Okay, I am just going to rip off the bandaid and say this: mom guilt (and dad guilt!) is REAL.
We put so much pressure on ourselves to be the best parents we can be—while at the same time providing for our families. It is such a crazy tightrope we’re trying to walk.
That’s why I’m so excited to have Lacie Halford on the How to Sell Online podcast today. She’s the mother of two sweet babies and a supportive wife to her husband. A stay-at-home mom, she launched her ecommerce business right before a big job change and used it to help provide financial support for their family.
Lacie's story and struggles are not new to mompreneurs, and her insights to better balance life and work are powerful.
Hey—and if you don’t have kids or if your kids are grown, I want you to know that this podcast is for you, too. Lacie’s message is really about our most important relationships, which may include parents, siblings, friends, spouses, or others in your life who want and need your time and attention.
So how do we balance being good moms and being good at our business? Let's find out!
You don’t have to choose between being a good mom or a good entrepreneur.
When you launch a new business, you’re going to put a lot of work into it—and when you start making sales, you are on cloud nine!
That “ding!” that comes from each sale is a downright adrenaline rush. It makes you feel so great!
Lacie was no different. She loved being able to sell products that she herself would use as a mom, and she was committed to getting every package out quickly. She was on her phone constantly to make sure she was finding great items and delivering great customer service.
But…
…even though her kids were right with her while she was packing and shipping, she wasn’t really there. A question from her son—and a text from her mom—changed that.
First, she realized that she didn’t want her children to remember she was holding her phone all of the time. She wanted them to remember her holding their hand as they did things together. Then she received this message from her mother which helped to confirm her decision:
“Be present. What is happening right now? If your child would be taken away from you tomorrow, would this matter today?”
Lacie started by letting go of her phone during “mom time.” When she’s focused on family, her phone stays in another room.
She’s designated specific power hours, usually when her kids are napping, to run her business. During that time Lacie sources products, negotiates with vendors, and communicates with customers.
Another key to her business success? She hired someone to help her with shipping and other tasks that she didn’t need to do herself. That also gives her more time to think about how to keep growing her company.
Sometimes we might think that when we place certain restrictions or limitations on how we spend our time, we won’t be as productive. Lacie proves that’s absolutely wrong.
She’s a mom who is present in her family’s life and focused on her children most of the day—and she’s sold almost half a million dollars in products in the last three years.
But please don’t take my word for it—let Lacie tell you her story in her own words. You’ll love hearing what she’s done, why she’s done it, and how she’s proven you don’t have to choose between being a good mom and a good entrepreneur.
Top Takeaways
- Be present.
- Learn to use your power hours
- Hire out what you can.
- Put your phone in another room to focus on your family.
- Be the mom your kids need
- Keep applying to new marketplaces.
- You don't have to show your face to personalize your business.
- Get over yourself; it takes time and work.
- It's not a bad thing to be told no; learn from it.
- Keep going and going and going.
