'Mumpreneurs' - how much are you motivated by money?

OVER at Who's the Mummy, Sally Whittle is raising the sort of questions that many women in business are asking about the term 'mumpreneur'.

Having met lots of 'mumpreneurs' on Saturday, it's a very interesting debate. But it's not the only one I'm mulling over. I'd be really interested to know: Mums in business - how much are you motivated by money?

Anyone thinking about whether they want to be known as a "mumpreneur" or not would be better off thinking about cold, hard facts about business in the current climate and how they are going to make a success of their company.

Do you agree?

Thanks to everyone who has been in touch with me after the publicity seminar on Saturday. It has been brilliant to see the feedback. Thanks again and congratulations to Antonia Chitty on her much-deserved award. 

I don't like the way 'mumpreneur' has connotations of someone running a business literally at the same time as being a mum - I have written lots of articles about mums in business and some of the best advice I ever had was make sure that quality time at work is just that, while quality time with the children is separate.

Easier said than done, but to succeed and be taken seriously, it helps. If you are constantly on a BlackBerry when you are with your kids - that's a disaster.

If I was trying to market services or products to other mums to somehow help them with their children, then I would have no hesitation in using the term 'mumpreneur'. But I'm not so I don't.

I have a colleague who was voted an 'inspirational working mother of the year' and it was excellent for PR, same as being featured in national research on flexible working was.

But I personally don't like the term 'mumpreneur' - I run a business offering professional services and have encountered advisers who seem to think I need a "nice little job" while I am away from my children.

That's without calling myself a "mumpreneur".

While the fact that I am a mum affects how I have approached my business, it does not affect the efficiency of its services - and that is where I think it can have dangerous, negative perceptions as Sally has pointed out.

Books, events, courses and 'gurus' focusing on women in business tend to be big on "inspiration" and our company has benefited from that.

We are welcoming an "inspirational" speaker to an event for women in business we are holding in the coming weeks.

But there is only so much "inspiration" anyone needs - while waiting for inspiration, you could be getting on with working on your business and making money...

And isn't that what matters in a business? Isn't that what clients need to see to give them faith in you?

Antonia's Mumpreneur Guide reports that mums have an average "turnover of more than £26,000" - I was a bit stumped by this figure. Take out overheads and suppliers' costs and how much profit does that leave?

Just asking! Is it the wrong question? What do you think? I know that profit wasn't the main driving factor in the earlier years for me. It is becoming more so now.

What isn't in doubt is the massive impact mums in business have on the UK economy, with Antonia reporting they contribute £4.4 billion.

As has been pointed out today, in response to a debate about the tag "mumpreneur" this should be celebrated.

I agree entirely. I just hope the "average turnover" for mums in business can go up a bit!  

Comments

[Libby Sissons]

I hate the term mumprenuer and I wouldnt have gone on Saturday because the connotations put me off. It's as if it makes light of all the hard work, business sense and determinatioin that goes into it because somehow its not as important because we are mothers. In reality it's much harder to run a business AND be a mother!
I went because I was nominated for an award. However, I'm really glad I did as I met lots of great people and some useful contacts.

[Puzzled]

I think 'celebrating' mums in business is one thing. Good for them that they are resourceful and creative. But how is this helping exactly? To run a business you need to have a lot of nouse. Mums have that in abundance, so can't they just get on with it instead of 'celebrating' or patting themselves on the back all the time? Why such a congratulatory tone all the time? Is this really such a wise approach?

[Linda]

Hi Libby - fwiw, I understand where you are coming from. I have worked with or for women I had no idea were mothers - which I know shouldn't be surprising, but in the current 'debate' does make me think.

Hi Puzzled

Do you not want to be publicly puzzled then we could talk about this? :) I can see where you are coming from but what you are overlooking is that because mums have taken time out from work and may be lacking in confidence and have so many other demands on their time, it's felt that they do need to be congratulated and that role models such as those who spoke at Saturday's event are helping inspire other women. I am saying this is fantastic but realism about what running a business means is just as important. You can have written out as many "visions" for your business as you like, if you get a tax bill you hadn't planned for or prefer constant networking to actually getting on and doing something, you may not be as delighted as you hope with your business success...

[Sian To]

Thanks for asking me to stop by.
Personally I hate the 'm' word. In fact it kind of makes me shudder.

Yes I am a mum and I have a successful business and yes I have to be a master multi tasker. But I hope that doesn't make me a mumpreneur.

That word makes me think 'cottage industry', mums at home baking cakes and selling nappies in between school runs and coffee mornings. More than anything else that is not a view that I want people to have of me and my PR company.

I'm not saying that these fledgling businesses are a bad thing - quite the opposite and I try to support my fellow mums by choosing to buy from them rather than the high street wherever possible.

I was recently and very kindly listed by a fellow blogger in her mumpreneur directory and I felt awful, rude and ungrateful when I asked her to remove me. But I didn't want to be listed alongside the stay at home mums that are tapping into their creative talents to make a bit of extra cash so that they dont have to return to their full time pre pregnancy positions.

I have worked hard to build my business and my reputation. I have worked through pregnancies, written press releases from my post birth bed, learnt how to breast feed and type whilst being on the phone because this is what I had to do in order to not let my clients down.

I think that the 'm' word is actually quite insulting - proof that what you are doing isn't a real business but just something that you are playing at.

But my hard work has paid off. I have a good income that supports our family - and that makes me a very proud businesswoman.

[Emma]

I dont like the term Mumpreneur. Its quite patronizing.
'Look at this Mum, thats managed to set up a business' Well yes Im a mum but Im also a professional web developer that takes my work very seriously. The term categorizes you into a stereotypical 'Mum' without seeing you as a professional individual.
Its the person I am and my determination that has taken my business to where it is today. Not the fact I have two children to look after, if anything that makes it harder and can be quite stressful at times.
However I think the term is here to stay and if thats what we are seen as, maybe its down to us to change the perception of the term. Raise the profile a bit!

[Rebekah Harriman]

I don't mind the term mumpreneur because it is not the exclusive label of my business. I am a mum who runs my own business. My driving factors are both having a career that is flexible enough to fit in around the demands of being a parent but also that I can be very successful doing what I do! So money is also a driving factor.

It can be helpful as a term for finding support of other women in a similar situation and I think highlights that the 'norm' of our business culture is not particularly family friendly. Hence many parents (not just mums) trying to find an alternative.

But having a business head is also essential otherwise you won't be taken seriously by your client base and your company can fold.

The women I met on Saturday were all encouraged by each other, inspired and found support but I did not meet anyone who saw this as a hobby job, everyone wants to be successful.

So I consider myself a creative, an expert in my field, a networker, a business owner,a facilitator and a mumpreneur

[Sam Pearce]

I think Mumpreneur is just a buzz word of the moment and can apply to a huge range of businesswomen at opposing ends of the turnover spectrum. It is a convenient ‘hook’ on which to hang businesswomen who happen to have children.
I wouldn’t class myself as a Mumpreneur, purely because at the moment I am not making money from my business. I think of myself as a work at home mum, not in any disparaging way, but because, at the moment, it describes most accurately what I do, and because the ‘mum’ element actually takes up more of my time than the business. But maybe, in a few years time I won’t feel like either label fits comfortably any more. At the end of the day, whether I'm a mum, a business-owner, a mumpreneur, whatever, I am still Sam too. Surely that's what's MOST important?

[Linda]

Sam, very well put! I think we have so mant labels throughout our lives, from different people with different agendas!

Rebekah, thanks - sounds like you are doing brilliantly. I think the best thing about Saturday was the fact that there were so many women with fire in their belly - whatever they choose to call themselves...

Hi Emma - you talk a lot of sense...my fear is that the more the profile of this term is raised, the more preconceptions there will be - it's attempting to lump together a hugely diverse group of women.

Hi Sian - really interesting to hear your experience of a 'mumpreneur directory' - do you think it brings much work?

Thanks everyone for commenting and contributing to my discussion! One thing I will say is that as so often happens, you have to be encouraged at how the women discussing this across the internet, can in the main, do it so very thoughtfully and sensitively to others' point of view.

[Jayne Howarth]

Just a quick comment from me as I've got to dash and won't get back online for a day:

I dislike very much the term mumpreneur: as others have said, it is patronising, but not only that it is lazy labelling.

Putting working women - who happen to be mothers and who happen to be building up their own business - into "nice" pigeonholes is horrid.

[Littlemummy]

I wondered about the £26,000 figure too, doesn't actually seem that much at all. My assumption was that it may be because direct selling is included?? Do you consider direct selling as having your own business?

[Sian To]

Linda,
For me and my business, I wouldn't think that a listing on a mumpreneur directory would have any sales impact at all. Maybe that has something to do with where I pitch myself.
That said I have had numerous new business enquiries on the back of my visibility on Twitter - even though my outward face has no link to my business at all.
If you use these directories as a branding exercise - just take extra care that you want to be associated with the rest of the content on the site.

[Sharon - Tish Tash Toys]

As a succcesful Women's Studies graduate and someone turning over considerably more than £26,000 per year, I have absolutely no problem whatsoever in calling myself or being called a Mumpreneur. I run several businesses therefore I'm an entrepreneur and guess what, I'm a Mum too!! I think people are getting too hung up about these terms, honestly life is too short, does it really matter? And Linda, to answer your question 'Mumpreneurs' - how much are you motivated by money?' If I don't make money, my kids don't eat, so yes, money is quite important to me. I do also love being successful, working for myself and employing other people (mostly Mums) so they can feed their kids too!

[Linda]

Hi Sharon - sounds like you are doing great - that's fantastic! I'm not hung up on it at all, just having a conversation - it's not a word I'm particularly keen on but yep I'm with you. I asked the question because it's a difficult balance. I'm also working to keep a roof over my kids' heads and as their dad/my partner has joined me, gulp we both are. All the very best to you.

[Emma]

Hey Linda, had a quick scan of the mumpreneure info' I am pleased you feel blessed, also you should feel proud of yourselves at passionate media. You are great role modles, I think that is something young ladies and women need, to be 'inspi...red' by honest, ethical, passionate, successful female leaders.

[JodyAlston]

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