Motherhood Entrepreneurial Superpower: Thrive in Business & Life
- (Admin) The Thrivology Company
- Nov 1, 2024
- 9 min read
From Chaos to Catalyst: Turning the Motherhood Juggle into Your Business Superpower
Let’s have a real chat, just you & me. If you’re a mother running a business, chances are you’ve had those days. You know the ones – you're trying to nail a crucial client call with one eye on the clock for the school run, your toddler daughter has decided your leg is a climbing frame, your teenager needs an urgent answer about something that feels monumentally important to them (& decidedly less so to you in that exact moment!). And somewhere in the background, Espresso, our hyper-energetic Miniature Pinscher puppy, is probably trying to convince her calmer mum, Cappuccino, that the postman is a clear & present danger. Sound familiar? I thought so!
For years, the narrative has been that the “juggle” of motherhood is a career handbrake, a mountain of obstacles standing between you & entrepreneurial success. We’re told it’s about sacrifice, about constantly feeling stretched, & about how our family commitments somehow make us less than entrepreneurs who don’t have children.
Well, I’m here to tell you, as a CEO & a mum of four – from a sharp-witted teenager navigating her GCSEs down to my precious infant son, with a lively school-aged daughter & an adventurous two-year-old in between – that narrative is, quite frankly, rubbish. It’s time we flipped it on its head. Because what if I told you that the very chaos you navigate daily, the skills you’ve honed in the beautiful, whirlwind reality of motherhood, are not your kryptonite but your entrepreneurial superpower?
Motherhood: Your Unofficial MBA in Entrepreneurship
Think about it. Long before you even drafted your first business plan, motherhood was schooling you in high-level executive skills. That relentless drive to get things done efficiently when you have precisely seven minutes before a nappy needs changing or a school gate looms? That’s world-class time management & prioritisation, my friend. & according to a recent study, mothers in business are proven to showcase a higher level of time management & planning due to the intense juggle.
I remember when I was knee-deep in my MBA at Cranfield – with my second daughter just a baby. The intensity was immense, but so was the learning curve, not just academically, but in managing life. Then came my PhD, which I’m navigating now with my youngest two, an infant & a toddler. People sometimes ask how I do it. The honest answer? It’s a testament to the skills motherhood gifted me:
Advanced Multitasking & Triage: You’re not just juggling tasks; you’re conducting an orchestra of competing priorities. You can spot what’s truly urgent versus what can wait with laser precision – a skill that’s invaluable when managing multiple projects or client demands.
Profound Empathy & Intuition: Understanding the unspoken needs of a non-verbal baby or a sensitive child hones your empathy to an incredible degree. This translates directly into understanding your clients’ deepest needs & motivations, often before they articulate them themselves.
Resourceful Problem-Solving (aka Crisis Management 101): Lost PE kit minutes before school? Sudden unexplained rash? Sibling squabble reaching DEFCON 5? You’re a master of thinking on your feet & finding solutions with limited resources. Tell me that’s not entrepreneurial gold! I once had to deliver a virtual presentation with my toddler daughter unexpectedly home from nursery, serenading me with her rendition of ‘Baby Shark’ just out of camera shot. I had to adapt, focus, & deliver – a crash course in grace under pressure!
Relentless Drive for Efficiency: Every parent knows that time is a precious, finite commodity. We are hardwired to find the quickest, most effective way to do everything because there’s always something else (& someone else!) needing our attention. This efficiency-mindset is pure business brilliance.
These aren’t just ‘soft skills’; they are potent, transferable assets that can give you a distinct edge in the competitive world of business. The trick is to stop seeing them as by-products of a demanding home life & start consciously leveraging them within your business.
You know, there were definitely moments when I wondered if I was completely deluded trying to do both – be a "good" mom & a "good" entrepreneur. I remember one particularly challenging week, my eldest came home in tears because she was determined to build the Lego Parisian Restaurant, but felt completely overwhelmed by the tiny pieces, & I was launching a new program. I felt completely torn between the needs of my teenage daughter & those of my business & I really doubted if I could succeed in both roles.
Stop Fighting, Start Flowing: Designing a Business That Breathes With Your Family
So many of us try to shoehorn our businesses into pre-defined, rigid structures that simply don’t work with the beautiful, unpredictable rhythm of family life. We try to fight against the tide, & that, my lovely, is exhausting.
Instead, what if we designed our businesses to flow with our families? What if we created operational systems that honour our commitments as mothers, rather than making us feel constantly torn? This isn't about working less; it’s about working smarter, with intention & in alignment. It’s about creating a business that feels less like a battle & more like a dance. At Femmeprenista, we talk a lot about creating systems that support sustainable success & well-being – this is a core part of our Business Flourish Framework.
This isn't about lowering your ambitions; it's about elevating your strategies so your business energises you & integrates with your life, rather than draining you.
Smart Systems for Sanity & Scale: Your Practical Toolkit
Okay, so how do we actually do this? It’s about being intentional & strategic. Here are a few practical ways to build business systems that embrace your family life, helping you reclaim time, reduce overwhelm, & boost your productivity:
Intelligent Time-Blocking (The Mum Edition):Forget rigid, unrealistic schedules. Your time-blocking needs to be flexible & acknowledge reality. This means blocking in school runs, toddler nap times (however unpredictable!), homework help, & even those spontaneous moments your school-aged daughter needs to tell you about the epic Lego creation they just built. Flow-Boost: Building in this flexibility acknowledges the natural ebb & flow of family life, allowing you to feel less stressed & more in control.
Action Tip: Use a digital calendar with different colours for work tasks, family commitments, & personal time. Build in buffer zones. If your toddler daughter’s nap is usually two hours, block 90 minutes of focused work & allow the rest for transition. Be realistic about what you can achieve in focused bursts. Honestly, those quiet early mornings, before the household truly wakes, are my golden hours for deep strategic work, fuelled by a strong coffee (or two!).
Master Batch-Working:Constantly switching between different types of tasks is a massive energy drain. Batch-working – grouping similar tasks together – is a game-changer for busy mothers. Flow-Boost: By minimizing context-switching, you protect your mental energy, allowing you to stay more focused & present with your family when you're not working.
Action Tip: Dedicate specific blocks of time to similar activities. For example, Monday morning for content creation, Tuesday afternoon for client calls, Wednesday for admin & finances. This minimises context-switching & maximises focus, even if those blocks are shorter than you’d ideally like.
Implementation Checklist:
Identify 3-5 core task categories in your business.
Block out dedicated time slots for each in your calendar.
Turn off notifications during these blocks to minimise distractions.
Embrace Simple AI-Powered Automation:Here’s where we can get really clever. There are so many simple, accessible AI tools that can act like an extra pair of hands, automating routine tasks that eat into your precious time. Think about streamlining your processes & leveraging smart technology. Flow-Boost: Freeing up your time in this way is an act of self-care, giving you space to recharge your batteries & be more present with your loved ones.
Action Tip: Explore tools like Buffer or Hootsuite for scheduling social media posts, Zapier for automating email responses or sequences, Otter.ai for transcribing meeting notes, or even Jasper.ai for drafting initial outlines for content. You don’t need to be a tech wizard; many platforms are incredibly user-friendly. Imagine getting an hour back each day simply by automating tasks you used to do manually – what could you do with that extra time?
Implementation Checklist:
Identify 2-3 time-consuming, repetitive tasks.
Research AI tools that can automate these tasks.
Set aside 30 minutes to learn the basics of one tool & implement it.
Establish Crystal-Clear Communication Boundaries:It’s crucial to communicate your availability clearly to clients & your family. This isn’t about being unavailable; it’s about managing expectations & protecting your focus. Flow-Boost: Clear boundaries help everyone in your life respect your time & energy, leading to fewer interruptions & a greater sense of calm.
Action Tip: Clearly state your working hours & response times in your email signature & client agreements. Use an autoresponder for out-of-hours emails. For family, try visual cues – a closed door meaning “Mummy’s in deep work mode unless it’s an emergency,” or a specific sign. It takes practice, but it’s vital for creating those pockets of uninterrupted work. I’ve found Trello invaluable for visual cues.
These are just starting points. The beauty is, you get to design what works for you.
You know, there was definitely a period where my boundaries were non-existent. I remember trying to implement batch-working for content creation and completely failing – I'd block out three hours, then get distracted by a screaming toddler, a phone call, or the dogs needing to go out. My perfectly planned schedule was in tatters, and I ended up feeling more stressed than ever. But, it made me realise that batch-working can work - but only with realistic timeframes and with crystal-clear communication boundaries in place. It led me to make implementing the "closed door rule" a family priority.
The Power of Ownership: You Are the Architect of Your Integrated Life
I’m a huge believer in personal responsibility. Yes, motherhood presents unique challenges. Yes, sometimes the system doesn’t feel set up for us. But complaining about it doesn’t change a thing. What does change things is taking ownership of what we can control.
You have the agency, the power, & the inherent capability to design & implement systems that work for your specific family & business context. My own journey with four children, juggling a PhD, & running a business, has been, shall we say, eventful. It’s definitely not always been the fastest path, & there have been countless moments of chaos (hello, castor oil on the carpet incident before an important meeting!). But by consciously designing my business around my life, by taking responsibility for creating systems that support me, I’m still here, still growing, & still (mostly!) sane.
This is about looking at your unique life & asking: "How can I make my business serve this life, rather than the other way around?" It's about understanding that your path might look different to someone else's, & that's perfectly okay. As I often say, even if my path is slower because of my commitments, if I don't get where I want to go, that's ultimately on me. It’s about finding your way, with courage & creativity.
From Surviving to Thriving: Capitalise on Your Maternal Superpowers
So, let’s shift our perspective. Let’s move beyond merely coping with the demands of motherhood & entrepreneurship & start actively capitalising on the incredible skills, insights, & resilience that motherhood has instilled in us.
Your empathy makes you a better marketer & salesperson. Your efficiency focus makes you a leaner, more agile operator. Your crisis management skills make you unflappable in the face of business challenges. Your ability to nurture & grow tiny humans gives you a unique perspective on nurturing & growing a business & a team.
These aren't things to hide or downplay. They are your secret weapons. By consciously acknowledging these strengths & strategically designing your business operations to leverage them – & to honour your family life – you’re not just building a business that can survive; you’re building one that can truly thrive, authentically & sustainably.
You’re not just a mother and an entrepreneur. You’re a powerful entrepreneur because you’re a mother. Embrace it. Own it. & watch your business flourish.
The truth is, managing the beautiful chaos of family life whilst building a dream isn't a walk in the park. There will be days when it feels overwhelming. But by reframing your perspective & getting smart with your systems, you can transform that juggle into a distinct advantage. If you're looking for more support & connection on this journey, a place to share wins, navigate challenges, & connect with other ambitious women who get it, I’d love to invite you to join our free community, Femme:Connect, for Foundation Builders and Scaling Leaders.
Carlene Nisbett
Founder & CEO, Femmeprenista (Coach, Mentor, Speaker)
Wife, Mother of four, Business Owner, PhD Researcher, Pet mom, Plant mom, 5'0" tall Passionate Multitasker & Wine Lover, You get the drift
P.S. This workbook is just the beginning!
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