Moms are going into business and becoming entrepreneurs in Maryland faster than any other group of people. There are more than 10 million women owned businesses in the United States and women owned businesses are growing 2 times faster than the rate of all other new businesses.* This blog will chronicle the growth of Jefferson Communications, the publisher of Chesapeake Family, and give tips to moms for building their own business.
Moms in business have some unique challenges but it can be done while still having quality time for raising your kids. Chesapeake Family magazine was first published in September of 1990 when my son Tyler was just six months old and my daughter Janet was seven and entering second grade. It took three months of planning and preparation before the first issue went out. Tyler spent plenty of time in a swing while I worked away at my kitchen table.
I quit my job as the assistant controller of a newspaper group when I was pregnant with Tyler and spent the last few months of pregnancy thinking about my next job. Fortunately, after some very lengthy discussions, my husband was supportive of my new business venture. Unfortunately our regular baby sitter had fallen and broken her sternum and was unable to pick up a baby. My parents were out of town for the summer and the neighborhood teen babysitter was away at her grandparents’ in Wisconsin. I was playing dialing for babysitters. Sometimes my husband would come home for lunch while I ran out to carefully orchestrated meetings with potential advertisers.
I managed to get enough advertising support to pay for the first printing, which was a good thing since I didn’t have any capital to back up my new venture.
Tip #1 – Before you even start planning your business get the support of your significant other, you are going to need it even if it consists of your spouse cooking dinner or picking up the kids from soccer after every practice.
*statistics from the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy.
