After bringing kids into the mix, early morning meetings and late-night work sessions at the office become an even less attractive option than they already were. Missing soccer games, spelling bees, and ballet practices because of Q2 strategic planning just won’t do.
Rather than exiting the working world altogether, many moms are harnessing the power of building a business so that they can earn an income fueled by their passion while setting an example for their children that it is indeed possible to build a successful company and raise a family.
“We’ve succeeded in business because we are moms,” says Bianca Sprague, co-founder and CEO of Bebo Mia Inc., a Canadian-based doula training company. “When our co-founder and COO, Natasha Marchand, was about to make a move across the country, we had to figure out a way to do things differently, or else our business was at risk of coming to a close.”
Since then, the women have developed multiple online training programs, a membership site, and their own course platform, Beez Kneez, and created a well-oiled machine of multiple streams of revenue.
Sprague and Marchand, along with three other millionaires, share their success tips to build an empire, all while working from the comfort of the couch.
1. Create a “Magic” Morning Routine.
“My day starts at 5:00 a.m., every single day,” notes Lori Kennedy, founder of The Wellness Business Hub, a company that offers personal development and professional training for health and wellness experts. “Before my kids and the world are awake, I get my most important work done in peace and quiet before the day begins. By the time my kids wake up, I’ve already gotten my most important task (content creation) done, and have planned out my day. My magic morning routine allows me to start the day on my own terms and doing something that feels good to me. This way I can be present for my kids and for my team.”
2. Control your Schedule.
“I take a week off every month and I don’t work Fridays,” said Sage Lavine, founder of Women Rocking Business. “I have what I call my Freedom Schedule where I work 12 days a month, and I don’t compromise my work schedule. I get done what I can within that time frame and use my flex time to focus on personal goals like building incredible relationships and staying healthy – working out. I love doing triathlons, yoga, surfing, hanging with friends.”
3. Limit Email Accessibility.
“I’m working toward getting completely off of email,” offered Shanda Sumpter, online business coach, founder of HeartCore Business and mom of Zack, two. The reason I have a team is so that I can focus on working on the top 5 percent priorities that will grow my business. My team communicates with me in Slack so that I’m not constantly being interrupted by notifications that distract me from my zone of genius.”
4. Create Firm Boundaries Not to Come Last.
Kennedy refuses to blur the lines between personal and business during work hours. “I have firm work-at-home boundaries: no personal tasks or appointments during the work day. No social media until my priority tasks are finished, and no non-work related social outings or conversations during the work day.”
5. Invest in Personal Growth.
“Making millions is wonderful unless you’re a stress case,” observes Sumpter. “I learned early on that your money will never outgrow your personal development. Even if you think you’re fine, if you begin to get overwhelmed, stressed, or lazy, these are all signs of needing more personal development.”
Is it easy? No. Does it require sacrifice? Definitely. Is it worth it? Absolutely.