I write this article on the heels of a great runner's high. I realized on my run that many of my articles take a hard look at being a mom entrepreneur. I focus on the risks, the reality and the struggles because I don't want to glamorize what a mom entrepreneur's life will be like. However, while it's the hardest thing you'll ever do, it is also truly amazing!
Take today, for instance. I worked until the wee hours last night and chose to take off on a beach run in the middle of the day. I can do that because I'm my own boss, creating my own hours, and I don't have to ask anyone. In fact, I could have brought my laptop to the beach to get the rest of my work done because I'm not tied to a brick-and-mortar office.
As an employee, I had to follow my boss's orders even when my vision was different than his. I had to work his days, his hours and according to his goals. As a business owner, I get to walk my own talk. I get to live out my vision. I get the glory when it works and the learning experience when it doesn't.
Content Continues Below
Many benefits of being an entrepreneur are true for any business owner, not just moms. After all, what's better than you being the boss? You call the shots! As entrepreneurs, we're not at the mercy of an employer to be fired or laid off at will. And the money you make as an entrepreneur is yours. Your hard work pays off for you.
It's natural to focus on the bottom line when creating a new business. But most entrepreneurs will tell you that the most rewarding part is the journey. The experiences and skills you gain as an entrepreneur are invaluable. The bottom line is not always as profitable as you might hope; on the other hand, the tax benefits of owning your own business are another financial plus.
As a mom entrepreneur, the best part is that for the past eight years, I have been the one to put my kids down for naps, take them to school and pick them up from school, and be there at dinner time and to help with homework. I can play hooky and take my kids to Disneyland, and I don't have to miss a school play. I can stay home with my kids when they get sick--and then stay home myself because I caught their cold.
My day is busy from waking to sleeping. But so is everyone else's. It's a full life, a rewarding life. So while I'm still cautious about recommending the life of a mom entrepreneur to anyone, I couldn't imagine my life any other way.
Lisa Druxman is Entrepreneur.com's "Mompreneur" columnist and the founder and CEO of fitness franchiseStroller Strides. Druxman is also a nationally recognized speaker and author, and is considered an expert in the field of fitness, particularly pre- and postnatal fitness. She hosts a free monthly webinar during which she answers questions from fellow mompreneurs. If you are interested in participating, contact her atlisa@strollerstrides.com.