The life of a mom entrepreneur is a nest of chaos where housework is neglected for a moment of playing legos or snuggling through a cartoon.  Where priorities have to be established and reestablished on a moment’s notice.  Focusing on your child’s development and keeping aware of their needs and making changes to better there lives.  Being a parent is a huge responsibility and a full time job.  Taking care of a home where children live is a full time job.  And owning your own business is the type of career where you work 36 hours a day and get paid less than minimum wage.  So how the heck do you get it all done?  You don’t.

Housework is the first thing to go in our family.  We’re just happy to get food cooked let alone clean up the kitchen and laundry piles up until we need clothes.  The children can’t be neglected and so motherhood and business merge.  Playing legos with my laptop next to me as I reply to emails.  Designing websites as I sit down for breakfast and chat about the plans for the day.  And most phone calls are made in the car on the way to drop the kids off or on the way to my store.  And the best time to work?  2am of course!  When the baby has finally gone to sleep and the house is quiet.

The beginning of a new business is always the most time consuming.  Trying to get the process ironed out.  Establishing contacts and routines that best suite the business needs.  Training yourself and employees on what you want for the business.  And what do you want?  Who knows you are making it up as you go.  Often thinking of things for the first time as you face them.  Of course you had grand plans before you started but many of the mundane everyday details where not your focus.

So when people stop and talk to me about how they couldn’t do what I do, my first thought is- “Well I’m not doing it either.”  My life is a chaotic nest.  And I know that once both business are strongly established we will be able to share the workload by hiring more employees.  But until that happens I don’t stress over a messy kitchen, or laundry piles, or less sleep.  My life is full enough of other stress.  And I’m thankful for helpful family and for moments of legos and snuggles.  I know that our lives will calm down and we will reminse on the beginning days.  Until then I will continue getting by and savor the special moments of being a mom entrepreneur.