Babies before business....?

[missymish]

In an ideal world you could be self employed and have 9 months off but it just doesn't happen.

Last year I set up my mobile tanning I had 2 boys age 10 and 4 at the time, 3 months into it I found out I was pregnant I was so torn as I was completely focused on developing my business. I carried on building up my clientle and worked up untill I gave birth literally, had my last appointment at 9pm and went into labour at 10pm!!

I went back to work 5 days after I had him for the first 8 weeks I did a mixture of home and mobile and my mum helped out with the childcare. It was TOUGH there were times when I thought what the hell am I doing!

I battled on and got my little baby into a great routine which fits around my work now he is 4 months everything works out fine he is in bed by 6pm hubby is then home and I go out to work. I do only go out 3 evenings a week and sometimes work from home.

I am proud of myself for keeping up the business as I am as busy as ever and have a good solid client base. It was hard but I did it.

It would have been great if I had set up a business before I had kids but that didnt happen and I still had dreams and aspirations and having kids shouldn't stop that.

My only regret is I didn't breastfeed as it just wasn't practical baby is thriving and happy but it would have been nice if I did even for a few weeks.

My advice to anyone starting out would be to wait untill you have kids but also if you have children you should never let that stop you from wanting to achieve setting up a business.

 

[xxJackiexx]

Great thread...

It's a very personal decision I think - for me, I had a 4 year old and a newborn baby (literally only a week or two old) when I was painting and scrimping every penny to put my salon together - my children were with me every second - eating fish n chips / breastfeeding in reception while we DIY'd, sometimes sleeping in makeshift beds in one of the beauty rooms while my friends and I worked through the night to get it up and running. Mine isn't the story of a martyr lol - more a story of determination. I didn't do it through choice - I did this because I had a very unsupportive and abusive partner at the time who refused to help me (we split very soon after) and who thought I was mad for devoting so much time to it. However, I persevered - even taking my son to work with me sometimes, sleeping in his little moses basket (really unprofessional and I could never pull it off now but I lived in a small town where I knew my clients so I got away with it!). I spent my child benefit on tins of paint and second hand flooring. Anyway, I really struggled because I knew it would be a great avenue for me and that I would work hard to provide for my kids if I had to do it alone. It was mega hard and I almost walked away many a time... a lot of people around me told me not to do it, including my mum and my then partner but I'm pretty stubborn...

Anyway, my point is that 6 years down the line I made it work - I did give that salon up but still work from home to service those loyal clients whilst my team of therapists/technicians mostly run my hugely successful salon in the city centre of Edinburgh! I built that from scratch with nothing, no savings nothing - no borrowing, just investing my income in great products and spending what I can to achieve what I want in there. I have been there a year now and it just gets better. I now spend most of my week at home with my children (working a lot too) but they have everything I wanted them to have now. I have a great partner, a beautiful home, and very happy children. I don't feel I ever lost out because I got my time with them and find it so rewarding that I can give them what I strived to give them back in darker times I am now planning my second salon in the city and things only get better...

The way it happened it not how I would plan to start a business - but my point here is that with the right drive, determination and confidence that you are born to do something - you can do whatever you want, faced with the most difficult of situations :Love::Love::Love: xx

I have put 3 pictures below of my first salon (Pamper Me Pretty) where I sweated out the building of a business and some of my new salon... just to show you what you can do with a vision and because I am very proud that I did this ALL BY MYSELF against all odds - with babies and everything! x

Your post almost made me cry lol I'm a soppy mare . I haven't started my nail training yet (I start my 1st course with CND tomorrow) .You have certainly given me some inspiration
Big well done to you for your achievements xxx

 

[alpina]

I don't think I would be able to have both my business and children. My life consists of getting up and going to work (I work full time in my salon), coming home around 8pm and throwing some chips in the oven for dinner then going to bed. On my one day off I sleep till lunch time then have to deal with paperwork and behind the scenes work for both our businesses. My house is a mess, the dog hasn't been bathed in weeks and I have no friends because I don't have time for them.

I have absolutely no desire to have children but if I did I know there is no place in my life for them. They would deserve better than I am able to provide for them. I'm not interested in working my business around school pick-ups and trips to the park and it wouldn't work for me anyway. The staff have days off from the salon and do work around school times, I do not because I want to be there all the time.

 

[persianista]

I don't think I would be able to have both my business and children. My life consists of getting up and going to work (I work full time in my salon), coming home around 8pm and throwing some chips in the oven for dinner then going to bed. On my one day off I sleep till lunch time then have to deal with paperwork and behind the scenes work for both our businesses. My house is a mess, the dog hasn't been bathed in weeks and I have no friends because I don't have time for them.

I have absolutely no desire to have children but if I did I know there is no place in my life for them. They would deserve better than I am able to provide for them. I'm not interested in working my business around school pick-ups and trips to the park and it wouldn't work for me anyway. The staff have days off from the salon and do work around school times, I do not because I want to be there all the time.

I can completely identify with this.
I think it depends what your definition of a business is. I can see mobile, or self employed being easier to work around a family, but I cannot for the life of me work out how people run a salon and have a family. I just couldnt do it.

 

[Katelisa]

I agree. I only work 25ish hours in the salon, but the rest of my time is filled with running errands, paperwork, social media (for work), all that other stuff. So I don't really know where I'd fit it in. And there's just no real way I could have/desire any time off.

I guess if you want children you make time. If you're on not bothered, you don't need to!

 

[Lynne Baker]

I think that might be illegal. It definitely used to be. You had to have a minimum of 12 days off or something. Even if you are self-employed. It's also completely mad!

Indeed.
You are required by law to take 2 weeks off after giving birth (4 if you work in a factory). It's called statutory maternity leave.
Working when pregnant : Directgov - Parents

 

[skymark]

I would say, with something like this, always be prepared and open for your mind to change.

This is always one of those things where often people feel strongly one way or another, only to have children and feel differently. Many are sure that domestic bliss is for them until they are there and they are pulling their hair out and realise that they wish to goback to work. And similarly many are sure they are going to full ahead on career asap after baby and end up wanting to take a long time, even years out.

Often though if you feel too set in your mind one way or another it makes you fight against how you feel or what you want later on because you were 'so sure' or 'would feel silly or embarrassed'

Always take life as it comes and do what feels right at the time, you wont know what that is until it gets here so you just plan as best you can.

 

[Pinkbunny28]

...there is NEVER a good time to have children

That's what I keep telling my OH

On a serious note, I think people reckon kids are easier when they don't know just how tough it can be. I can only imagine.

I personally don't believe in babies OR work as I think that balance is often needed. I'm sure there are others that will say they balance it with other things but I don't agree.

When there's a will there's a way eh? Maybe I'll change my mind when I get pregnant but for now I'd say start your salon and then have a baby x

 

[Lynne Baker]

When there's a willy there's a way eh?

Well, yes, and that's the root cause of the problem!

 

[Pinkbunny28]

Well, yes, and that's the root cause of the problem!

Oi don't change my words! I thought I'd misspelt it haha x

 

[Glamour Puss7]

I think u have to have a work-life balance, and decide what is important in life, "just WORK WORK" or work and have a happy balanced family life also! But each to their own 😊

 

[Angie5]

Lime, after reading your post I can't believe how brave and determined you were, and how we can all take a leaf from your book. Although the thread is about mum and babies, I thought you was amazing coping and dealing with this against all odds. I'm in the throws of deciding whether to open a salon. Originally wanted to wait 2 years, but reading about your experience there is nothing to stop me waiting. My only concern at the moment is the recession and competition. I have been a mum for 20yrs falling pregnant at 18. I put everyone in my life first and now feel its my time to have a business of my own and spend time on what i'm truly enjoying.
I take my hat off to you well done on your success especially as a mum of two too. Brilliant