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For so long, many women have been told to either ‘go take a 9 – 5 job & be a working mom’ or ‘a stay-at-home mom’, you rarely ever heard the encouragement for mothers to start, fund, and spearhead their dreams of running their own business, but thankfully there are mothers that have laughed at the status quo. These Mompreneurs are here to remind other mamas & mamas to be to not listen to the naysayers and that if you can birth and raise a whole human, you can birth and grow a business.
Mompreneurs is a new term you might have heard. We talked to 8 women who own that title and breaking down those barriers to accomplish their professional goals without compromising motherhood.
Lomolique by Gwendolyn Osborne
Q: Why did you decide to start your own business?
After using many products for so many years as a model/actor, I wanted to introduce something fresh, effective and easy to use to the market. I have always wanted to be a CEO and this product and I got along so well it was a match made in heaven! Lomolique is the only anti-aging facial oil on the market made with Renovage.
Q: What words of encouragement can you offer mothers & moms-to-be when it comes to starting their own business?
Whatever step you’re at with starting your business just keep believing and keep going! You can do this!
Frame Fitness by Melissa Bentivoglio
Q: Why did you decide to start your own business?
While healing from a sports-related pelvic injury, Pilates was prescribed for my rehabilitation. I completed several yoga and pilates certifications and became a sought-after Pilates instructor and trained top athletes in Canada. After years of instructing privately and in studios, I had been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug when I designed my first proprietary reformer and built out my own boutique fitness studio – Frame Fitness. After two years of designing and developing the Frame by Melissa Pilates Reformer, the doors for my studio opened in January 2020. I was immediately selling out all of my classes but a few short months later, the pandemic shuttered the business and we were forced to close the doors. Surreptitiously, the time in quarantine allowed me to further explore a concept I previously conceptualized The Frame Reformer but didn’t have the time to create a business plan and really pursue the concept.
Frame was put into motion after I saw a shift in the digital fitness world, with group classes moving into homes with well-designed, lightweight equipment and a virtual interactive solution. My inspiration stemmed from wanting to create a digitally-connected, intuitive reformer that could fit into any space and connect anyone to an online fitness community. In addition to transcending the way the Pilates community could practice Pilates outside group classes, I wanted to design a sleek, modern piece of fitness equipment that had the essence of a piece of art. Our tagline was born from the idea that we wanted to “elevate your space” with our beautifully designed, connected reformer.
Q: What words of encouragement can you offer mothers & moms-to-be when it comes to starting their own business?
Believe in yourself. Women are extremely creative, intuitive, and inherently great multitaskers. Challenging social norms and wanting MORE, as men have always had, is an extremely satisfying feeling. The confidence a woman develops from following her passion makes her an extremely talented and multidimensional business person. It may be intimidating at first, but like any new skill being developed, practice makes perfect.
Hamptons Interactive Brunch by Vanessa Gordon
Q: Why did you decide to start your own business?
I started my own business for a number of reasons. Specifically first and foremost, I remember my initial reason was so I could spend as much time with my daughter as I could. I did not want someone else dictating my schedule, my workload, and my advancements. I wanted to have control over my own success and the rate at which I grew professionally. The catalyst for my decision to start my own business was my decision not to go back to teaching full-time. I had originally left the education field when I was suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) or severe morning sickness. But it was when my daughter was four months old that I knew I wanted to get back to working and keeping my mind active. I then commenced the start of mapping out plans for my own business (my digital publication, East End Taste).
Q: Why do you think some mothers think that they can’t start their own business? What do you think some key factors are that may be holding them back?
I truly believe that moms are the best candidates for starting their own business. It is quite amazing what we can achieve and we are capable of doing so much. Some of the key factors that may be holding them back include a lack of support from those closest to them, freedom, finances, and perseverance.
Table Tyke by Berlyn Haughton
Q: What words of encouragement can you offer mothers & moms-to-be when it comes to starting their own business?
My advice would be – do several focus groups first. If your idea drives interest, start to build a network of those who have experience and pick their brain. Lean on their insight to kick off your business.
Q: Why did you decide to start your own business?
A. I needed a solution! I was tired of eating with one arm across the edge of the restaurant table in an attempt to protect my infant son from hitting his mouth or sucking on the table edge. No matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find a placemat with a table-edge bumper… so I decided to create it!
Wanderwild by Katie Duncan
Q: Why did you decide to start your own business?
I decided to start my own business with my friend and co-founder Kelly because we couldn’t find quality gear for our kids that would hold up the “wear and tear” of being a kid. We also believed that with the right gear, families could set out for days filled with learning, exploring, and making memories which is something we love to do with our own families!
Q: What was one of the most challenging things about starting your business while also being a mom?
One of the most challenging things starting out was not having enough time in the day to juggle it all. I really had to learn to prioritize my time with work and my kids to not only be efficient in my business but intentional with my family.
Alli Rodriguez PR by Alli Rodriguez
Q: Why did you decide to start your own business?
When I first got out of college I was unsuccessful at finding a PR agency to hire me at a salary I was comfortable with. I knew I was good at PR and that I could definitely become successful working in the industry. I started my own agency to fulfill the passion I had for PR & Marketing and to be able to have the flexibility and freedom that comes along with being a business owner.
Q: What words of encouragement can you offer mothers & moms-to-be when it comes to starting their own business?
We have carried children for 9 months and have gone through the birthing process. We can do anything we put our minds to. I say go for what you desire and follow your dreams. Ensure your partner is on the same page and that you can get some help once in a while so that you can focus on what you need to. Get on a schedule and prioritize tasks. Also, give yourself grace. Building a business and being a Mom are two super amazing things. They take time to grow and flourish.
Sassy Healthy Fit by Hallie Avolio
Q: Why do you think some mothers think that they can’t start their own business? What do you think some key factors are that may be holding them back?
I often see moms who have these beautiful ideas to pursue. Yet, they say they “don’t have time” or they “feel guilty leaving their kids”. While those are true feelings, they are really a result of the rooted issue around worthiness. I believe that, as a society, we are missing an extremely important narrative that says you can be a mom AND a business owner and you don’t have to sacrifice your time with your kids or your ability to be a kick-ass entrepreneur. A huge part of my mission is to remind moms that YES you can put yourself first and also give your children the best childhood. Honor your dreams and desires and ideas. Give yourself permission to pursue what makes you happy. Your children will be better off because they will witness that their mom is following her passion and they will learn by example.
Moon Cycle Bakery by Devon Loftus
Q: Why did you decide to start your own business?
In ‘Big Magic’, Liz Gilbert talks about how ideas choose us. They’ll hang around for a while, hoping we decide to choose them. Act on them. And if we don’t, they float away and find someone else who will. That was Moon Cycle Bakery for me.
With my book ‘Dwell’, it was an innate part of my own process as a child and the encouragement from within to share it with others. These two businesses are based on topics that I care deeply about and are an extension of what I value. Emotions and menstrual cycles are topics that are often dismissed or stigmatized, so I feel that talking about them openly and freely is important–people feel less alone in their experiences. But ultimately, there was a sense of ease and knowing when I decided to take the ideas and create something with them. And it felt divine in that sense.
Q: What words of encouragement can you offer mothers & moms-to-be when it comes to starting their own business?
Throw the ‘guidebook’ out the window and get really clear on how this business can support you. Not only financially, but the way in which it operates. There is no ‘right’ way for a business to look. The only ‘right’ way is the way that works for you and your family. Part of the joy that comes from running a business is that it’s yours to make it whatever you want! When it feels overwhelming, come back to yourself and give yourself what you need. If you don’t know something, ask someone who does. Lean on your support system when you’re scared. Rest, rest, rest. Make time to celebrate. Go out and show up, knowing that’s enough. And then do it all over again :).
Morepeas by Allison Fadden & Jessica Severt
Q: Why did you decide to start your own business?
We wanted to find solutions that made life with our littles easier. We specifically wanted products that were multi-purpose and were tired of all the one-hit, plastic waste products. Quickly, We came up with the idea for our best-selling snack cup while at a restaurant attempting to enjoy a glass of wine with our toddlers and watching the chaos unfold. We wanted a product that served many uses whether at home or on the go, so we started sketching and morepeas was born.
Q: Why do you think some mothers think that they can’t start their own business? What do you think some key factors are that may be holding them back?
You are “on” all the time, so you really have to work on time management and turning off work to be present with your kids. It’s so rewarding, but also completely exhausting when you have a young family. It’s also a huge risk, both financially and career-wise. You have to believe in yourself 100% and have a really strong support system around you.
So take a moment to yourself, look in the mirror, remind yourself that you are 100% that mom and go start your dream business. You can be a Mompreneur too.
Ashley-Victoria Smith
Serial entrepreneur, celebrity publicist, published author, swimwear designer, and creative director. Currently resides in the Queen City with her two rescue fur babies indulging in coffee, a good book, and Marvel movies.
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