the momtrepreneur maven. » The Reluctant Momtrepreneur.

It’s In The Bag.

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:57:20 +0000

As I prowled the aisles of Target the other day, I saw the ultimate symbol of Back To School: the bed-in-a-bag. Those of you who experienced the joys of dorm room living will remember the bed-in-a-bag as a nifty bedding solution. You got your sheets, comforter, pillowcases, maybe even a dust ruffle, all in one handy package.

I’ve been a little obsessed with the in-a-bag concept ever since I visited kitcheninabag.com. On this site you can select the look of a kitchen you’d like to create, and designer Rebekah Zaveloff will send you samples of all the materials you need to achieve a fabulous, coordinated look. You get your countertop, cabinet, backsplash and paint selected by someone who knows what she’s doing. And you get nifty little samples delivered to you. In a bag.

I love the idea of a service business that sells something tangible; in fact, I’ve started brainstorming my own ideas with the “in-a-bag” concept. So, as a way to keep the creative juices flowing, let me leave you with some fantasy products I wish I could buy:

1. Organized-office-in-a-bag

2. Grocery-shopping-in-a-bag

3. Tax-preparation-in-a-bag

4. Playdate-mediation-in-a-bag

And of course, Sleep-in-a-bag.

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

In Praise of False Starts.

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:11:53 +0000

Screeeeeeeech! That’s the sound of me putting the brakes on my business idea.

I’d been working on it for several weeks, pulling together a preliminary business plan, mulling over the details as I lay awake in the wee hours. But I eventually realized that while the idea was good, it just wasn’t workable for me at this point in my life.

They say you can have it all, just not all at once. As I developed the model for Service Business X, I saw that I would have to be too available to clients and too flexible in my work hours to ever turn a profit. Meanwhile, there are two sweet children in my house who have come to expect meals and clean laundry. Of course, the kids remain my first priority.

I’ve been in a funk since I put my business on hold – enough so that my husband is a little worried about me. I think I’m sad about losing a sense of purpose above and beyond my hausfrau duties. It was really exciting to have my own project in the works, one that put me in touch with the business gal I once was and the entrepreneur I hope to be.

The good news is that this false start has shown me that I really do want to start my own business, and I now have a better sense of the kind of business that will fit into my life.

It reminds me of the time my husband and I tried to buy a house that had some major roof problems. We tried to negotiate with the sellers, but the deal just wouldn’t go through. I was convinced that we lost the perfect house. But lo and behold, the truly perfect house came on the market two months later. I’m sitting in it right now.

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

Here I Go, Part 2.

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:38:38 +0000

When last we met, I realized I had a Big Idea on my hands. How? The wise Momtrepreneur Maven expertly guided me to that conclusion, focusing on a concept that was commercially viable and within my skill set. She really got me pumped up.

What did I end up with? For now, let’s call it Service Business X. I know, I know, you want details. But every Momtrepreneur needs to keep things under wraps for a while. I’ll fill you in if this thing gets off the ground.

Next up is an exploratory stage. Jill recommended I take 2-4 weeks to research what it would take to launch and sustain this business. She told me to *get off the internet* (okay, okay) and talk to real people about my idea. So I’m going to bounce my idea off trusted friends to get their reactions and suggestions. I’m also going to talk to professionals in this field to see how my business might fit in (I’ll have to be a bit cagey in these discussions – I don’t want to give away my trade secrets!).

So here I go, folks, out of the starting gate and down the track. Did you all place your bets?

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

Here I Go, Part 1.

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:07:01 +0000

Faithful Reluctant Momtrepreneur readers know I have struggled to settle on one business. I always have a dozen ideas bouncing around my brain and can’t decide which one is worth going for.

Luckily, a conversation with our own Momtrepreneur Maven, Jill Salzman, helped me narrow things down.

Jill asked me to describe all my business ideas and we talked about their viability for a while. This one would be fairly straightforward, that one might have steep start-up costs, etc. There were so many things I hadn’t considered about each business, and I was grateful Jill helped me identify businesses that weren’t a good match for my situation.

But then things got interesting. Jill told me she’d been watching carefully while I pitched my ideas, and there were a few that made me light up. She noticed that one concept in particular seemed to float my boat. With this idea, I spoke rapidly and the details flowed, my eyes glistened and my hands gestured wildly (it’s an Italian thing I can’t control). Clearly, this was an idea to explore further.

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

An Informal Poll.

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:12:18 +0000

I’ve decided to harness the collective genius of our readers and ask for your thoughts. After all, what is the internet, if not interactive?

Anyway, I’ve been mulling over the following: am I more likely to succeed with a business in my former field or in something completely new? On the one hand, using my past experience would help me avoid a steep learning curve. On the other hand, venturing into a whole new area is pretty darn exciting and would keep my interest.

If you have any thoughts or experiences to share on this question, please drop me a line at reluctantmomtrepreneur@jillsalzman.com. I’ll be sure to share what I learn in a future post.

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

So, What Do You Do?

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:59:12 +0000

I have trouble answering a very simple question: What do you do?

As a new parent, I would answer, “I’m a stay at home mom,” while exuding a matronly glow. A couple years later I’d say, “I stay home with my daughter, but I also do a little consulting” (which was true enough at the time).

These days I ramble, “I’m home with my kids, which is great, I wouldn’t miss it for the world, but what I’d like to do is start my own business, maybe next year, but maybe not until the year after, when my son is in school full time…”

Is it just me, or does this scream woman-in-conflict?

One of the great blessings of parenthood has been learning to live in the moment. But now I’m letting myself look into the future, and I’m getting a little confused. Clearly I don’t know how this is all going to play out.

So do me a favor. If you meet me on the playground or at a soccer game, please don’t ask me what I do.

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

Sharp As A Tack.

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:30:19 +0000

A very bizarre thing is happening lately. As I think about business, talk about business, and write about business, I feel like I’m getting…smarter.

For years my world has revolved around diapers, playdates, laundry and school schedules. I’ve been downright exhausted and never made time for much outside motherhood. As a result, my brain became quite flabby.

I think that if I had kept up with my field, took on volunteer work or learned a new language, I might have staved off mental atrophy. Lesson learned.

The good news is that it hasn’t taken long to get my brain back. After a few short weeks being back in the professional realm, I feel able to think big thoughts and envision the next phase of my life. Perhaps my new business could be Mommy Brain Boot Camp?

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

Charting A Course.

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:35:09 +0000

My friend Maria is a dynamo. When she’s not serving organic meals, whipping up gorgeous curtains, or running many, many miles, she is plotting her triumphant return to the workforce.

Like me, Maria plans to go back to work when her youngest child is in school full-time, but she isn’t sure what path to pursue. With so many ideas buzzing in her head, she decided to corral them into a single chart to help her focus.

Maria listed her passions (such as child nutrition), skill sets (I know she’s a marketing phenom), and lifestyle requirements (home from work when school ends). She keeps this document on her computer desktop and modifies it as the thoughts come. Slowly but surely, she is creating a vision for her ideal job.

I’ve started a “focus chart” as well. Mine contains all my half-baked business ideas alongside my skills and wants. So far it’s not pointing in any coherent direction. But I’m hoping that if I keep at it, my focus chart will live up to its name.

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

Listening To The Experts.

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:46:52 +0000

Last week my seven-year-old daughter overheard me chatting with a neighbor about this blog. She immediately asked what I was up to. No sooner did I say, “I’m thinking of starting my own business,” than my darling daughter cut me off. “I know! You’re a good ice skater! You should be a skate counselor!”

Now, I don’t think skate counselor is my true calling; that axel I landed in 1981 was a fluke. But I did appreciate the compliment. There are probably lots of things I’m good at that just don’t come to mind. I decided to ask around for more ideas.

At breakfast the next morning, I asked my three-year old son what kind of business I should start. He suggested I run a firehouse made of candy. That is something venture capitalists would obviously fight over.

While skate counselor and candy-coated firefighter may not be in the cards for me, I think it’s useful to ask those who know me best what they think I do best. Then again, maybe not. Scarred from a recent furniture shopping excursion, my husband suggested I try a career in second guessing.

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur

Which One Is The Big Idea?

The Momtrepreneur Maven — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:37:45 +0000

Which one is The One? You just know.

Which house is The Dream Home? You just feel it.

So which business idea is The Big Idea? The one that will put you on the cover of “Fast Company,” send your kids to private college, transcend you to career nirvana?

About 45 times a day I think, “Someone should invent this.” Lately I’ve thought that Someone should be me. Problem is, I just don’t have a gut feeling about which idea to run with. I suspect it’s because I can’t believe any of my ideas are good enough. But then I get to thinking about The Snuggie — if that can make millions… I mean, it’s a backwards robe, for crying out loud.

I bet if I buckled down and actually drafted a business plan, I’d see that I have good ideas that shouldn’t be dismissed. So I’m starting today. If you need me, I’ll be furiously typing at my computer, wearing my Snuggie.

-Michele Golden, The Reluctant Momtrepreneur