If you conducted a poll among new mothers, you’d likely find that the vast majority, if given a choice, would prefer to stay home to raise their children. The harsh reality for most families is that eventually, mom will need to return to work.
The role of mothers is ever-changing, and over the past 20 years, there’s been a steady increase in those who elect to stay home with their children. While the percentage is still significantly lower than in the 50s or 60s, new mothers are becoming particularly adept at finding creative ways to generate income while still managing to stay home to raise their children.
There’s no shortage of diversity among these mothers either. Ranging from mothers with no formal education to those considered highly educated and affluent, mothers from all walks of life are reversing course and flipping this decades-long trend. If you’re wondering how you can generate enough income to afford you the luxury of staying home with your kids, you should consider starting your own business.
Business Ideas for SAHMs
- Furniture flipping
- Start an Etsy shop
- Freelance writing/blog writer
- Proofreader or editor
- Virtual assistant
- Social media manager
- Teach or tutor online
- Sell made-to-order meals
- Provide in-home child care
- Wedding or event planner
- Professional photographer
- Real estate agent
- Massage therapist
- Health or personal trainer
- Launch a baby product line
There’s no shortage of ways to make your skills profitable, so take what you know and turn it into cash flow. Or learn a new skill and try your hand at something you never thought of before. Whatever you ultimately decide on, you’re going to need tools in your kit to launch and maintain it for the long haul.
The road to success
Paul Harvey once said, “You can tell when you’re on the road to reaching your goal; this is supposed to be uphill all the way.” Why not make it a little less steep?
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Figure out what you want to do
Maybe you’re good at crafting and want to step it up and create your own Etsy shop. Perhaps you have an eye for detail or writing and know you’d excel in writing or editing content for a blog. Taking pictures might be your jam, and you want to take a photography class to learn how to turn your hobby into a legitimate source of income. Make sure you’re offering something people want, though. It has to be marketable to be profitable, so it also doesn’t hurt to talk to people and get feedback on your ideas.
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Create your plan
Before you can move forward, you need to know where you’re going. Whatever you decide to pursue, you can’t just jump in all Willy nilly. Create a plan of action and know your end goal. Have a budget in mind and look into small business insurance that protects you and your assets in the event of a catastrophe.
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Get your name out there.
Part of your business plan should be marketing. How will you let people know about your product? What demographic will you target? An excellent tool for marketing is creating a business website and business cards. Factor these into your budget.
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Money management
Unless you have a nice cushion set aside for this endeavor, you’ll need to figure out how you’ll finance your new company. If you know your budget, you can head to the bank to apply for funding. Now is also an excellent time to set up a business bank account and apply for a federal tax ID. Think about how you’ll structure your business, too, because you’ll need to know if you will be an LLC or independent contractor before applying for the EIN. Don’t forget to think about how you’ll want to get paid and learn about tax liability either.
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Be organized
One of the most common mistakes business owners make is being messy and unorganized. Invest in tools to help your business operate smoothly and make every effort to keep your business affairs separate from your household affairs. It’s a known fact that if you don’t have a suitable method for organization, mistakes are bound to happen, which means more headaches for you.
What about my kids?
Who says being a mom with a business means you have to sacrifice the “being a mom” part? Nobody is saying it will be easy, but you can be both a rockstar mom and a successful business owner if you play your cards right!
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Get your kids involved!
If they’re old enough to help, include them. If they’re not, you can find ways to involve them passively. Even if it means they sit in your office while quietly playing on an iPad, they’re learning the importance of patience and learning that even if you’re working, you still want to be present.
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Get yourself a mom squad
Working from home can be lonely. Find yourself a local group of moms who also stay home with their kiddos. Not only will they give you much-needed adult connections, but you’ll also develop a solid group of friends who can help you out when needed.
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Get organized
This bears repeating because if you’re going to balance working and being a mom from home successfully, you’ll need to stay organized. Based on your child’s needs, you’ll also need to learn how to manage your time to maximize productivity. If you know little Susie naps every day between 1-3 pm, monopolize that time by scheduling business meetings. If you need to be available to pick older kiddos up from school at 3:15 pm, schedule your afternoon around that.
No matter how you do it, perseverance and determination will go a long way in helping you be successful at launching and maintaining your business opportunity. Joining the ranks of moms who work from home while little ones are in their care takes a bit more than an ounce of bravery but just know, you’re among friends here!
