Starting a business when welcoming a new baby can be challenging. The common advice to new parents is to put the business on hold until their child is older and they are able to focus on it again. But this might not be the best option for some entrepreneurs who want to work from home and have flexible schedules.
Becoming an entrepreneur when welcoming a new baby does require some sacrifices and adjustments, but it’s not impossible to do both things at the same time. Read on for some pointers from CEO Medium.
The Time Commitment
The first hurdle is to figure out how much time you have to dedicate to your new business. It’s important to be realistic about the amount of time you can spend on your business.
You will need to find a way to make up for the lost hours of sleep, which means cutting back on some other activities that you may enjoy doing in your spare time.
It can also be helpful to have someone else with you who can take care of your infant so you can focus on your work. A nearby first-class daycare center or an in-house sitter who has had a background check and reviews from other parents can give you the time you’ll need to get your business off the ground.
Take Advantage of Apps
The Baby Center app lets you track your baby’s development with a personalized daily calendar and get well-timed expert advice on sleep, feeding, health, activities, and more.
Baby Connect lets you sync with multiple devices. That means you and your SO will both have the info on when the baby ate last or had their diaper changed. It’s also useful if your babysitter has the app, too, then all of you know what kind of schedule the baby’s been on for the day.
Evernote is one of the most popular note-taking apps to save text, audio, images, emails, and PDFs all in one place. It has a library of 50+ useful templates like Daily Planner, Project Overview, Marketing Plan, and Event Budget to help you get more done.
Canva is perfect if hiring a graphic designer is not an immediate priority (or affordable) for you. It’s a beginner-friendly design tool that helps you create all sorts of visual content, like infographics, flyers, posters, invoices, business cards, PPTs, checklists, and more.
Practical Matters, Including Comfy Clothing
Another everyday necessity is comfortable and practical clothing. For example, a hands-free pumping bra for nursing mothers is a game-changer for working moms. A hands-free pumping bra allows you to set up your pump so that you can work on other tasks while you express milk. So you’re better able to send emails, focus on business to-do items, or tend to your baby while . Look for a bra that has a patented clip to hold the flanges so you know you’re getting a quality product.
Business Tools
Jotform notes that the most important thing for a new entrepreneur is to have a proper business plan. This should include an idea of the product or service that will be offered, the target audience, and the marketing strategy.
This is where tools like Google Drive and Dropbox come in handy. These tools are not just for storing files, but they also help with project management, collaboration, communication, and other tasks related to business planning.
Most entrepreneurs keep files in PDF form since those are the easiest to share. That is because instead of having to keep track of so many documents in different formats, TechRadar points out that a PDF merging tool allows you to keep all your documents in one file, which will cut time on having to find any one document.
Also, consider forming your own LLC. An LLC is a good choice for new entrepreneurs because it offers some of the benefits of a corporation without the expense. It protects its owners from liability, which means that they are not responsible for any debts or liabilities incurred by the company. It can also provide tax benefits if you plan on reinvesting profits back into your business and have losses that you can use to offset other income sources.
Being a stay-at-home mom is a great time to start your own business. If you have the opportunity, take it. You will be able to work at your own pace and will be able to make money without ever leaving the house. Take advantage of childcare help, parenting apps, comfy and practical clothing like a hands-free nursing bra, and business tools to make it all possible.
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