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What's It Really Like To Be A Mompreneur?

Those of us who are moms know why we want to be Mompreneurs - to have the flexibility to be with our kids, plain and simple. We see other moms doing it, it looks amazing, in our minds we're all in. But then the self doubt arises. We wonder if we can do it. We're afraid - afraid of being a failure, afraid of it not working, afraid to get outside of our comfort zone, afraid, afraid, afraid. Many times we're afraid, and we don't even know what we're afraid of, and it can be paralyzing.

This week's guest, Breanna Gunn, shares what aspects of Mompreneurship have been most challenging for her and how she has overcome them. Being her own boss has not always been easy, but it has been well worth it. Her tips and advice are applicable no matter what type of business you're thinking of starting.

Brea, a wife and mom of two boys, lives in Michigan and started her marketing business shortly before her first son was born. Flexibility was her main reason why. She soon found the first irony of Mompreneurship - we want the flexibility and we end up working all of the time in order to make sure our business is successful. Working through those challenges taught Brea several important lessons about how to be a successful Mompreneur, things that she wishes she had known earlier and luckily for you, she's sharing her top three here!
  1. Turn off the alerts on your phone. Seriously. Pick hours that you are not going to work and truly be present with your family. For Brea, that starts at 3:45 p.m. every day when her boys get off the bus from school. Other times you could put your business away are during meals, bed time and play/fun family afternoons and nights.
  2. Take vacations, not only away from home but also away from your business. The first time Brea did this, she started off with just 3 days. She didn't bring her computer along, and guess what? Her business did not suffer and the world did not end. Most recently she was able to step away for 10 whole days. With a great team in place, Brea was able to leave her business in their capable hands and enjoy time with her family.
  3. Remember self care. Many times when we work for ourselves, we put everyone else first. Brea did not realize how challenging this was for her until one of her clients threatened to fire her (jokingly of course) when she was already back to work when her second son was only three days old. Not only is it so important for our own personal health, but our businesses will likely do better as well because we show up refreshed, excited and ready to go.
If you're afraid to do your own thing, all that's standing between you and starting is the first step. You don't have to go all in to start - you just have to start. Reach out to a friend or another Mompreneur and ask for help on what those beginning stages could look like. Remember that it's those baby steps - a client or two to begin with, a sale or two to start - that are the foundation of bigger and better things that will include many teachable moments along the way.

Many of Brea's tips revolve around setting boundaries, which is a huge challenge for moms in general as we tend to try and do it all. Watch the full interview to hear more of Brea's story and advice, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or her website. 

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