Running a successful business AND being a kick-ass mom IS possible.
But you don’t just add water, stir, and hope for the best. There is a method to this mompreneur reality that will help you succeed at both.
I recently had the honor of interviewing a good friend and colleague, Yael Bendahan, on my Digital Dawn Podcast Show. This woman holds hero status in my eyes. She is the mother of 5 children (4 boys, 1 girl – ages 12, 10, 8, 6 and 2) and the founder of a six-figure online business teaching other moms how to build/run their business while maintaining a strong presence in their children’s lives.
Regardless of where you are on your business journey, most moms (myself included) grapple with this dilemma. We want to knock it out of the park as both a business owner and mom, but feel like we’re just “gettin’ by” in all the things.
First, there are a few things you should know about Yael. Maybe you can relate…
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- She dropped out of high school at a young age
- Married at the age of 18
- Became a mom at 19 (now a mother of 5)
- Doesn’t have a college degree
- Lives in Israel, but only works with clients in the United States
- Deals with the challenge of completely different time zones
Yet, she manages to run an incredible business helping women make good money on their own terms, while being fully present for their families. (check out the eComm Profit Podcast for Yael’s full story)
“There are so many things that business and motherhood have in common. I basically run my entire life with that concept.” – Yael
Being a wife and mom is really all Yael has known her entire adult life.
“I really don’t know how to do life any other way. I’m like people have free time? Where can I find that?”
Before starting her business, Yael was content being a stay-at-home mom. She loved doing all the “mom” things – cooking, baking, and activities with her kids.
“I was totally good at it,” she said. “I didn’t start my business because I was trying to fill a void in my life. I started my business simply because one salary wasn’t enough to feed, clothe, and raise four (at the time) kids.”
Kids aren’t cheap. Am I right… or am I right?
Yael knew her family needed the extra income, but she wasn’t willing to sacrifice the opportunity to be home with her kiddos.
She knew there must be a way to have the best of both worlds – earn a living and still be present for her kids.
And she nailed it.
Now, no successful business owner makes it overnight (not in my world, at least). And Yael wasn’t the exception to that “rule”.
She brainstormed the things she was good at and narrowed them down to what she enjoyed. After researching and learning about particular skills she could offer and networking within certain people groups, Yael became a service provider for a variety of virtual clients… and yep, while still being present for her kids.
Although she had a smorgasbord of services to offer her clientele, she found her true passion to be in the marketing and content strategy space of building and running a successful online business, specifically for moms. She is now a marketing, motherhood, and mindset business coach helping women raise their businesses and their babies by scaling 6-figures and beyond working 20 hours a week… or less.
Ok, I know what you’re thinking..
“If she’s a high school dropout with no formal training, a mom of five kids, and runs a successful six-figure business, then sign me up. When and where do I start?”
Despite not having a high school diploma or a college degree, Yael was very intentional about learning her trade.
“I was literally learning my butt off. I listened to courses, podcasts, YouTube videos (any type of educational resource that didn’t require mental energy) while folding laundry, doing dishes, etc.”
So, to every mom business owner (veteran, new, or wanna-be) in the eComm space who needs help knowing where to begin, what next step to take, and how to balance family life and work, here is what Yael has to share with you.
How to Balance Business and Motherhood
Spend time learning your trade, but don’t gorge yourself on information. The web is flooded with opportunities to learn, both free and paid – choose wisely. Be very mindful of what you consume and the energy you expend in consuming it.
Your time is limited, so be intentional about how you spend it. Break down your work and family tasks into manageable pieces. Group each task by function or objective and then assign each task a window of time. This is called time batching or blocking.
Set healthy boundaries for yourself. Restrict time-sucking distractions that restrict productivity (ahem… social media) during your designated work times.
You’re going to feel overwhelmed with the demands of motherhood and work. You and I both know that being a mom isn’t for wimps. Building a business can be a tedious process. And both can throw an unexpected curve ball at any given moment. Take this journey one step at a time and enjoy the ride, even when life throws a detour or you run out of gas (because both will happen).
Enlist your family’s help. Mama, don’t underestimate what your kids can do. At first, it may seem easier and faster to just do the thing yourself instead of taking the time to teach them how to do it. They won’t do it exactly like you would or come close to meeting your standard, but the important thing is that they’re learning and they’re doing it. Over time, they will get better and be better because of it.
Relationships are everything. Running an online business can be a lonely place. Relationships are not only the catalyst for getting exposure and gaining new clients, but they are also the cornerstone of community and support. And mama, you need that more than you know.
Do the very best you can with the tools and resources you have, as both a mother and a business owner. You can always do more and be better. That is a reality you’ll never get ahead of. Let your best be good enough for the season you are in.
If this blog resonates with you and you want to hear the nitty-gritty of Yael’s story, click here to listen to our full conversation on the eComm Profit Podcast.
Join my FREE Facebook group, Six Figure + eComm Success Strategies, to connect with a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who are growing their businesses and sharing ideas. I’ll see you there.
BIO
Dawn Sinkule, the Founder of Digital Dawn, is an MBA graduate, Strategy and Business Growth Consultant as well as a Certified Online Business Manager with more than 16 years of corporate experience working for a Fortune 50 company. Dawn and her team work with passionate six figure business owners who want to grow, expand, and explode their businesses. Dawn and the DD team provide your choice of self-implementation or fully done for you solutions, and both include detailed business strategies, automation, systems, and most importantly the satisfaction of knowing your business is heading the right direction. Her clients get not only the experience of a Fortune 50 leader, but also a personalized and customized strategy as well as an implementation team: AKA your secret weapon for success.