Business Coach Karen Grill Shares Business Advice For Mompreneurs

For mothers who want to both work and spend time with their kids, starting an online business is a popular option.

A Harris survey found that 57 percent of women either have started their own business or have thought about doing so. The main reasons: to do work they are passionate about, and to have more flexibility.

“The term mompreneur is used to describe a mother who runs a business, usually from home,” says Karen Grill,  founder of Second Act Moms and  business coach who works with mompreneurs who are struggling to balance their business and family.

Mompreneurs usually start an online business based on a skill they already have (like marketing consultancy or project management, for example). Another direction they take is creating and selling a product they wished existed (like making baby food healthier or finding innovative solutions to common challenges such as spending a lot of money on diapers or having kids with skin allergies that don’t tolerate any commercial laundry detergent on the market).

So what does it take to run a successful  business as a mompreneur?

Implementing a personalized time management strategy that fits your lifestyle

Time management is important for any business owner, but even more so for mompreneurs.

“I think many mompreneurs struggle with time management because they’ve always tried the same way to schedule or plan.  There is not, however, a one size fits all approach to time management. Some people love to plan and they plan every minute of every day.  Others detest planning and resist it at all costs. I believe there is a time management spectrum and you have to find where you fit on that spectrum”, says Grill.

Grill adds that “Moms in business need to find a way not only to manage their time for their business, but also for their family and for themselves. There are specific strategies and tools that work best for them.”

Delighting your customers

Referral marketing, also known as word-of-mouth marketing, is one of the oldest and most effective marketing strategies.

By having an excellent product or service and implementing a great customer support service, any small business can turn their customers into brand advocates.  

Preparing a plan

Having a detailed plan in place will make things clear and the implementation part much easier.

Grill says that “You need to be crystal clear on what you will sell, to whom, where will you find your clients and how will you sell your product or service to them. Once you understand this, you can create a plan that includes the needed steps to take in your journey towards reaching your goals.”

Setting up the basics

Today there are free or low-cost solutions for all the tools that a small business needs.

“From the start, you should have a website, even if it is just one landing page,a business email address and a way to send out invoices and collect payments. Also, if you are selling a service, make sure you have a contract or legal agreement that details the type of work you do for the client and all the needed details,” says Grill.

Marketing your business

Implementing a marketing strategy can help small businesses gain new customers and increase repeat business.

“Your potential clients will know about your services or products only if you get out there and tell them about it,” says Grill. ” You must master the skill of marketing yourself. This includes a deep understanding of the needs and wants of your clients but also creating authority content that educates, motivates and encourages people to buy from you, writing sales emails and making sales calls.”

Karen Grill is a coach for mom entrepreneurs who are struggling to balance their business and family and are torn between doing their best work for their clients and feeling guilty they’re not spending quality time with their kids.  She helps them manage their time and structure their business to give them the work-life balance they crave. Find more at https://secondactmoms.com