Earlier last year, when we started our special series #MomBoss- featuring real moms and their extraordinary success stories, the one constant feedback we received from all our readers was-" they make it sound so simple!" These Mom Bosses whom we interviewed, came from various backgrounds and experiences- had different visions and goals in mind. But the one thing that stood common to them all was the balancing act between parenting and running a brand.
And this year too, when we met a lot of entrepreneurs, both established as well as new ones, we steered our conversations with them towards #HowSheDoesIt. And we are letting you in on secrets they shared with us on how they ace it in their parenting and entrepreneurial journey. You can thank us later!
Here are 5 things that mom bosses would do, no matter what! (That's the secret of their success!)
1. Delegate, where you can:
This definitely sounds easier on paper, I know. As a mom, I haven't learnt to let go off small parenting duties and instead insist on doing them myself. As confident and superwoman-like that might sound- the truth is I end up feeling tired and exhausted. Farah Nathani-Menzies & Shreya Lamba of The Mumum Co share this one tip for fellow moms- "Give up on being a perfectionist. Delegate where you can". Read her story here. Malika Sadani of The Moms Co echoes these thoughts too- "It's important to do things that only you can do and let the others take on the rest. It makes all of us more effective", she tells us. Read her story here.
2. Use the best of tech to your favour:
Am all for detox and a gadget-free life. I make it a point to at least, enjoy my meals with the kids, without the use of cell phones. That being said, make sure you use the best of technology to your advantage. From using productivity apps to communication or scheduling tasks at ease, there are tons of things you can get don without even opening a laptop- and that's what moms who are successful do to get an extra edge. Hear, hear! Check out our recommendation of the best productivity apps we love to use.
3. Plan ahead:
Well, this one is a no-brainer. Mom Bosses tell us how they plan the week ahead over the weekend-so they avoid the last-minute hassles, change of plans and other things that would cause tension on a workday. Top among the things you plan would be a meal plan for the week. Mansi Zaveri of Kidsstoppress, swears by this.
A planned menu saves the time that you would take to think about what to prepare. Plus, once you have the menu sorted, you can shop in advance and be ready with all the ingredients you need to prepare breakfast and lunch in time. This is an important process that helps you and all the others helping you (family members, mother-in-law, house-help, maid) with the kitchen, The 50 Indian Meal Plans book aimed at busy moms like us, is a handy helper. With 50 meals all planned and 50 recipes to browse through, you (and everyone at home) know exactly what is coming on the table every day. If you haven't bought your copy yet, then you can buy it here and say goodbye to your kitchen woes.
4. Give your best shot at the balancing act:
To run a brand and to raise kids, at the same time is no child's play. Work and family time would go in for a toss, one or the other, on most days, we fear. How do we set it straight? How do I draw the boundaries- where one ends and the other begins? Dipti Ahuja and Dipna Daryanani of Love The World Today sum it up beautifully- "Decide how many hours you want to give to work each day and stick to it no matter what. Over time you’ll figure a way to use those hours in the most efficient way you can. List down things that matter to you to live a quality life – could be 8 hours of sleep, could be cooking your own meal, could be spending time with family and friends, could be reading, could be anything!" Read their story here.
5. Don't be afraid of challenges:
This one was a common tip from every mompreneur we met. They shared how they met with failures at each level in their entrepreneurial journey, but that didn't deter them. It might all seem overwhelming and impossible at one point- but when you see things later in hindsight- you realise how staying strong helped you tide over the tough days. Hiral Pawar of The Clever Fox says, "My biggest learning as a mother has helped me become a better entrepreneur – to not get overwhelmed by the varied number of roles and jobs that I need to fulfil every single day and to cherish the small victories and fulfilling moments that come along with them" We agree, totally. Read Hiral's story here. Maulshree Somani of Mapayah, says "Being an entrepreneur means being open to challenges of all nature and being open to challenging those challenges". Read Mapayah's story here.
Mansi Zaveri
Pridhee Gupta
KSP Team
