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Mothers are busy people. Between kids, home and work, you can barely find time to shower. So it makes sense that some of the most successful entrepreneurs out there are mothers – they have a lot of experience doing multiple tasks and working on tight deadlines. In fact, at least four out of 10 new businesses are owned by women.
What is it about motherhood that makes women so effective in business? And why do they choose to start their own businesses instead of following the corporate path? Let’s take a look.
Related: 5 tips for parents raising a family and running a business as the world reopens
1. They are multitasking professionals
Being a mother means juggling a lot and being good. If you want to start your own business someday, multitasking is likely to be key to your success. When thinking about starting a business, don’t discount your ability to juggle numerous tasks at once; just because you have kids doesn’t mean you don’t have some serious skills in terms of time management and organizational tactics.
Remember when you were told in high school that multitasking was impossible? They were wrong. And if there’s one person who knows how to work well under pressure and think standing up, it’s mothers.
2. They are good for managing teams
A unique advantage that mothers have is their experience leading a team. At first, mothers learn to juggle a home full of people with very different needs. This is very valuable when it comes to managing an initial team.
Being able to establish and maintain strong relationships with team members is an important component of success in any business, and being able to do so while wearing more than one hat at a time is quite rare. If you are looking for candidates with entrepreneurial experience who are willing to take on a more important role in management, consider seriously considering mompreneurs. They will not only bring talent, but also knowledge.
3. Mothers can meet a budget
If you have a home-based business, you know how difficult it can be to meet a budget, especially if there are children and other family members living with you. But even if you don’t pay rent or mortgage (and yes, there are some benefits to being an entrepreneur), enterprising moms are known to save money in other ways.
There’s nothing like parenting to show us what things are really important and it’s not necessarily designer clothes or big luxury homes. Saying no to a more expensive brand to find something that best fits your budget is an everyday fact for moms, and they can also apply those skills to their work.
Related: How to be a “mompreneur” prepared me to run a multimillion-dollar business
4. Mompreneurs are great for prioritizing
Whether you are a heartfelt entrepreneur or want to make a career transition, prioritizing is a skill that all successful mothers have. When you juggle countless responsibilities and tasks, prioritizing becomes an essential part of your daily life. You need to know what’s most important, what to expect until later, and where you can cut corners. And once you become a mom, this can be applied to almost every aspect of your day, even something as simple as putting dinner on the table in a timely manner. Of course, it takes time to master the prioritization of tasks and setting deadlines when juggling work and family commitments. But with practice and dedication, mothers can use this skill in an entrepreneurial environment just as easily as they do at home.
5. They still know when to take breaks
Many of today’s mothers have learned to balance time with their children and their screens. And that approach has helped them be more productive and innovative at work. A healthy work-life balance is one in which you don’t have the constant feeling that you have to work, but you know what your priorities are and how to take care of yourself. So if it means leaving your child with a family member for an hour so you can concentrate without interruption, and then once an hour, to reconnect with your child, this can help keep well both things (work and life).
Basically, moms are learning everything they need to run a successful business raising a family. From learning to keep a budget to prioritizing their chores, stay-at-home moms are taking over the business world. Also, at a time when most people work remotely, mothers are gaining an advantage when they stay home with their families.