What is a Mumpreneur?
‘When women connect they don’t just move mountains, they do it in heels and manage to sort the laundry out later’- Anonymous
Almost overnight a new buzz word has emerged, Mumpreneur. So what does it mean and is it something to be proud of or is the term patronising? After all, does the fact that we’re mummies make a difference to how we run our businesses? And why can’t we just be great business people bringing up a family as well?
Some women would argue that ‘mumpreneurs’ make the news because many women, who run their own businesses, are taking the lion’s share of responsibility at home. So I asked a group of business women what it means to them.
‘ My idea of a mumpreneur is a woman who hasn't thought about going into business until after she's had children, perhaps as a way to avoid returning to work so she can stay at home with them ’ said one. ‘ If I hadn’t had children I wouldn't have even considered starting my own business, and in fact, I hadn't really considered it with kids... it just kind of happened because I wanted to stay at home with my babies and I didn’t want to be bored out of my brains in the process’ replied another.
‘It’s not easy juggling kids and business, especially when your four year old is off school ill and the baby’s kept you awake all night!’ explained one busy mum; ‘24/7 doesn’t begin to describe it!’ another told me.
For me, becoming a so called Mumpreneur happened by accident, but there is no doubt that in the back of my mind I knew, if I were successful, I could work around my family; and that was the driving force behind starting my company, Teddy & Me. Gone are the days when a woman can expect to be supported financially by her partner in return for keeping house and raising children.
It’s clear that many ‘mumpreneurs’ stumble upon entrepreneurialism, it’s almost a by product of their need to balance finances and raising children. Should we be proud to be called Mumpreneurs – Yes, I think so, because we do it despite all the obstacles in our way and in many ways that’s a greater achievement ten being a plain old ENTREPENUER.
Sharon Ward
Finalist in ITV’s This Morning Mumpreneur Competition
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About the Author:Teddy & Me
Beautiful Clothing for Premature and Tiny Babies.
http://teddyandme.co.uk/
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