Your kids can be an asset to your business

One of the biggest challenges faced by business mums is juggling the demands of family with the demands of business. I used to get irritated by my boys interrupting me and not letting me concentrate on work, until I made the decision to see them as an asset to my business. After all, I wouldn’t have a business if it wasn’t for them!

I won’t lie to you and say I never get irritated with them now, I still do sometimes, however by changing my mindset, we have a happier home life and I’m more productive.

So, how are my kids a business asset?

One way they help is with time management and routine. Any parenting expert will tell you that kids thrive in a routine, and my kids are no exception. Our daily routine is flexible and definitely not on the clock, however we do have one. There are times in the day I do the “Mum thing” and other times I work on my business. It is amazing how quickly 3.30pm rolls around and it’s school pick up time!

Another way is connecting with clients. Once I started sharing stories of how the boys help in business and what they’re up to, it really helped me connect and show that I really do know what I’m talking about when I talk about juggling business and family. It’s amazing the number of people on my mailing list who remember when Mr Z was born and send him birthday cards!

My kids also love publicity. They love seeing themselves in the newspaper, on TV and hearing themselves on the radio. I insist my kids are in any publicity photos I do and it’s amazing the number of people who will stop and read an article accompanied by a photo of cute kids!

I also put my kids to work, especially in the school holidays. There are many little tasks they can help with. My kids are currently 7 and 9 and they help out with mail outs, shredding, packing goodie bags, counting stock, and many other little tasks that take up my time. As they grow older, they will be able to help with filing and data entry. For this work, I give them extra pocket money, allowing them to save up for toys and other treats they want. I’m sure as they get older, I’ll eventually put them on the payroll!

Lastly, by simply being around, they remind me daily why I run my business. Spending time with them also helps keep me sane. They help break up the day wanting me to play football with them or mend a broken toy. Going for walks with them gives me regular exercise.

By seeing my kids as an asset to my business helps all of us – and helps the business grow.

This article was first written in 2009 when I was working full time from home, and has been updated.

Make sure your kids are happy doing a quiet activity

Anyone in business will tell you that networking is a great way to build your business.  As a Business Mum, it can be hard to attend networking events during child free time.  Depending on your child, taking your child with you can work to your advantage.

Before you read on, think about your children, if they are particularly active and don’t like sitting quietly and colouring or doing a quiet activity, then it’s probably better to find a babysitter, or wait until there is an event you can attend when they are at school.

Before booking in to an event, call the organisers and let them know you have a child you will need to bring with you.  Let them know the age of your child and, if the child is no longer a baby, that you will bring colouring books or another activity to keep your child busy during the session, and that you are prepared to take your child out of the room if they become noisy.  There will be some organisers will request that you don’t bring your child with you; however there are some that are happy to accommodate both you and your child.

Before the event, prepare your child.  Let your child know what will happen at the event and what you expect from them.  Pack a bag with activities for your child, and some snacks and drinks.  Depending on the age of your child, they may want to choose their favourite colouring books to take with them.  Dress your child appropriately for the event.  Remember that your child is representing your business as much as you are.

During the event, keep your child close to you.  If it is a sit down event, such as a breakfast or lunch, choose or request a seat near the back where there is room for your child to play on the floor near you while you listen to the speaker.

Depending on the age and cute factor of your child, and the event, your child can be a draw card for other networkers to say hello to you.  They can be a great ice breaker.  Your child will also help you and your business stand out and be memorable.

Following the event, you may want to reward your child’s good behaviour with a treat of some sort.  Depending on the child, it might be watching a favourite video, a chocolate frog, or having a picnic lunch with Mummy.

Case Study
About a year after I started my business, I attended the Marketing Awards award ceremony with one year old Nathaniel.  Michelle Vogrinec from Gaia Skin Naturals was also there with her little boy Joshua.  One of the presenters was Dr Judith Slocombe.  There were around 200 women at this event, and I was able to speak with Dr Slocmbe for maybe a minute.  A few years later, I attended a networking breakfast by the City of Monash with three year old Zachariah.  Dr Slocombe was one of the speakers at this event.  Following the event, I went up to say hello.  She remembered me from this event – because of the presence of my sons!

They presence of my children have helped me stand out and be memorable.  Both my children have attended networking events since they were small, and know how to represent my business beautifully.

Running a business with a newborn can be a challenge

Congratulations on your new baby.  In many ways, running your business with a newborn baby is a lot easier than running it with toddlers as a newborn is not likely to get in to your stock or try and reset your computer; however there are still many challenges.

You may be able to take some maternity leave from your business, but many business mums prefer to keep their business going when they come home with a new baby, for a variety of different reasons.

Here are some tips on managing your business with a newborn:

1. Manage your time
If your baby is in a regular routine, choose one sleep time when you will work and another when you will rest, even if you don’t sleep during this time.  Most babies are up for a feed during the night and so you may be sleep deprived.  Look after yourself by resting and not pushing yourself too hard.

2. Extend your delivery time
If you have a delivery time for your business, extend it.  For example, if you have an online shop and your standard delivery time is 2-3 working days, change it to 4-6 working days.  If you get your product to the customer early, it will give them a pleasant surprise.  It will also help to take the pressure off yourself while you are bonding with your baby and coping with a new baby and sleep deprivation, not to mention visitors who drop around to see your baby.

3. Outsource
Are there any tasks you can outsource, even if it is only for a few months?  Some tasks could include your accounts, admin tasks, newsletters, fulfillment of orders and even house cleaning.  This can help take pressure off you while keeping your business going.  If it works well, this outsourcing could also help you grow your business in the long term.

4. Prioritise
What are the tasks that must be done today, and what are the bonus tasks?  You may pride yourself on answering all your e-mails within 24 hours, but your accounting can either wait another day or be outsourced.  It may also be housework tasks that can wait, after all, does the carpet really need vacuuming every day, or can it be done every 3 days or even once a week?

5. Look after yourself and enjoy your baby
The biggest thing for you to do when you have a newborn is to look after yourself and enjoy your baby.  Being a new mother is one of the most challenging and rewarding roles you will ever have, so take some time to adjust to this role, whether this is your first baby or your fifth.  Remember that your baby is the reason you run your business.

Running a business with a newborn is challenging, but it can work.  Enjoy your new baby and your business.