As a single mum CEO – I couldn’t do it without an Au-Pair

/in , , , /by

I was living in Asia when both of my children (now six and seven) were born. At this time, I had help from a wonderful live-in nanny, which was not considered a luxury in the Singaporean culture.

When I moved back to Australia following my divorce in 2010, I realised I needed this help at home if I were to be a successful CEO and mother to my children.

For less than $300.00 per week, my Au Pair looks after my children from Monday morning to Friday afternoon, at which point I take off my CEO hat, switch off my computer and am with them as ‘Mum’.

Read more

Are you a mother or a business person? You have 30 seconds to choose one…

/in , , , /by

I have juggled many roles in my life – a sister, friend, wife, colleague, team mate in a dragon boat, and partner – but there is one role that I will be performing for the rest of my life – being a mum.

My role as a mother is probably the most important one I will perform throughout my adult life. I made the decision to bring other human beings into this world – to teach them how to be good people, to care about others, to stand on their own two feet and to be an integral part of the community.

I am also a business person, committed to building a successful and profitable venture. A vehicle to express myself creatively, connecting with other business people for mutual benefit. My business is my other ‘baby’ – something I created from scratch. I nurture, love and care for my business – it is a tool to make me money and to do something good with my skills and expertise.

Here’s the rub – which role is more important?  Do I need to choose? Or can I do both well?

Read more

5 Systems Business Mums Need for Better Balance

/in , , , /by

Despite the rigidity that seem to come with the idea of systems, they are actually the means to flexibility and better balance.  Without them, chaos can reign supreme, and busy lives end up feeling out of control.  Burnout and exhaustion creep in, and it can all feel overwhelming all of the time.

As a busy mum and entrepreneur, systems are essential.  They allow me to manage stress and keep within the boundaries that I have set myself, so that bad habits don’t take over, or allow me to feel overwhelmed with so many things to do.

I feel much better when my systems are in place because they bring structure to a crazy busy life.  They allow me to compartmentalise when I need to, and reduce the mental clutter of having everything in my head, rolling about at once.

Read more

7 Legal Essential for Business Online: Part 1 – Copyright & Trademarks Online

/in , , /by

Just because you can find it online, doesn’t mean it’s free!  Protect your business by having the right permissions for use of content on your website. If you create it yourself, you have less problems.

Software for the internet is so sophisticated and quick today that it is easy to find copied content. Companies that in the business of selling copyright, like Getty’s Images, automate their whole system so that they find the image you are using without permission, send you a letter demanding payment of a licence fee and follow up without necessarily needing human interaction.

Read more

Challenges Facing Working Mums

/in , , /by

Some women have the ability to maintain a busy career in addition to a bustling family and appear to do it beautifully.  I certainly admire them for their discipline and dedication. I am certain that even for these women, that it is a major challenge balancing this strenuous lifestyle.

For other women, this dual responsibility is a formula for exhaustion, frustration and a never ending battle for survival.  The struggle to prioritise their time between the abundance of accountabilities to their children, family, employer or business can be overwhelming.

Read more

6 Tips for Mums Who Run Their Own Business

/in , , /by

It is a very appealing option to many mothers. Imagine being able to work for yourself so that you can incorporate all the flexibility you need into your working day. There may be an option to work from home so you have no commute times and to reduce child care fees. It often seems like the closest we will get to work-life balance.

There is of course another side to running your own business. The difficult side which can be riddled with problems.
Here are some tips for mums who currently run or who are looking to run their own business.

1. Being the business owner means that you are never off duty. There is a huge temptation to work day and night and to grab those extra spare moments at weekends when you can. After all, what you are building here is for you and your family. If this works out the way you want to then the hours will be worth it.

Read more

6 Time Management tips busy parents can teach their kids: Claim Your Time Back

/in , , /by

Being business mums we have to juggle many things and are always multitasking and yet feel 24 hours a day is not enough time to get things done. ‘Time’ being a precious resource for me, learning time management became eminent in last quarter of 2014. I completed Eric Lofholm’s Time Management Mastery Program in December 2014 and will be sharing some tips from this program in this blog post.

To my astonishment I learnt time management was nothing to do with multitasking or having a strong memory, but was tied to simple fact of managing expectations. At this point I also realised that there was so much unlearning to do, as time crisis was direct result of all the wrong habits being cultivated since childhood.

Read more

Mums in Business: Fastest Growing Sector But It’s a Lonely World

/in , /by

With a continued rise in childcare costs and increased pressure on the family unit, an ever growing number of mums are ditching the stresses of a 9-5 job and starting their own business.

In Australia, women own 585,000 of the 1.9 million small businesses making it the fastest growing sector in the Australian economy. More than 45% of women run their businesses from home (a 20% increase in the last five years).

Owning and running their own business gives mums the flexibility to be there for the kids, as well as have more independence, focus and drive. However, running a business also comes with its own unique challenges including loneliness, isolation and potentially, depression.

Read more

The Real Reasons Behind Your Time Management Problems

/in , , , /by

Being a parent and having to run a business, we often have to juggle various priorities and it seems like there is never enough time in the day to “get it all done.”

We are committed to growing our businesses, yet we feel so overwhelmed by everything that needs our attention that we ended up running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and still come up short.

I often hear people complain social media being a time suck. They can’t fit in the time to write a newsletter. They don’t have a minute to reflect on their own growth. They are struggling to get even 6 hours of sleep in. Yoga… what yoga?

They wish they could get the unfair advantage of having a 28-hour day.

Read more

Management Tips for Mumpreneurs

/in , , /by

The word Mumpreneur is a bit of a buzz word at the moment but like all cliches and buzzwords, it has gained traction because it’s real. Mumpreneurs are a tremendous growth sector in Australia and overseas and according to the ABS, women are three times more likely than men to have the confidence to start their own business. And the Huggies MumInspired Research Report revealed that some 70 per cent of Australian mothers have thought about starting a business after having kids. Lets face it – once you’ve had a baby you feel like Wonderwoman – you can do anything!

For many women, the idea of going back to full time corporate roles after having children isn’t terribly appealing, once the cost of childcare and travel expenses and the time away from home is calculated, but they have the skills and energy and passion that can be channelled into their own ventures. As well as giving you time to care for your family, being a Mumpreneur offers a huge raft of other advantages over a salaried role.

Read more