So what is a ‘Mumpreneur’? The Oxford Dictionary definition of a Mumpreneur: A woman who sets up and runs her own business in addition to caring for her young child or children. Some people hate the phrase, others just love it. Here’s some great tips from Career-Mums if you are think of being a ‘Mumpreneur’

For a lot of people setting up your own business can be daunting, there is the fear of losing your safety net from a life of routine that allows regular money coming in and everything going like clockwork. When you have a child (or more than one) there is the added pressure of wanting your children to have the basics in life such as food, clothing or a PlayStation 4 (which of course you need to test as a responsible parent!)

But the thing is setting up your own business isn’t necessarily a huge step and there are ways of doing it. If anything as a working mother there is the benefit of being more flexible and being able to work at your own pace rather than being dictated by targets or the needs of the bosses setting those targets.

You don’t have to go all in at once

People often make the mistake of feeling that everything has to be “all or nothing”. This doesn’t have to be the case- you can start by exploring an idea and working on it in between other commitments .
A good example of this is something like freelance writing, graphic design or other creative work. This lends itself to unsociable hours and allows you to set the pace. The only challenge is to fight the temptation to offer discounts or do freebies to “prove yourself” early on. Don’t be afraid to sell yourself and show people why you are worth the money!

Do your research

There are numerous templates and advice online to help you come up with a business plan. What is equally important is being able to ask around. There are sites where you can post surveys but equally casually asking on social media or talking to people is a good way of gauging whether your banana hammock will be a bestseller.
The thing to remember is even after you have set up to keep asking and keep working on feedback as this will help you develop.

Get help

Another mistake is to assume that if you are setting up a business then you have to sort this out yourself. There are lots of ways to get the support you need in order to get things up and running. If you know someone who is good at artwork get them to do your logo, if you have a friend who works in law ask their advice on a legal matter. Equally roping people you trust to watch over the kids during busy periods can be vital as well- don’t be afraid to ask!
Networking is also great in this regard- it is also an effective way of meeting more people and getting to know them.

Be realistic

There are of course disadvantages as well- you need to decide whether you can handle the fact that your income is likely to be very up and down, especially when first starting up. There is also the challenge of balancing the needs of your business with the needs of your child.

For more information on getting back to work and more check out http://career-mums.co.uk/returners