Be a Mumpreneur -Embark on a Mum start up!

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There’s undoubtedly a boom in start up mums, with women who want a family as well as a career. Many mothers are juggling family life with starting their own business. Here’s a bit of advice, from three mumpreneurs who made it.

Mums start ups are booming!

Companies like Google have jumped on, to nurture talents, providing financial support and the best of Google’s resources, with a separate programme for start up mums, Campus for Mums.

There’s several clubs and societies that support and encourages mums to start up their own businesses. One of them is Mothers Meetings in London that often host inspirational talks and seminars for start up mums as well as providing a valuable network.

Although there are lots of network groups and support available -starting up your own business is no walk in the park, let alone juggling the start up with a baby or toddler in tow. A few extremly hard working mum start ups that you’ve met through my blog before include Cissy Wears, Scandinavian Minimall and Yellow Lolly. In fact, most of the children’s shops we know have been started up by mums with young children.

Sometimes it seems to be as much of a unique business idea as it is a desire to have a career that can work around family life. And as so many women find themselves in the same position, university degree followed by work and then boom, a child arrives and everything changes. But few are prepared to completely jump off carousel of progress in work life to settle into a stay-at-home role.

So no wonder The White Company’s mumpreneur event last night was fully booked! The all white and bright shop in Sloane Square was filled with engaged women (and a couple of men) who wanted to find out more about mum start ups, and to listen to the speakers, who all have had success with their start ups.

First speaker and mumpreneur up was Liz Earle, the founder of Liz Earle Skincare. She started up together with a friend in 1995 and her beauty empire employees today in excess of 600 people. “Times have changed. We started with an office, then looking to hire people when we grew. With technology, you now start with a website and hiring, then perhaps you’ll get an office” she shared with the audience last night.
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Chrissie Rucker founded The White Company more than 20 years ago after she struggled to find high-quality, affordable white bed linen and tableware. She quit her job as a beauty journalist and set up a mail order catalogue with a government grant and £6,000 in cash. Today she is one of Britain’s highest-paid businesswomen.
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Then last but not least was Annabel Karmel, a TV chef and author of books on nutrition and cooking for babies, children and families. First of all I have to say, to my surprise, she was tiny! Even with wearing the highest heels I’ve seen in a very long time. But that aside, the most powerful words of advice came from this successful mum who recently celebrated Mother’s Day with her three children as well as launching her new book, Mumpreneur.
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“Starting up your business is no part time job, it’s not a full time job, it’s a lifestyle” she warned the audience. And although the response was smiles and laughter, this piece of advice is crucial. Starting up your own business is not easy. If you wan’t a easy job, get child care and go back to your old job.
Annabel shared her tremendously sad story about the loss of her baby, how it was starting up with young children as well as her best advice based on her own entrepreneurial experience. I haven’t read her book, but after flickering through it, it seem to contain a lot of useful and practical advice -perhaps the book for you if you are considering starting up your own business.

To start up your own business is certainly no walk in the park -but so rewarding if you make it!

Thank you to The White Company for inviting us along last night!

2 thoughts on “Be a Mumpreneur -Embark on a Mum start up!

  1. Dear Monet. Thank you for visiting Little Scandinavian and for leaving such a kind comment. What a lovely concept you have there, with your new venture Baby Gent. Very inspirational! Best wishes, Bianca x

  2. I’m a solely single mum to a toddler, and new entrepreneur. My new child, http://www.babyGent.com, was born on Friday, May 15, 2015 after 3 years. Yes, the seed was planted while pregnant and has evolved into my life’s mission. Although I do also work a fulltime job, every ounce of me wants to create the lifestyle to expand without being apart from my son so much.

    Reading this article gave me extra encouragement as I embark on a new venture.

    Sidenote: I reside in the U.S (Texas), and have desired to work in the luxury/classic baby apparel for boys; but not a huge market here like the UK. I just love your site, and would love to feature and/our collaborate in some way to bring timeless boys fashions through my site. I just need to move to the UK! Haha

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