Calling all Mumpreneurs!

[Eleanor Appleton]

Hello,

I have very recently started a support community for entrepreneurial mums. Being a mum myself and wanting to start a business that I could work around my son, but being unsure of what business to start I decided it would be a good idea to find a way to communicate with other mums with a similar mindset.

Currently, I have a Facebook page, Twitter account and Meetup group and organise monthly networking events in Croydon. I plan to expand these networking groups into London in 2017. The key to these events is that they are kiddie friendly and time efficient, so everything is done within 1.5hrs.

In my plight to find my business idea and meet other mums like me it seems that I have stumbled across my business concept.

As I build the community the company is non-profit making, so please don’t feel like there is a catch, there isn’t I just want to hear from other mum’s at whatever stage of business development you are at so I can grow this community and we can help each other.

Please get in touch and tell me about your business.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Eleanor

 

[fisicx]

HI Eleanor,

I have very recently started a support community for entrepreneurial mums.

Why just mums? And why just entrepreneurial mums? It just seems very sexist to exclude everyone who isn't a mum. Especially as there already a whole bunch of sites dedicated to this sub-group.

 

[Eleanor Appleton]

Hello,

Thank you for your message.

Interesting perspective, I would have thought it was obvious why it would be entrepreneurial mums as you can't offer business support to mums who don't have a business or want to start a business.

Do you also think Woman's Hour on Radio 4 is sexist or groups who support women in business? Why do you think there are a number of groups offering support to this sub-group?

Here is one of the numerous reasons why this group in particular needs support. A single individual (male or female) can attend networking groups easily, which I hope you will agree is important for a business to thrive. Standard networking events are generally held at the crack of dawn (impossible for a mother who has to organise her children in the morning) or in the evening (also very difficult for a mother who needs to get children fed and in bed). Our networking is designed with mums in mind, no snooty suit wearers looking down their nose at a women talking about her business with a toddler hanging around her heels, thinking 'how unprofessional'.

Like everyone mums need support in this field, just because I have set up a community for mums doesn't mean I don't think there should be similar ones for various other sub-groups, but my market is the market I know. First rule in business is know your target market...I know mine!

I hope this response satisfy's your curiosity.

Thanks

Eleanor

 

[fisicx]

What about dads with children? Can they join in or does it have to be a mum?

 

[Eleanor Appleton]

Of course dad's can join, but I'm glad you asked because I may need to make that more clear.

 

[fisicx]

What about a dad who doesn't have children living with him but does do the school run every day. Or the businessman who works away from home but calls his daughter everyday at 7am. Or a transexual with a puppy....

This is what I was hinting at in my post. Open up your business to everyone who wants a more flexible networking organisation.

 

[Eleanor Appleton]

This community is for parents who are running or planning to run a business around their children. Not anyone who wants to start a business, there are plenty of organisations that tick that box.

 

[ethical PR]

Lordy @fisicx I don't often find myself disagreeing with you but on this one I will. There are lots of business support groups that cater to different communities of interest...parents, women, younger people, people from BME communities, older business people etc and nothing wrong with that.

It's about identifying a gap in the market and looking at how you develop your service to fill it.

 

[Eleanor Appleton]

I agree @ethical PR.

I've been thinking about this conversation and I wanted to clarify that the community that I have started is for the primary caregiver of the child. That of course can be the mum or dad, the primary caregiver is time poor and often isolated from the business community.

 

[Clinton]

The key to these events is that they are kiddie friendly and time efficient...

Good luck with that! AFAIAC, those are mutually exclusive goals.

Be prepared for the occasional mum to turn up with a disruptive child whom she does nothing about, a toddler with chicken-pox / other symptoms (causing half your group to get up and leave), last minute cancellations by your guest speaker, complaints because your ramp takes buggies but doesn't have a label stating maximum safe weight for wheelchairs, people saying they'll turn up but not sending their contribution for the venue costs and leaving you to pick up the tab...

I have great respect for primary caregivers who are also running a business. Why? Because such juggling is beyond my ability. But I've found them also to be the most unreliable and the most frustrating to work with (there are exceptions, of course).

I have kids, I love them to bits, but I can't cope with other people's kids clambering all over the stage when I'm speaking, throwing stuff at me, thinking it funny to mouth farting sounds (because it's been a whole 30 seconds since someone gave them attention).

My advice - while I get that you mums would like to meet up, have a coffee etc., from the business point of view you might be better doing it remotely and getting everyone to sign in to online meetings. That way people can sign out when little Chloe has split milk over the dog that is now running all over the house shaking itself dry.

The purpose of you starting this thread was to find other mums (and it appears you've now added dads) running a bit of a business on the side. You may get one or two here on UKBF, but the likes of Facebook are definitely a better bet. Also, think local nurseries, online home-ed groups (tend to be very Yahoo Groups based), health visitors, the Amazon sellers' forum, the eBay forum ...

 

[Brennerz]

I agree with @fisicx

Why not call it "Parents" instead of "Mums" - A support group for entrepreneurial parents.

However, as much as I think its great to help parents in business - If someone is serious about running a business I don't know what being a parent has anything to do with it. Unless they have a hobby business that they run at home, which is fine of course - but does that really make them an entrepreneur?

I think it is possible to have a business and still do the school run - however distractions in business and patenting surely isn't good. I think it is just as important to be a full time parent as it is to be a full time business person. Dedicate to either and surely they will be more successful. That is just my personal opinion of course and I I have said - I would fully support a parent who is running a business.

 

[3mma]

Hi Eleanor,

I've had baby no.2 this year and set up my business. I think your idea is great - although have you seen Bizmums as I think they do a similar thing - Meet ups at local soft play/networking.

I'm not based near London but would like to join your group so please do DM me.

Thanks

Emma

 

[Ava Williams]

Sounds like a wonderful idea @Eleanor Appleton! I wish you the best of luck with your endeavor.

 

[serendipitybusiness]

Being a woman in business and being a primary parent in business all have certain challenges that you can't even begin to comprehend unless you are in that situation. The combination of the two brings specific challenges that do not affect the majority of business owners. The OP is not doing anything wrong, it is a business subsection like any other, that addresses these challenges and is a support group for those facing them. Just like a SEO group or a start up group. A man entering the group would be well received from this demographic but although he will face many of the same challenges, he will have his own separate challenges and won't face all. This post alone shows the lack of understanding regarding this subject. So give the girl a break.

However, to the OP there are groups that have done this before mumsclub is a UK one that comes to mind, I have also been to some local womens networking events in the past that have a lot of business mums. I feel there is a need for it and it could be a good thing, but the networking events dried up and mumsclub is dead if you look at the forum. So it may be good as a sideline and certainly pm me the link, I will join, I want something like this to work, but you may want to consider why these have not worked so well if you are planning for it to be your core business.

 

[fisicx]

Being a woman in business and being a primary parent in business all have certain challenges that you can't even begin to comprehend unless you are in that situation.

Do men with children not face the same challenges? I had two children to look after when I was starting out, why would my situation be any different to a mother with children?

 

[serendipitybusiness]

As I said, a male primary parent faces many of the same challenges but not all and they have different challenges of their own that women don't face.

 

[fisicx]

For example?

If the challenges each gender faces are different then surely a mixed gender networking group will be more useful as experiences can be shared.

 

[serendipitybusiness]

Not always, however I am not saying there isn't space for mixed parent business groups, or that there isn't space for male primary parent groups. I am saying that creating a business mums group isn't wrong.

 

[fisicx]

OK, but can you give some example of the different challenges women face that men don't?

 

[serendipitybusiness]

I could spend all day giving you specific examples of the things I have had to deal with in business that most men wouldn't over the years but I don't want to pull this thread down that line, especially in a professional and public space. It makes me look bitter or that I am complaining but the truth is I have learnt to adapt and where possible used it to my advantage.

 

[Francois Badenhorst]

Guys, give it a rest. We live in a democracy. People are allowed to freely associate in groups. You may not like it - but that's the beauty of it. We don't need to do things just to please others. She asked for advice, not for criticism. If this isn't for you, if it upsets you, then move on.

 

[Eleanor Appleton]

Thank you to all those that have provided constructive feedback, I will do some research into those other companies that do something similar. At the moment it is a free community, so completely not for profit. So i'll know, if the community grows there is potential to make it into a commercial venture, If not maybe it's not the right road to take,

 

[hasifah45]

What is the facebook name of your group? I would like to join

 

[Eleanor Appleton]

The Facebook group and the Twitter is @mumsmake

 

[STDFR33]

Do men with children not face the same challenges? I had two children to look after when I was starting out, why would my situation be any different to a mother with children?

I'd argue that they face more challenges, but won't for fear of the wrath of Francois.

I think a forum for single fathers would do well. I don't know if one already exists, however.

 

[Clinton]

Guys, give it a rest. We live in a democracy. People are allowed to freely associate in groups.

And in a democracy they are freely allowed to make the kind of points @fisicx was making.

Let's not forget that if one of us had started a thread about a group exclusive to men, and women forum members attacked the whole concept of a group just for men, those women wouldn't be asked to shut up.

 

[Francois Badenhorst]

And in a democracy they are freely allowed to make the kind of points @fisicx was making.

There's offering your opinion and then there's being unnecessarily contentious. OP wasn't soliciting an argument and this forum is as much hers as yours.

It doesn't add anything and doesn't create a salubrious atmosphere on the forums.

 

[Claire Freshney]

A ridiculous statement. It's called creating a nice and 'serendiptybusiness' do not have to justify why you are creating a niche or trying to make a success.

Pessimistic people who sit on here for 10 hours a day will never change nor be successful.

 

[Claire Freshney]

niche***