Lilian Fortune

       Just like the conversation I had already started in our previous talk, I remember how I promised to share with you the very amazing tips that I had discovered that made my whole experience as a mum while starting another business easy as the letters of the alphabet. Before I start to get you engaged in what the tea really is, I’d like to give a special piece of advice to new or expecting mums who might be reading this at this time. It’s no surprise that the world has taken a very big change since the pandemic and if I must be honest with you, children born since the time this change started to happen, are born different. They are who we call; the pandemic babies and they don’t play. They are extremely clingy and would not care about you or your personal space.

    Talking from experience, I have one at home who would not even let me use the bathroom on my own. It literally takes him one second to have his tiny hands sliding through the neck of my dress every chance he gets. The only reason I have the opportunity to even type this is because I have found some peace and quiet, in the comfort of my bathroom before he wakes. What I’m trying to say is, if you’re a mum that’s still baking something, a pandemic baby to be precise, and you intend to start up a business once the baby is born, get as much done as possible while you’re pregnant before it’s born because trust me, they don’t sleep, you might not be able to get that ‘chance to quickly work when baby is asleep’ opportunity. Now might be the only chance you’d get to actually run your business plan through and through to make sure that everything is almost perfect. It could be the only chance you’d get to actually decide and map out what exactly you intend to achieve from the business, your best business plan because once your baby pops out of the oven, the first six months to one year, trying to get a hang around being a new mum and doing this entrepreneur thing, is going to have you deep in your emotions and crying in your car with the windows locked. Happened to me one time too many.

Now, to start with the real tea, let me fill you on what should really go down while you’re trying to start a new business as a mum.

1. Passion over expertise: in order for you to actually start a new business as a mum, you’d have to first of all, have an idea of the business you wish to start, draw a plan, and whatever else necessary. This means that choosing the kind of business you’d want to start is the key point in actually being able to manage everything else that would come after. In my experience, do not just choose whatever business that comes your way, choose a business that you have passion for. Trust me, it works all the time. That way, your passion would help drive you to doing all you can to find a balance. It would be a drive to helping you persist through the various cycles of mental stress and emotions that might come later on with regards to motherhood.

2. Work time or baby time; you really do not have to choose but if you intend to start a new business as a mum, you might want to dead the idea that retiring from an actual office job, to start a business from home for example, would give you more time with your children. That’s false. The fact that you’d work from home would not be an umbrella to preserve your relationship with your children because trust me, starting a new business desires all the attention in the world. Your business is your other child, it needs as much care and attention as your children. The moment you are able to understand this, you would be able to prepare your mind mentally for drawing up a plan that would help you satisfy both ends of the stick.

3. You can have it all, just not at the same time; as mums, we get overwhelmed by certain situations that do not revolve around taking care of our kids and when we find ourselves in those situations, we usually result to the things we know how to do best; multitasking! Well, if there is one thing you should know, it’s that Rome was not built in one day. It is important to know how to prioritize your time and plan your day smartly and carefully. Yes, all your attention should go to your children but don’t forget what we talked about in point 2, your business deserves equal attention to. If you have chosen to start your own business or start a new business, know that it is okay to take things one step at a time. There would be some days where your children would be your priority and other days where your business would be your priority. You don’t have to try doing all at one or both at the same time. It’s almost always a disaster.

4. Find a partner: there are over a hundred million people in the world and trust me, there must be someone who shares the same goals and values that you do if you looked hard enough. Being a mum and starting your own business can be overwhelming but you’d have a less tougher time if you get yourself an assistant that can help you hold the business plans down while you attend to mum duties. That way, you’d preserve not only your business, but your relationship with your children. It is okay to ask for help.