7 Tips On Starting A Business At Home (With Kids!)

While being a mother can be a full-time job, some moms have decided to add more to the mix to generate extra income for their families and fulfill their dreams of owning a business.

The benefits are unmatched: flexible hours, unlimited income potential, unbridled creativity and of course, quality times with the little ones.

Raising children may require lot of work and attention, but mompreneurs are proving that you can do more with your time, even with children in tow.

From celebrity moms – like Jessica Alba and Victoria Beckham – to my clients and myself, it is quite possible to launch a business and raise a family simultaneously.

If your hearts desire is to own your own company, here are 7 secrets to making your dream come true.

How to Start a Business at Home, With Kids

1. Set a goal. What is your hearts desire? Parenthood does not cancel out your personal desires. Write in your journal what your dream business looks like. Then write five goals you want to accomplish. Look at the list often to remind yourself of your personal mission and stay focused on the end result.

42goals.com is a simple tool for tracking your goals and keeping a log of your daily activities. You can set up objectives, record daily progress and visualize your achievements. Seeing your growth will keep you motivated as you continue to build.

2. Get started now. There’s no time like the present. Take the leap and jump right into your new business venture. Whether you’re transitioning from full-time work or are a stay-at-home parent, start now.

Just like when you became a parent, there’s nothing like on-the-job experience. It will be both scary and exciting, however you will feel a great sense of accomplishment from pursuing your passion.

3. Master your schedule. Many women who launch their own business have already been working full-time, so they’re no strangers to being a working mom.

The biggest difference is you become your own boss, set your own hours and determine how much work gets done daily.

To successfully manage a business from home, you will need to get organized. Use online tools, like Google, and save your work in a cloud that you can access from anywhere. Capitalize on your children’s downtime. During nap time, do market research, make calls to clients, schedule meetings or pitch products while the little ones rest in the next room. Use your early morning hours or late-night hours to create your products.

You will find that you work a lot more when running your own business, but the rewards of setting your own schedule, being with your family and earning unlimited income are all well worth it!

4. Make it a family affair. Share with your spouse or partner your business objectives, your plan and how it will affect your family.

You can also share your new venture with your children and explain how they can help you grow the business.

One of my clients, Andrea, started her day care business in the two-bedroom apartment she shared with her husband and son. In the last five years, she expanded to a second location and is the number one childcare provider in her area. She includes her son, who gives input from a kid’s perspective for activities and programs, and husband, who’s in charge of transportation, in her business vision and together they are accomplishing the dream.

5. Network with other mompreneurs. Connect on social media with other mompreneurs who can offer great support and also be a great resource to get the word out about your business.

6. Surround yourself with inspiring people. Being in business can be lonely, that is why having a coach is ideal. You need someone to bounce ideas off of, to help you execute your plans and to give that kick you need to keep going.

A good coach will hold you accountable, which can result in a tremendous outcome. One of the best ways to learn how to launch a business is by hiring a coach or joining a coaching program.

Using someone else’s expertise can cut your learning curve, help you hone in on your niche and get you to your goal a whole lot quicker than trying to do it alone.

These proven processes not only save you a lot of time, money and frustration, they also help build your confidence to keep going.

7. Stay Energized. Passion has to fuel your commitment to keep going in business. You need energy to drive your ideas. So do everything you can to stay energized and healthy. Get in exercise even if it is just talking a walk or playing with your children for a little while.

This post was originally published on The Shriver Report. Read more at the Shriver Report:

Can Due Diligence Mess Up Your Intuition and Waste Your Time?

What is a “Results Only Work Environment” and is it the Work-Life Solution We Are Looking For?

What’s the One Skill that Can Help All Women – and the Companies they work for – Get Ahead?