seem facile; however, running a business and taking care of a family are possibly two of the most engaging, albeit tiring, jobs around.

So why do women opt for this lifestyle?

Business sector: Beauty & Cosmetics

Number of years operating: 1

Children: 2; ages 2 and 6

I always wanted to own something of my own. I am a very hard-working person and wondered whether working for myself would make me happy; however, although it was always an option I wanted to explore, I never took any action… until I became a mum. My needs and priorities changed, and I felt that I needed more flexibility in my role at work; however, because I supervised a team, it was difficult to get the flexibility I needed.

I also wanted to have something long term as a result of my hard work; I didn’t want to spend all those hours away from my children to then have nothing to give them. I think this was key in making the move. It was very difficult, because I had to build everything from scratch in a new industry and give up the security that my job gave me and my family. In business you have to take risks, and if you are not a risk-taker, it takes a lot of mental work that happens daily.

This risk resulted in the merging of two passions that I have – online marketing and beauty/self-care; the latter is especially important for mothers, because self-care is key when you have children relying on you.

I remember needing to replenish a skin care product; however, not having the time to go out, get the baby ready, park, etc. I also noticed that many products were not widely distributed, making the process more challenging and inefficient. I had the option of buying online but would have to wait a week for my product to arrive – and that’s where I saw the need and business opportunity — to open a multi-brand store based in Malta offering delivery within two days of skin care, make-up, hair products, perfumes and more. This is how MyBeautyHacks was created.

I am now working on a partnership opportunity which is a great achievement personally. During the initial meeting they looked at me like I was odd; however, that shifted to us working together and now partnering up – that was an amazing shift!

Nonetheless, I still have days when I think of packing it all in (usually when I’m tired and long for an easy way out), but with some perspective and the vision of my long-term goal, I manage to re-focus. The transition from employee to self-employed was not a natural one, but one that took a lot of heart, soul and passion, and one that I’m glad I made.

Business name: KH Designs

Business sector: Graphic Design

Number of years operating: 2

Children: 4; ages 6, 5, 4, and 1

Once my eldest three children were settled in school, I started getting more involved in my husband’s business as we were opening a new restaurant. I studied marketing at University and was eager to get involved with the design process of the venue, the brand, and all the initial marketing. As the business grew with the launch of another two venues, I decided to focus solely on the design work. My designs were noticed by marketing people whom we had worked with as well as some of our business partners and I began taking on new jobs. At that stage, I decided to create KH Designs.

Initially, my biggest hurdle was my lack of formal education in graphic design. I’ve always had a knack for creativity and ‘theming’ and had been using design programmes for years to work on invitations, party designs, and home stationery for friends and family. With the restaurants, I set the bar quite high for myself and spent ages researching and practising through online tutorials. I’d say that, a few years down the line, I’ve successfully honed my skills and gained valuable experience.

Being recognised and trusted by new clients to work on projects was a huge step in allowing me to expand my portfolio and gave me confidence in my ability to interpret design briefs; on time, with quality and most importantly to the client’s specifications.

I’m lucky that I’ve been able to grow my company at my own pace – being strict with myself about how much I can handle and knowing when to slow down. I’m always honest about my schedule and fortunately my clients have always been understanding. I feel it’s a two-way street – my clients get a tailored service at competitive rates, and in return I promise a quick turnaround when I know I can deliver yet am honest about my availability when I’m a bit more pressed for time.

Although I love my work, I still consider myself a mother first. Therefore, adjusting to the changing needs of my kids and finding time to work within that framework is a constant hurdle. I worked straight through my last pregnancy and didn’t take any maternity leave which was relatively easy to do by the fourth child as I had mastered the art of predictable napping and feeding! Now he is an active toddler and while I can count on nap time to do a few hours of work, I find myself working a lot more in the evenings after bedtime and sneaking in work slots when I have a babysitter. Once he starts nursery, I’ll then re-adjust my work/ parenting balance.

I carved this career out of my love for marketing, branding and creativity combined with my determination to be available for my children. I’m very fortunate to have found a way to work from home in a sector that interests and inspires me.

Business sector: Cake decorating

Number of years operating: 8

Children: 2; ages 8 and 5

As a child, I used to watch my grandmother and my mother cook, which led to my interest in cooking; moreover, my mother used to bake my cakes and I used to love helping her. Eight years ago, I got my own cake mixer and started baking decorated cupcakes and simple cakes for family and friends. When I had my son, I decided to make his baptism and birthday cakes and I was so pleased with the results (even though looking at the photos now, I cringe) and everyone had complimented me.

Starting out, the biggest hurdle was finding clients. I set up my Facebook page (Wish - Cakes, Cupcakes and Desserts) to display my work and share ideas with others. I started building my clientele through word of mouth from people who had tasted and seen my cakes. Unfortunately, many people do not understand that home bakers/ decorators do not buy things in bulk, we do not mass produce, and tools are very expensive, so we cannot charge the same price as that of a confectionery for a bespoke cake.

Cake decorating allows me to work from home whilst taking care of my kids. Work from-home jobs are very hard to come by and unfortunately, in Malta, working parents don’t really get much help when we have to deviate from routine, like keeping sick kids at home. Many times, when the kids were younger, I used to feel like giving up as it was very stressful with the kids waking up at night and spending so much time on a cake for not much money but, over the years, I’ve improved my craft – definitely a case of practice makes perfect.

Thankfully, after eight years, I have built a reputation whereby my clients, family, and friends regularly ask for cakes and cupcakes for their special occasions. One of the highlights is seeing the happiness in people’s faces when they see their cakes, especially children’s reactions – it makes the work worthwhile. Unfortunately, I cannot dedicate all my time to cake-making as I also have another job which also takes up a good portion of my time.

Business name: The Mama Manual

Business sector: Book publishing, consulting, course creation, blogging

Number of years operating: 1.5 years

Children: 2; ages 4 and 13

The truth is, it was never my intention to set up my own business. Back in 2017, I started writing a book as a creative outlet, and the natural next step was to get it proofread, edited, and published. I then took the decision to launch a blog and social media accounts to market the book, and to continue the conversation online.

The book, called ‘the Mama Manual - How busy mums get organised’, was the first step into what is now my full-time job. Once the book was published, and my social media accounts and blog (www.themamamanual. com) had taken off, I was contacted by various companies for collaborations, and I dove into other projects which helped serve the community of mums that make the brand what it is today.

The biggest hurdle at this stage is the lack of time. I did this on the side for nine months; balancing work, family, myself, the home, and my side hustle was a challenge, but I managed to find my groove.

Ultimately, I prioritised more. I said no to unessential things and delegated where I could. The family pitched in more, and I automated whatever I could. I quickly learnt what my time was worth and paid for services which would free up my time.

Despite this, my biggest hurdle is still time, but I take it in my stride. Being a fairly new business, I understand that I need to give myself the space to grow and adjust. It is a blessing really, because as the business grows and I take on more clients and launch new projects I am learning to outsource diligently, so I can focus more on my zone of genius, which is the creative aspect.

In fact, one of my biggest achievements to date is the creation and launch of my first-ever digital course ‘Dinner in a Flash’. The content creation, tech, and sales and marketing strategy for the project was not easy, and I am beyond delighted to soon be teaching the transformative content to my first lot of students.

I absolutely love what I do especially in terms of the content that I create because it is my passion, as well as the mums whom I help empower to take control of their time so they can live their best life.

Sarah: If it is a dream/passion, then it is worth looking into because the tenacity and the drive will come naturally. It is not easy, but easy is not always the answer.

Kelly: Think outside the box and never fear learning something new. I knew very little about graphic design a few years ago, but when I realised it was something that I could do from home then I set out to make it happen.

Erika: Don’t give up on your dream.

Nakita: Always choose one thing – putting all your focus and energy into one major project (at a time) is essential for success. It is not just about launching the project, but about surveying, tweaking and improving it until it serves who it was intended for.

Giselle is a freelance writer, proofreader and social media marketer who lives on Instagram and cappuccino. She runs Content for Success.