4 inspiring ‘mumpreneurs’ on how they got started - and managed to keep going

To work or not to work? That is surely the question all mothers today must face.

And what a loaded question it is too - its answer, dependent on a complex cocktail of factors, ranging from financial to personal, and dare we say it, even societal.

Is it any wonder, therefore, that in answer to this very black and white question, some women look to the grey. Forget 'to work or not to work'. Choose: to work from home.

And many mothers are. According to the Office of National Statistics, there was an increase of 373,000 mumpreneurs and women registering as part-time and self-employed between the years 2001 and 2016; from 439,000 up to 812,000, the highest number since records began in 1992.

“The rise in technology has revolutionised what can be achieved from a laptop and a kitchen table,” says Sara Guiel, Director of The Mumpreneurs Networking Club, by way of explaining the increase. “Wifi availability across the UK has fuelled the easy access to working from anywhere... [and] the sophistication of handheld devices, such as smart phones and tablets - alongside apps designed for tasks such as invoicing, social media, admin and timetabling - has also contributed to this.

“Secondly, the prohibitive cost of childcare for preschool children, coupled with a lack of provision for school age children (particularly in school holidays) means that many mothers have to find their inner entrepreneur. In the UK, a lack of willingness to embrace flexible working or see the benefits in a workforce who can work flexibly, means that traditional businesses are not conducive to a positive working parent life.”

And so mothers are taking the plunge, going out on their own with their entrepreneurial totes on one arm, and their babies' cradles in the other. How do they manage to do it, those superwomen? As any entrepreneur might attest, starting a business is no walk in the park. But juggling it alongside actual walks in the park – with the baby – seems nigh on impossible.

And yet, it can be done. To find out how, we quizzed four ‘mumpreneurs’ for their tales about their bold (and inspirational) experiences...

Where does the idea come from?

Isn’t that the million dollar question? Of course, there is no singular response. But for two mumpreneurs, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was motherhood itself wherein their inspiration lay.

“As a single mother with a young child I was supporting on my own, I struggled with the idea of leaving my son Beau in childcare,” says Catherine Parkins, founder of dog walking and behavioural training business, Fetch Fulham.

“The thought of returning to work in the city, working long hours and then travelling home, while someone else looked after Beau, was too much of an emotional struggle to envisage, not to mention financial constraints, like the rising costs of childcare and travel.

“My business idea was a lightbulb moment. Beau wanted to get a dog and I explained to him [about] the associated costs of having one – vets fees, for instance. Then it dawned on me. I genuinely love dogs and if I began training them, during the holidays he could help.”

For Emma Bianco, founder of Little Earth Baby – the non-toxic, biodegradable and natural baby products company – it was the horrifying realisation of what exactly was in the trusted products she gave to, and used on, her newborn son which got her entrepreneurial ideas buzzing.

“I was shocked by just how many products on the baby market are full of synthetic and often toxic substances,” Emma explains. “New parents have enough to think and worry about, and the products available to them should be safe and trustworthy.

“I was also surprised that all the wadded sleeping bags for sale were full of polyester, which inhibits the body’s ability to regulate temperature and can be dangerous for small babies prone to overheating. The only natural ones available had no wadding and (according to my research) were not warm enough nor practical for washing or tumble drying. There seemed to me an obvious solution.”

How to get started?

Idea in hand, what to do next? Think about it a bit – or, a lot? It's a daunting prospect, starting a business, and procrastination might seem all too easy. But Celia Pool – co-founder of DAME, manufacturer of the world’s first reusable tampon applicator ‘D’ – says there's no time for dallying.

“Silence that critic in your head and get on with it,” she says. “If you can imagine it being real, you can make it real.”

“My co-founder and I launched ‘D’ on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter in March this year and it blew up beyond our wildest expectations,” she explains. “We suddenly found the spotlight was on us, we were being featured in top international publications, trending on Twitter, getting viral videos with millions of views, selling in more than 50 countries and we ended up over-funding by nearly 300%.”

Whilst this sort of sudden success is what every budding entrepreneur might dream of, the reality is often more like a long - old - slog. Turning an idea into something tangible takes time - a lot of time - persistence and patience too.

For cotton pyjama designer Barbara McMillan, getting HONOR London off the ground was “the most difficult part”. “I am a perfectionist,” she says, “and finding the right team to work with, who understood what I'm looking to achieve, alongside navigating an entirely new industry with zero experience, has been terrifying.”

Her way through it was to “make goals”. “It may seem obvious but instead of feeling overwhelmed at the enormity of starting a new business, keep taking small steps towards each goal rather than trying to do everything at once.”

What challenges will you face?

How much time have you got?

Whilst mumpreneurs not only have to navigate their way through a labyrinth of issues thrown up by growing a business, they also have to manage their - err - growing children.

“It can be difficult when one parent is self-employed and the other works for a large organisation,” says Little Earth Baby founder Emma, “as whenever babysitters are off sick it’s the self-employed parent expected to take on the mantle!”

“In the beginning, I worked six, sometimes seven, days a week and most evenings for the best part of a year,” says HONOR London’s Barbara. “It was tough not spending as much time as I’d like with my daughter, who’s almost two years-old. But I knew I was moving towards a more flexible way of working, which would ultimately give me the freedom to spend more time with her.”

“The early days were tough but the main reason for that was the lack of confidence,” DAME founder Celia explains. “Every month I spent on maternity leave after my first child, my confidence dropped another notch. I did the classic start-up thing of beginning by working from home whilst my daughter played at my feet (with tampons, no less). She seemed happy so I just rolled with it, fitting in my work around her naps.”

How to get around the challenges?

Whilst founding a business from home clearly has its benefits – flexible hours, no domineering boss breathing down your neck all the livelong day - there are also disadvantages. Like, who do you bounce ideas off? After all, they may make great listeners, those nursery walls, but what they're not so hot on is coherent feedback. Where do mumpreneurs turn to for that?

“There are numerous online groups for people wanting to start businesses, listen to what these people have to say,” says Fetch Fulham founder Catherine.

There are also networking societies – like the aforementioned Mumpreneurs Networking Club – and founders’ clubs too, like AGORA London, who recently launched ‘Mum-preneur: Support + Connect’, a curated programme for founder mums.

“We have brilliant mumpreneurs within AGORA, and globally, and I have long seen ‘the mum’ as a demographic starved of not just valuable and accessible support, but also, the tools to maximise the resource and talent that lies within the mummy network,” says AGORA founder, Emma Watkins. “‘Action equals impact’ is one of AGORA’s core values. And it is now the time to act.”

“We wanted to develop a place where mums have a place to discuss why their two-year-old doesn’t sleep, as well as entrepreneurial issues - including scaling a business, fundraising, finding the right partner etc,” says Sara N. AlAteeqi, AGORA director who is herself, a mother and entrepreneur. “Mums don’t have much time to socialise let alone find entrepreneurial groups to join. We felt we could help in that space by creating this programme.”

Any other advice?

Whilst of course different start-ups have different requirements, that's not to say there's no cross-over on the process of founding one. What pearls of wisdom would be useful to know?

“Truly believe in the business or concept you’re doing,” says DAME co-founder Celia. “Because inevitably, with all businesses, times will get tough and you will question why you’re doing it – [such as] when you miss kissing your babies’ goodnight because you need to go to a work event.

“Believing in the mission - like for me, trying to reduce the unnecessary single-use plastic waste in the world - makes it easier to ride out the storms.”

“Ask questions,” says HONOR London’s Barbara. “Reach out to people who have done similar things and be open to learning. Even if you think you know something already, or might have an idea of how best to approach something, always be open to learning from those with experience.”

Finally, trust your gut. “Motherhood is such a personal journey,” says Little Earth Founder, Emma. “Just follow your instincts and do what feels right for you and your family.”