Entrepreneuress?
7 Insights

Nathalie Huvaere

I t takes a lot of hard work to establish a successful company and to keep it going. We are always planning, focusing, making decisions, learning, implementing, adjusting and standing up again after we’ve fallen. Entrepreneurship is quite a challenge.

For a lot of women the greatest challenge though, is in the combination with the family. And it isn’t any different for me. Apart from our role as entrepreneur, we also play the part of partner, mother and very often also of housekeeper. That’s a lot of juggling, no?

In our family, things were going haywire from time to time. Well, quite often actually, to be honest. In the meantime, things have gotten better.

The following SEVEN insights helped me along the way. I’d like to share them with you.

 
#1
Don’t be too hard on yourself
Nobody is perfect, why should you be? We try so hard to step from one role into another, smoothly, and without dropping any balls. This takes a lot of juggling. But it’s okay to drop a ball. And realizing this was a very liberating thought.

 
#2
Make sure you have a strategy
Especially as a mum it is very easy to get entangled in the many everyday tasks. So make sure you have a strategy, not only for your company, but for your entire life. Plan everything very carefully: business appointments, phone calls… but also your private appointments [kids' activities, doctor's appointments...]. Oh, and do plan your free time as well, because this is important too!

 
#3
Learn to say no [click to tweet]
What are the core activities of your company and what’s the extend to which you’re always concentrating on those activities? Sometimes I have the feeling I’m busy doing so many things, that I have no more time left for my business. Especially when you’re just starting it is very tempting to do almost everything you get the opportunity to. However, focus on the activities you want to build on and dare to say no if something doesn’t fit in. You’ll be rewarded later.

Apart from your professional activities it is also good to be remain alert and to question your own doings from time to time. And this is especially true for moms working from home. You may be flexible, but you don’t always have to be ready to help when people ask, simply because you’re ‘home’.

 
#4
Outsource what you can
Don’t be too proud to ask for help. Accept help and outsource what you can. You really don’t need to do everything on your own. Maybe you can outsource a couple of tasks for your business, so you can focus more on your core activities. But you can also hire a cleaning or ironing service. And don’t feel guilty about it!

 
#5
Communicate clearly
Make clear agreements about planning, work schedules and household tasks. Make sure your partner and kids know when you work and when you’re free. This is especially important if you work from home a lot. Try to get your partner and kids involved as much as possible and make sure task divisions are clear to everyone.

 
#6
Find like-minded people
Look for a buddy, a coach, a mentor -preferably an other entrepreneur- or a supporter. Somebody with whom you can exchange experiences and share your knowledge and insights. Somebody with a positive attitude, but who dares to hold up a mirror when necessary. I always learn an awful lot from other people, from their experiences and good advice. I get a lot of energy from these discussions. They can give you the strength to go on. And if I, in turn, can help somebody else, it gives me a tremendously good feeling.

 
#7
Be patient
Finally, an insight that holds true for everybody, in your business as well as your personal life. To say it with a cliché: ‘Patience is a virtue!’ And it is. Building a business takes time. Make sure you take the time that is necessary and allow yourself that investment and growth. Good luck, everyone!

 
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Are you a female entrepreneur? A working at home mom? What keeps you going?
Please share your insights, tips, experiences in the comment box below, so we can all benefit!
And share your website url so we can do some digital networking!
Thank you!

Nathalie Huvaere

Language trainer, text corrector, linguistic consultant. With my master’s degree in translation studies I gained a lot of experience in language technology and in a number of different sectors. Today I work as a freelance trainer. With ‘Taalatelier’ I offer the services of ‘proof reading’ and ‘ text revision’ and I am still expanding my business offers. Let’s connect on Facebook, LinkedIn or nathaliehuvaere.com

 
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