Why I’m proud to be a “Mompreneur”

I’ve heard so much negativity around the term “Mompreneur” or similar terms lately, I have a different outlook than most I think and I'll tell you a little about me and why in this post.

First off, everyone is entitled to believe, feel and think how they want. Here are my thoughts, you don’t have to agree, that’s totally ok, but Mompreneur is just fine with me.

I’m BOTH a Mom and an Entrepreneur and I will always be both...

I’m a Mother of two, a three year old boy and 1 year old girl, they are wonderful children and full to the brim with energy, personality, curiosity, and the ability to cry over the smallest things in the blink of an eye. 

Parenting is hard, I struggle on the daily with all kinds of things including postpartum. Parenting is a full time job. It IS my full time job, I’m a “stay at home Mom” now if there’s a term that needs updating it’s maybe that one. Ha. Anyway...that’s another post.

I’m really proud that I have been able to start my own business while being with my children full time, BUT my business is my second job. My Kids and my family, our home, that’s my FULL TIME job.

Motherhood is the reason I dared to pursue my passion in earnest.

Before I had kids I wasn’t brave enough, strong enough, daring enough, confident enough to start FOR REAL. I started little projects here and there but I had never put my heart and soul into anything. I was too scared of failure and told myself lies. Lies such as “I’ll start next year” “when I have a better job” “more money” “more time” “more this, less that” they just went on and on.

I had always wanted my own design company ever since I was little, my Dad and Mom ran their own business and I always wanted that same thing. When I got older and went out into the real world my dreams were shattered. Getting a job was hard enough, how could I ever start my own company? More lies: “I’m not good enough” “no one knows me” “I have no experience” “I have no money”.

I was never happy in a 9-5 even though my career was going in the direction I thought would be second best if I couldn’t do my own thing. It was still second best and we only live once, I didn’t (and don't) want to go out thinking I hadn’t even tried!! 

So, I left my job, I was unhappy and wasn’t able to get pregnant because of that unhappiness and the general sickness that the unhappiness was causing in my body. I had never felt as amazed and as scared as I was when I found out I was, finally, pregnant. 

When our baby boy was born I had never been so humbled, so at the mercy of someone else in my entire life. I struggled with postpartum but I didn’t even know that’s what was wrong I thought having a new baby was just that hard, that emotional, that difficult, for everyone. I’m so happy I found out that wasn’t true but it took me months to figure it out and months to get it managed (with no meds).

By the time my baby was one I was a bit more myself and starting to discover my creative side again. I was feeling happy about life and felt like I could take on anything and I got the itch to start a business, a real, go all in, business.

Then we got pregnant with our baby girl so fast we were literally shocked and I was hit with all day sickness and fatigue while also raising my boy at home.

Dream on hold....again.

After having my healthy baby girl though things were different I knew about my postpartum and did everything I could to keep myself from going down the paths I went down last time. With knowledge, surrender and acceptance I was much more successful the second time around conquering and managing my postpartum again with no medicine. 

When my baby girl was 3 months I went to a very inspiring conference, PlannerCon. That year 2019, I set a goal to be in business as a creative, be an attendee and vendor at PlannerCon 2020. I went about making plans and lists and slowly, very slowly checking them off, I was raising two babies and nursing too so I took it one step at a time

Why now? Why now when I’m sleep deprived, not myself, busy as heck and when I already have a full time job? What did I have now I didn’t have 5 years ago, 10 years ago, when I had a steady job with money and was younger?

I now have confidence.

I now have courage.

Becoming a Mom has given me those things, I've been through hard things and I have come out the other side stronger, and wiser. I think most Moms would agree that:

Once you’ve had children. You can do anything.

This IS how I feel, things don’t scare me as much, I know I’ll always have my family to love me, need me, comfort me and cheer me on. That will never cease. 

The things I’m scared of now have nothing to do with my business, money, writing that email, asking that question. Those things I can handle.

So call me a Mompreneur, I’m here BECAUSE of my kids and for my kids.

Im going to leave you with my feelings on the subject if they were not already clear.

I feel privileged to be a Mom, and I feel lucky to have the means and drive to be an entrepreneur in my personality. One does not take away from the other, they make each other stronger. 

xo Christina