Navigating Parenthood and Entrepreneurship
For all those who don’t know, mothers who are hustling in the world of entrepreneurship are called mompreneurs. Motherhood is already a tough road and clubbing it with entrepreneurship makes it one hell of a ride. Taking care of your kids while also growing your business is no cakewalk. However, if there is one group that can handle both aspects, then it's our mothers. Mompreneurs face many challenges during the life of the business and it is significantly more than the challenges faced by male entrepreneurs.
Here are some of the biggest challenges faced by mompreneurs:
Funding Issue
When a mom starts her business venture, she usually funds it by draining her savings or by swiping her credit card. Statistics show that mom entrepreneurs have a tougher time securing funds from investors than men and it only shows the sad reality of our patriarchal society. This is because investors assume that moms will not be invested in the business for long as they will find it tough to juggle between their family and their business.
Guilt
Many mothers give up even before starting their business purely out of guilt. They feel that the business will take up their life and they won’t be able to spend time with their kids. Moreover, every mother wants to experience all the big and small moments of her kid and the fear of missing out on these moments becomes a major obstacle for the business.
Self-doubt
Mothers have a tendency to downplay their effort so as to not come across as arrogant. Even after doing all the household work, many mothers feel like they are not doing enough. Constantly doubting oneself and finding it hard to accept one's achievements can backfire in the business. By undervaluing your efforts and questioning your skills, you will never be able to grow your business exponentially.
Lack of Support
While starting a new business, it is natural for an entrepreneur to expect support from his/her friends and family. However, the flow of support drops when the entrepreneur is also a mother. The lack of support from family and friends can really shake your confidence. Find a mentor for yourself and seek his/her advice whenever you are low on confidence or self-esteem.
Overexertion
Notice your mother for a day and you will realize that she hardly takes any rest and is always on her toes doing one thing or another. Mompreneurs forget to take care of themselves and are constantly oscillating between their work and family. It is very important to stay on top of your mental health game or it will eventually affect your family as well as business. Overexertion can be counterproductive and it is essential to take some time out for relaxing.
Conclusion
The struggles don’t end here and the list goes on and on. However, that doesn’t deter mompreneurs from moving forward. In a utopian world, many of these problems wouldn’t have existed but that looks like a distant and impossible dream.
Comments