Marlynn Schotland: Slap Me Silly... mama-what?
mamapreneur \ mah•muh•pruh•nur\ noun At least once a week, I fight the urge to slap someone. It’s usually when I am running on four hours of restless sleep, am losing the battle of wills with one or both of my children, have major deadlines to meet while simultaneously trying to keep on top of industry trends, business and personal finances, emails, friends, playdates, laundry and groceries during my tightly scheduled sometimes 20-hour days. (Sometimes I remember to wear matching shoes!). That someone I want to slap? It’s me, for three reasons: one, I just need to wake myself up. As a mom of two very active kiddos, two business babies and eight blog babies, I get that tired. Two, I want to slap the idiot who thought the life of taking multitasking to the extreme was a good idea. Oh, that’s right: I am that idiot! Mamapreneurs are the most supportive, passionate, and busiest group of women I have ever come across. Like the song implies, we work hard for the money. Some of us work 70 hours a week, others work 10. Some work from home offices, others at an outside office/store/restaurant. Some work solo, others manage hundreds of employees. About 95% work online between 9pm and 2am, according to a non-scientific survey of my own inbox. Most juggle lives that make the phrase “I’m busy” the understatement of the year. All have a deep belief in building their businesses while raising their families. So what is it about this life that draws in so many moms to start their own business? Is it the super-sized guilt we carry with being both Mom and Boss? Is it the late nights, lack of sleep, the fact there’s no “off” button when you’re Mom and Boss? Is it the weight of having not just your parenting skills but also your idea, your dream out there for all to either cheer or boo? Hmm…why AM I a mamapreneur?! Well, the third reason I sometimes want to slap myself: to slap the gutsy girl on the back who thought this life was a good idea (hint: same person as the aforementioned idiot). In the end, the mamapreneur life is absolutely perfect. The sometimes challenging, mostly fun, always soulful life of raising children, joined with the fulfilling life of doing what I love and deeply believe in on my terms while also making a difference in other people’s lives... Marlynn Schotland is the founder of Mamapreneurs Inc, and Urban Bliss, and is a prolific blogger. To learn more about mama-run businesses (or if you’re interested in starting your own) visit www.mamapreneursinc.com |
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