Friday Four: Welcoming a Baby While Starting a Business: How to Do It

By, Leslie Campos of Wellparents.com

Being a business owner means working through various challenges and issues. But operating a startup when welcoming a baby into the world comes with a unique set of difficulties. In fact, most entrepreneurs who experienced this say that having a baby and starting a business simultaneously is daunting — but entirely doable.

Founders who launched a business while welcoming a baby are usually committed to creating company cultures where everyone can enjoy family-friendly benefits like paid leave and flex time. Although it’s definitely not an easy feat, both can be done. Read on to find not just four but five tips from QC Supermom on how to balance these two unique experiences.

1.Register Your Business

If you have yet to do so, it’s critical to determine the type of business you’ll be running, whether it’s a sole proprietorship or a partnership, but many small business owners opt to form a limited liability company (LLC). As an LLC, not only are your personal assets protected, but there are tax advantages, and less paperwork is required. By visiting a formation service’s web page, you’ll save a lot by not having to pay an expensive attorney to complete the process. You’ll also learn all you need to know about starting a new business.

2.Create a Schedule

Although some days are less productive than you would like, it’s essential to take advantage of your peak energy hours. Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, you should learn to carry out the most critical tasks during the period you’re most active. Creating a schedule can also help tremendously, especially since both the baby and the business are relatively new things you need to get used to. Establish work hours, time to spend with your partner, and alone time. By setting up a schedule, you’ll be able to balance the needs of your newborn and also take care of your venture.

3. Keep Perspective

​An unexpected benefit of welcoming a new baby while starting a business is how easy you’ll find it to let things go. Starting a family or adding to it gives you a fresh and incredible perspective on what really matters. You won’t stress about having every answer, closing every lead, or the day-to-day setbacks that come from being your own boss and a new parent. Stay focused on the bigger picture, and don’t beat yourself up over small mistakes or things you believe you have to do. Simply stay attentive to your needs and your baby’s while doing your best for your business.

4.Be Flexible

​You don’t know how it is to have a baby at home until you have it. A schedule will help you break your days into doable steps, but you also need to be quite flexible throughout the day. The exhaustion and chaos that comes with welcoming a new baby into the family should be put out by naps and alone time that allow you to recharge, maintain your mental and physical health, and relax.

Besides taking a nap when you’re feeling tired, wearing comfortable clothes can also help you feel more relaxed in your new double role as a mom and business owner. A pair of leggings, cozy maternity tees, and oversized sweaters can help you feel comfortable yet presentable enough to work on your business from home.

BONUS: Say Yes to Help

Friends and family members will probably want to support you after the baby arrives. Don’t refuse their help, especially since you also have a business to run. Relying on friends and family for postpartum support gives you a chance to breathe more easily and also shows you that you are loved and cared for.

If your family lives far away or cannot help you with your baby, consider hiring an experienced babysitter. You can also use various smart technologies you set up in the baby’s room to keep an eye on them while you work in your home office. It’s essential to learn to outsource both in everyday life and in business.

The Bottom Line

Times have changed. The more moms dare to start and run a business, the more people realize that they don’t have to choose between having a baby and launching a startup. Thanks to numerous resources online like the tips above, you can even learn how to balance the two daily.

The QC Supermom blog is your source for combined mom-and-entrepreneur wisdom. Follow Us today for more informational topics!

Friday Four: Why Even Bother To Volunteer!

Representing MomsRising.org at this Food Advocate Forum with other food justice pals at Heist Brewery 

“If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.” — Kofi Annan

This week has been a doozie! The boys had three different practices. I have a wedding to prepare for , on top of a few other business projects. Little seven month old Avi Baby to tend to and tax season to keep a float. But I still make time to volunteer. And I will not drag out the reason’s why:

1. I REALLY like helping people reach goals that will improve their lives.
2. I always learn a new life skill set ( or my children do)
3. My children and I get to meet very interesting people that impact our lives in various ways.There are 7.4 billion people in the world, all from different cultures and backgrounds and the bonds we form can be so strong they last a lifetime. The most interesting and strongest of relationships have formed in some pretty unusual ways, volunteering and helping others puts you center stage. You’re now in a position to learn about the people you meet and what their world looks like, you’ll learn things you didn’t know before and become friends with people you didn’t think you would, how’s that for free.99?
4. Serving others with my children is a great way to remind my children to remain humble, grateful, respectful, resourceful and charitable. Because the people that we may be serving today, maybe the ones serving us tomorrow.
5. BONUS – You could possibly land your next job by the quality of work you do for free.
6. BONUS – Spending more quality time with your kids is never EVER a waste of time. Kids grow up so fast! The more time listening to their voice the better. I promise.

7. BONUS- Some volunteering* leads to free travel, food, adventures and other unimaginable opportunities.

8. Bonus – Volunteering May help you discover what you want to do with your life. There’s so many ways to be a blessing to others. Not just passing out sandwiches and/ pamphlets. Volunteering looks, sounds, moves, and hits in so may ways. For example, did you know, that in Charlotte, there is a nonprofit housing repair company, a cute service that set up mobile farmers markets that offer fresh produce at a donation to residents living inside food desserts. (I’m on that board. It’s “The Bulb” ) and a Female Boxing Company? I’m sure there’s more, but I need to get some rest. I’ll list more later. Take care ya’ll!

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Last thoughts, people will make time or excuses for what they want to do. I chose to be a helper, learner, servant, teacher, healer, mother and Earth Keeper- on top of everything else that I do. Because I know that if it wasn’t for alla that’ stuff, it wouldn’t be any Kelle.

(I just thought of another one- volunteering could also extend or improve the quality of your life. Especially if you a widow, live alone, etc.)

Equal Pay: Put Some Respect On My Check!

If he and I are doing the same job, especially in the same company; put some respect on my check and pay me what you owe me! I shouldn’t have to work four to five more months just to see equal income- right?

Gender Wage Gap is real! I remember signing a form saying that I promised not to discuss my pay with other employees. Thinking about it now, what was I thinking? What was the big secret? How was this information detrimental to anyone else? Was I getting paid more or less? Did my college degrees put me over other less educated colleagues?

Coffee Sleeves and Napkins at More than 30 Small Businesses Feature Gender Pay Gap Statistics to Show Importance of Equal Pay and Paid Leave for All o

April 2nd is Equal Pay Day (the day that symbolizes how women, on average, have to work all of 2018 and until early April of 2019 to earn what white men earned in 12 months alone),

‘I hadn’t yet learned I was less valuable than a man
By Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

Momsrising and Main street is teaming up to mark equal pay day with a fun and high-impact gimmick. I plan on joining in because I have both male and female children. I want them to receive what they deserve and have enough integrity to call out the bull crap when the see it!

Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) pay data collection initiative which was started by President Obama  

The initiative would have increased transparency around wages and prevented race and gender gaps from getting swept under the rug. “Would have” are the key operating words here, because now it’s on hold.

Here’s the deal: While in office, President Obama moved forward several measures to advance equal pay; but now President Trump is stopping them from moving forward even though studies show that one of the best ways to ensure equal pay is to increase transparency around wages and prevent race and gender gaps from getting swept under the rug. Specifically, last August, the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) blocked an important equal pay initiative that President Obama started – the EEO-1 equal pay data collection – which requires large corporations to report pay data by race, ethnicity, and gender to the EEOC. 

The Power Of Children – Dr. MLK Jr. Birthday Celebration

Royalty free from  thefamouspeople.com

Momsrising knows how to party. We also know recognize the power of Children. On the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. birthday we celebrated his legacy with some of Charlotte’s most amazing people, the youth. Did you know that Martin Luther King, Jr. was born January, 15, 1929 as “Michael King Jr?”

However, his father changed their first names to Martin and added “Luther” to his name as well as his son’s name. And both his father, Martin Luther King, Sr., and his mother, Alberta Williams King, were reverends.
Though he had a generally good childhood, from a young age, King saw firsthand the tough realities of the Jim Crow laws: the King family was ushered out of shoe stores because of their race, and he lost a young friendship due to racial differences.
He was a great student. He was admitted to Morehouse College at the age of 15. King graduated from Morehouse College in 1948 with a B.A. in sociology.
After graduating from Morehouse, King enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Penn., and then also enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania. He was very successful at both schools and received many recognitions and awards. After graduating from Crozer, he began doctoral studies in Systematic Theology at Boston University in 1951, and then completed his doctorate in 1955.     

Can you imagine raising a child like him? I often wonder what his parents did to support such a powerful child despite the social distractions.

This Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, our community came together to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the power of children. Our goal was to share a fun, kid focused, educational and most of all intentional day with our greatest and most powerful asset, our children.

To set the kid friendly tone, we played Dr. Kings speech,” If I Had Sneezed.”  Following was a storytelling by 12 year old Sybirah. Yes, I said a 12 year old storyteller.

Storyteller Sybirah- Anasi And The Snake

Her powerful story was about the notorious Anasi. She was poised, articulate and engaging! The children listened to her every word! After that, children’s book author, S.Cherie read ‘Freedom On The Menu’ and ‘If Kids Ruled The World’. Those books proved to be a great lead into the on going craft workshop with Flo, of We Chic’d It.

It almost looked like an elf workshop, as paint, rocks, slabs of wood, and stencils filled tiny hands. Parents assisted in creating inspiring and beautiful pieces of art worthy to be posted on the families wall. Peek at some below.

 

 

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Later we enjoyed music performances by Brandy. and Niles, a 5 year old trombone player. You can watch both original videos online. Click here! And here!.

 

 

 

Like any good party, it is not complete without the birthday song and cake! One word, YUMMY! Oh, and Stevie Wonder would have been so proud to hear the children singing his song, that he wrote for his friend Martin. It was so harmonious! (listen to Stevie here.)

Before I end, let me give a big thanks to Momsrising’s generous co-sponsors and community supporters: Flo of We Chic’d It, The Black Ferris Bueller, Queen City Stay At Home Moms, Memorable Moments By Lee, and Imagine Publishing! Together we followed the blueprint of creating powerful children.