6 Truths no one told you about starting a business as a sahm

When you decided to be a stay at home mum, you most likely did it because you wanted to be there for your kids. 

Somewhere along the line either because someone wouldn’t stop suggesting one business to you or the newest MLM (multi-level marketing) or just plainly because you need money, you have decided to start a business without it dawning on you that a business is like raising another child.

Last October, I made money for the first time from my side hustle so I decided to turn it into a business and here are some of the things I have learned from starting my business while being a stay at home mum.

1. Choose something you are passionate about that also has a workaround; I love photography, I have always loved photography, but the demands of being a photographer is a lot and cannot work with me being a stay at home mum. There are events you have to go for, outdoor shoots etc This is why I decided to choose a niche of photography that offers me the flexibility to be a full-time mum and a part-time photographer. Product photography. In this line of photography, I don’t have to attend meetings, see my clients, they drop their products off and pick up when I am done. I shoot my products at night when my son is in bed and it’s a win-win for everyone.

2. Put in some structure: The structure I put in place is this: I created a website, put my prices on there and on my Instagram- this greatly reduces the amount of back and forth on pricing. I give myself about five working days to deliver a job and I communicate that to the client. The client arranges for drop off,  picks up and anyone that wants a meeting will have to choose between Tuesdays and Thursdays(the days I don’t homeschool) . When you communicate these in writing the client knows that it’s your policy and they will abide by it.

3. Be good at what you do: When you are good or keep improving at what you do when you put all these structures, the client won’t mind having to actually ‘wait’ for you or want you to be their go-to person.                                                                                                   
4. Put yourself out there: The goal of the business at the end of the day is to make money right? You have to also do the work that it requires to put yourself out there. When you are a stay at home mum and you are mostly almost home, you have to leverage on social media. Learn what you need to learn to ensure you make your social media pages appealing, use the time your children are in school or when they go to bed (If you do this once a week, in 4 weeks you would have made some progress), talk to everyone about your business and let them patronise you, bad as e bad, small change will enter.
5. Don’t be desperate: Don’t be in the place of desperation. People can smell it from a mile away. Desperation will come from you being too quick to give a discount because you want to make a sale, overly reminding a client that says “I will get back to you” all these things show. When people sense your desperation they would most likely not want to do business with you. Be confident in yourself, your value and your price and let it ooze out of you!

6. Where you can, give knowledge for free: In the social media world, some people might say content is king but I beg to differ, I would say loyalty is king. Serve people without strings attached and you’d be amazed how these people who now love you will market whatever you decide to sell.                                                                             

This article was first posted on www.fabmumng.com