Time Management and Other Vital Skills to Develop as a Business-Owning Mother

The rigors of entrepreneurship or business ownership are not for the faint of heart. And attempting them as a Mom? That can look downright impossible. 

However, it’s not — and a number of business-owning Moms around the country are somehow pulling it off. Whether you are a Mom and own (or are interested in starting) a business, or are a business owner or entrepreneur that is expecting a child, you can most definitely pull off that feat. 

Here are some of the skills and aptitudes you’ll need to develop and hone to keep yourself sane as you take on two of life’s most demanding roles at once.

Time Management

It probably goes without saying that time management is a vital skill for entrepreneurs or business owners that also parents. There’s not enough time in the day for either role, much less for both on top of each other. 

A huge component of effective time management is quickly identifying which to-do’s belong to you and which should be outsourced, minimized, delegated, and — yes — simply left undone. Strong prioritization frameworks and skills are a must-have for any business-savvy Mom. They help quickly identify what demands on your time are actually important or necessary, and which ones should be removed from your list.

Business Administration

As a business owner, lots of tasks become your responsibility that you would not have had to deal with as an employee at someone else’s business. This introduces the delicate balance necessary to determine which of these activities you’ll maintain or accomplish yourself, and which ones you’ll outsource. 

This range of tasks necessary for maintaining a business can include things like managing bank accounts and finance, company administration and registration, payroll, maintaining any necessary permits or licenses, taxes and accounting, patents or other legal concerns, and more.

As a business owner, knowing the extent of these tasks and requirements is vital. Only when you have an accurate idea of what will be required of you, whether once or at regular frequencies, can you effectively manage these requirements and ensure that they’re neither falling through the cracks or eating up your very limited bandwidth.

E-Commerce

At least a basic understanding of e-commerce is a necessity for almost any business in today’s markets. Whether your web presence is just a glorified business card or already an active part of your sales funnel, there are always ways you could improve your online conversions and performance. 

If you don’t feel that this is an area you have a lot of expertise in yet, plenty of webinars, classes, fast-track courses, or trainings exist to help you quickly learn what’s available and possible. These resources can help you quickly evaluate what’s out there and implement the bits that will make the biggest difference for your business.

Leading and Managing People

Sometimes people start their own businesses because they’re tired of dealing with people (especially poor bosses or managers). However, all business happens with people. Whether your business has employees or not, savvy leadership and management skills will help you interact with clients or customers, vendors, partners, contractors, and more. Leadership and management are skills most entrepreneurs readily acknowledge as being vital to the success of their businesses.

You don’t need to already be leading people to start developing strong leadership skills. A huge part of effective leadership begins with doing internal work. If you’ve ever read a book on leadership or studied the subject in any detail, you’ll know that a huge determining factor for how well someone can lead others is how well they can “lead” themselves. 

Aptitudes like empathy and compassion, encouragement, development, strategy, and more can be developed whether you currently lead a team or work on your own. If you already manage employees or people within your organization and are worried about rocking the boat if you try to develop new leadership skills or style, don’t stress. 

The vast majority of people in the world recognize and appreciate one’s attempts to better her leadership — even if it might be clunky at first. Don’t be afraid to let your people into your process, be honest with them, and encourage them to begin their own betterment and growth journeys as well.

Vision Casting

Being able to share your vision with others is a huge part of operating your own business. Whether your work is highly entrepreneurial and is charting a path that other businesses haven’t traveled before, or your business is a straightforward instance of a proven business model, much of your role as a business owner includes getting others onboard. 

This might look like marketing your services, selling to customers, hiring staff, creating partnerships with other businesses, or getting support from local government.

It’s incredibly important to be able to effectively, concisely, and compellingly share information about your business or endeavor with others. As your business grows and develops, this will only become more vital. From pitching to investors or banks for funding, to hiring more staff to move the vision forward, being able to communicate the value and vision of your business with conviction and enthusiasm can often be the difference between lasting and having to close up shop.

As you navigate your business-owning and parenting journey, prioritizing these skills and putting them into practice will make a world of difference for both your company and your sanity.