Maternal Entrepreneurship: When Mothers Go to Fight |

Have you ever heard of maternal entrepreneurship? This article will help you to know a little more about this phenomenon, which even though it is so recent in our country, has been growing every day and changing the reality of many families throughout Brazil.

Let’s start with the term “entrepreneur”, which according to the website of the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) is defined as “one who starts something new, who sees what no one else sees, in short, who does it before, who leaves from the dream area, from the desire, and move on to action”. Following this reasoning, professor Maria Inês Felippe, in her Empreendedorismo supplement, defends the idea that the entrepreneur, in general, is motivated by self-realization and the desire to assume responsibilities and be independent.

On the other hand, maternal entrepreneurship, according to the Maternarum website, “is related to the transformations that concern the professional axis of mothers, caused by motherhood or triggered by it. The enterprising mother can pursue a new activity or go back to her old job, but looking for new ways and a new volume of dedication”.

The truth is that no woman comes out of the maternity process unscathed, many manage to get back to their old lives, but many others end up completely transforming their daily lives in all areas, especially the professional one.

Lack of support makes a hostile work environment for women

And the woman’s questions regarding her career have a lot to do with an outdated and sexist model practiced by the overwhelming majority of companies, which does not welcome the professional after motherhood and seems to be unaware of a reality that is part of all of our lives. After all, everyone is born of a mother.

This lack of support for women goes through issues such as:

Short period of maternity leave that does not favor even the minimum period of 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) Lack of structure within companies to receive lactating mothers, who often use the bathrooms to express their milk Unequal treatment between men and women, who still have lower wages Prejudice when hiring or promoting women for the simple fact of being a woman Rigid hours for women to work at work, who in turn cannot sleep well in the first year of baby’s life Absolute lack of empathy with the woman

All this makes the work environment increasingly hostile for many women after motherhood. This is a sad reality, but at the same time positive, as it is from these questions that great transformations occur, such as maternal entrepreneurship.

We live in a new female revolution, in which women do want to become independent and economically productive, but always seeking to reconcile a balance between career, motherhood and achievement. We are talking about women who want to have more time with their children or a more flexible routine, which makes possible a more active participation in the creation and education of the offspring.

We are talking about women who want to have more time with their children or a more flexible routine, which makes possible a more active participation in the creation and education of the offspring.

In addition, they seek the possibility of working with something that really makes sense in their lives and is profitable.

As this movement gains momentum, everyone wins! Women who are looking for a new meaning for their lives win, children who will directly benefit from a more active participation of mothers, families, society in general, in addition to companies that with the evasion of women in the future will have the opportunity to become reinvent and change this outdated model that does not consider the needs of the initial post-maternity period.

How I Started My Maternal Entrepreneurship

Before talking about the practical issues of maternal entrepreneurship, I would like to briefly share my experience with the subject.

I’m a psychologist, coach, career consultant and mother of 1 year and 5 months old Antonio. My decision to change came when I started planning my pregnancy and I realized that in the busy life and career that I had enjoyed until then, there was no room for the arrival of a child the way I wanted. And that’s how I decided to leave behind a corporate career in the Human Resources area and started to walk my own path.

Since then, I have dedicated myself to supporting the transformation of other people who, like me, began to question their lives, seeking a new path of fulfillment and purpose. I serve all types of people, but since Antonio was born, I’ve been involved in projects aimed at the reintegration of women into post-maternity society, through individual assistance, lectures, coaching, workshops, conversation circles and initiatives that support and help the woman on that path.

And that’s why I’m here writing to you, with full knowledge of the facts. Not only because of what I’ve been following in the consultations I provide to my clients, but mainly because of my own personal experience.

8 tips for entrepreneurial moms

Now that you know a little about my story, I share below 8 tips that I consider important on this topic and that can help women to put maternal entrepreneurship into practice.

1 – Find your path

If you are reading this article, interested in the subject and want to start a business, but have no idea what to do, here are some tips in this regard:

Get inspired by real cases that worked Discover more about yourself – Get to know yourself and question what makes sense to you. One question I like to ask in the workshops I teach is, “What would you do for free?”. And Discover Your Talents – Ask close friends and family about your strengths. Seek support from friends and family – Talk to people you trust who will support your dream. Have a purpose – This goes for everything in anyone’s life. Having a purpose means seeing that light at the end of the tunnel, that which will make the sacrifice worthwhile.

2 – Do not confuse maternal entrepreneurship with selling products or services related to motherhood

Many women confuse maternal entrepreneurship with selling products or services related to maternity, which is a big mistake. As stated at the beginning of the text, an entrepreneur is someone who leaves the dream area and takes action. And maternal entrepreneurship advocates that this action has been provoked or triggered by motherhood.

I, for example, even before assisting mothers, already considered myself a maternal entrepreneur, since motherhood caused all these upheavals in my professional life. That is, if you are a mother and have a shelved dream, feel the need to change and reconcile motherhood and career, just take action with the intention of becoming a maternal entrepreneur. Regardless of your professional activity.

3 – You will not work less

Many women, when choosing this path, have a mistaken belief that they will work less and this is not even remotely true. Reconciling household chores, child care, personal life and work is not a simple task. Having this mapped out, the chances of getting frustrated drop drastically and the possibilities of adapting to this model gain a new space.

4 – Don’t try to do this alone

This phrase is often used by mothers with their children, but in this case, the phrase is from mother to mother. Yes, mothers need help. Mainly entrepreneurs who accumulate multifunctions, as someone who is, at the same time, administrator, salesperson, marketing professional, responsible for customer relations and, on top of that, mother, wife and wife. This may even work somehow, but there comes a point where support and help become extremely necessary for everything to work out.

And since most mothers tend to think they can handle everything by themselves, this tip here should be like a mantra in these women’s lives. So always ask for help! Whether for logistical support for the business itself, day-to-day at home and with the children, or as a mentor.

5 – Manage your time

Working from home is complex and requires a lot of discipline. Therefore, time management is essential. For this, set schedules to focus on work. Do not mix housework with childcare or professional activities. This is one of the biggest mistakes that mothers make. The woman who “does everything at the same time” ends up having very low productivity, her day is not productive and she realizes that she was unable to accomplish what she needed. She doesn’t fall into that trap! You will be stressed, you will not be able to produce and you will feel frustrated.

6 – Plan yourself

Planning is essential. You can do this by creating a business plan, which will be your great guide. In addition, create time and money goals to be able to “breathe”, stipulate a financial reserve amount for emergencies during the period of maturation of the new business. Rethink your priorities and cut superfluous spending.

7 – Practice Networking

Networking is critical to the success of any business. Therefore, value this and seek to relate to your audience, opinion makers and potential partners. Participate in events in your area of ​​expertise. Together we can more!

8 – Professionalize your business

Many mothers fail to succeed simply because they do not consider themselves professionals. They mix up the fact that they are mothers “justifying” their faults, as if this were justifiable. It doesn’t matter, for our customers, how many children we have and how busy our lives are. To win the respect and trust of the market, we have to be professionals. Get informed, specialize, meet your deadlines, know when to say “no”, seek to regulate your business and be the best you can be. Keep in mind that you can always do more. So go out there and make your dreams come true. You are capable!