I have been a mompreneur for 16 years. A mompreneur is a mother raising her children full time while earning her money working from home. This status makes my friends dream, of course but… they don’t realize it takes three times more work than being a salaried employee to finally earn less…
First of all, let me summarize for you how I earn my money: I own my own coaching and sophrology practice office at home. I also sell Reiki treatments and attunements online. I sell ebooks I wrote years ago on Amazon. I also develop a website about parenting including some affiliated links. Writing and helping others is what I like. Editing my own website brings the two together! I write in french which is my native language and in english even if I’m not totally fluent (please be patient and understanding).
A Mompreneur Not Just A Housewife!
The Mompreneur earns half as much, on average, as a salaried salesperson does. On the other hand, she works when she wants to. She has that great possibility to see her children all the day, when they are not at school. But she is rarely 100% in what she does… It is a fact that she has to admit early and to accept from the beginning. Being a Mompreneur it’s having more time with your children while they are still young. In my opinion, this is the real benefit! It comes before money even if the two are necessary to be fulfilled! Most of the time children can’t understand that there is a difference between a housewife and a Mompreneur… Having your mom in the room all day but working is a fact that can be tricky to understand for little ones. “If mom is here, why isn’t she always available for me?” is the question that may arise in their head. That’s easy to understand. For kids a mom is a mom (with or without clients)!
A Great Self-Confidence!
Unlike a housewife, a Mompreneur has got her financial independence. She doesn’t need to ask her husband for money. It gives her a great self-confidence because she wins on what she built with her own hands (and with her head!)! The Mompreneur develops, even more than other women, that gift that God gave us: to do several things at the same time!
When I was younger I felt as I had many things to prove to others. Today, they look at me a bit like if I was an alien… They are curious to know who is really hiding under the “Ignore Alien Orders” tee-shirt and the mom, therapist and editor’s big glasses … My thoughts about doubts have long ceased. I learned not to burden myself with the opinions of others if they aren’t the ones signing the check in my name at the end of the month… When I am told: “And you are not afraid of this or that?” I just take a sip of water. No time to answer that kind of negative questions… I let go of justifications and other nonsense that waste my time. I am both in my own world and in that of my children and my clients’ one. It is a somewhat special galaxy that deserves to be revisited and maintained on a daily basis… In that galaxy I’m Sister Dawn, Sister Day and Sister Dusk all in one at the same time… Understand that I have so much to learn everyday but also so much to decide at the present time and so much to end tomorrow! Do not kid yourself! When you are a Mompreneur you must be able to have all mentalities and all ages lying inside of you! Especially if you work as a therapist as I do.
They do stay for what I am! Yeah that’s possible!
Something is going to sound crazy to you. I’m starting to appreciate who I really am (I’m 46 years old) and where I really come from after 16 years of entrepreneurship! For a long time I had demands on myself on my clothing style, for example. But today I ended up having empathy for all the Célines that I have been. The beginner Céline who made a lot of mistakes as a business woman. The Céline with too round cheeks and a too young style for clients to trust her. The Céline who was ready to cross Paris on foot on a subway strike day to interview a famous actor who was, for sure, going to “launch her ambitious career”. But also the Céline who ended up daring to say No to a big client because his request was unethical… The Céline who put her plaque on the front of her pink house, believing that everything would be easy and okay… This Céline and all the following! Today the customer who does not like the “Ignore Alien Orders” t-shirt under the black jacket, with the Boyfriend jeans and the high heels, can go his way! Go man! As Mopatop I have enough “happy customers” to afford it! Some clients leave because of what I am not while others stay for what I am deeply: myself!
Optimal Adaptation
When you are a Mompreneur you have to learn to do several things at the same time such as writing an article while breastfeeding or monitoring the children nap while concluding a deal with a client. It is a complicated and tiring status but yet it’s filled with a strong sense of personal development. For 16 years I have developed a sense of optimal adaptation. It has even happened that I spontaneously replaced my family doctor’s assistant during a complicated case in the waiting room! Being a Mompreneur means having a solution for every thing! Day after day you learn to see new possibilities and new solutions everywhere. That’s a battle, yes, a battle… to stay! You win when you are still there the day after!
No Tears, No Fears!
The truth is that a lot of my friends have tried to be like me. Some have started their own little business as web copywriters, others have started an online flower bouquet service, still others have tried to sell coffee online, Greek products or hair clips. It takes more than a trendy product or service to remain a Mompreneur! You must get the strength not to be afraid of anything. You can’t let anything impress you! If you are afraid of running out of money, of not being able to pay your rent or your loan, then it can’t even begin!
Desires…
As an only child who did part of her studies on her own, with some distant courses, I learned to fight on my own. I learned to resist bad weather (and too negative lovers…). I have always been a hyperactive woman. My battle is to do less, to refocus myself constantly. So I had everything I needed to become a good Mompreneur. The desire to learn every day, the desire to prove to everyone that I’ll be the one who will never go out of business, the desire to work alone, the desire to develop an office that could also be my magic lair!
The Genesis…
I started earning money from home during my first pregnancy, in bed. I draw very well. I did some female nudes and portraits from my room and started selling them on Ebay. It was in 2004. In a month, I earned half of my salary as a advertising agent. So I went on for 2 years after the birth of my first child.
Having studied Theology, I then moved on to journalism. I did almost all of my interviews by the phone or by Skype between 2006 and 2012. I had a great career. My name appeared in all the major spirituality magazines! Then, gradually I started working for entrepreneurship magazines and newspapers. This full-time job at home has earned me a normal salary for years. When we moved to a small village in the countryside I started my first personal development blog and wrote many kindles too. For about 3 years this was my only salary!
From selling books to selling therapy services…
But over time, I decided to specialize. I went back to school to learn Sophrology and Coaching. When my second child was one year old, I opened my practice office in my house. I quickly worked with children, parents, adolescents and couples in sophrology and relaxation classes. I also started selling coaching packages, my best idea!
Today I have been self-employed in home therapy for 11 years. I always earn less than an employee. But I organize my vacations, my working time as I want. If I have a migraine, I can take a nap… I’m the boss. Recently I gave myself a small pay raise ah, ah!
The Fire Inside!
There is a series that I love because it reminds me of my Mompreneur life: “Halt And Catch Fire”. To be Mompreneur is about to constantly create again and again. It’s about wanting to be the best in your ground and offering the best service to your customers. But it is also knowing how to change your mindset and your goals when someone is better or quicker than you are! Sometimes you just have to persevere. I started my activity with a very effective type of relaxation but with a somewhat outdated image … Quickly I understood that I had to train to a more trendy method. That’s what I did!
What’s the keyword?
When my activity as a therapist took off, my first lifestyle blog (12 years old) started to bother me. I no longer found any pleasure in writing about such trivial things as fashion or interior design… I sold this blog to develop a site which fits with my knowledges as a therapist. What I like about my Mompreneur activity is that it always starts with an idea. A simple idea. But when you’ve got it be sure you change your customers’ life!
Two years ago my husband and I subscribed to a Belief Clearing coaching. We were thrilled! We have learned so much in a short time. It was july. At the beginning of September it became obvious to me that I had to create that kind of new coaching I experienced abroad. Today it is my best seller service. I am also registered on fiverr as a Reiki Healer. On days with less work, I’m not against low-cost services. It is also a way for me to work with an international clientele and to maintain my knowledge up. My goal as a Momprneur is to make money everyday by staying at home and taking care of my children but also to make my customers very happy! They all are special to me! I feel blessed to work with them even in difficult times! That’s the best lesson I learnt watching Mopatop with my children, ah, ah!
I have just started my work for the blog you are reading. I enjoy writing articles about kids, health, activities, life as a mom and as a therapist because I learn everyday from everything. Recently I realized how exciting coding could be! To me that’s a Première! Every morning I look at how my site is doing, I think about an idea for a new post. Once again it all starts with a simple idea and it take me so far!
Mompreneur’s life taught me that everything always starts from a simple need. Moms’ inner resources to make an idea come true are limitless! Just as their love for their children! And you, new creative Mompreneurs, how far will you go with a simple idea?
pic by Alexa_fotos / Pixabay
