no family support other than my husband. I
worked from home mostly back then so it was
manageable despite the erratic work hours
around a small baby’s not-so-predictable
sleeping schedule.
Being a parent is a gift that was not guaranteed
to me. Being a mummy to two frighteningly
self-aware, gorgeous boys who are bursting
with energy from 5am-7pm is just the best. It
has made me live in the moment and appreciate
the little things more than any psychologist
could. It’s propelled an efficient business owners
and me to be a more adaptable, nimble, savvy
without a doubt over the past five years. It’s also
given rise to a new label at Chez Daines-Ungar the “big boss” (sorry honey). And I am more than
ok with that!
For so many other women with a business
and a family, the option to start up a business
based at home is all about spending more time
with their children. Two thirds of the women on
SmartCompany’s 2010 list of Australia’s most
successful women started their businesses at
home, with 80% starting with capital of less than
Recently I facilitated a high-level media training
$100,000.
coaching session with a CEO who had a former
career in the military so was familiar with its
There are other drivers too. Sadly, so many
inherently ‘blokey’ culture and media image
corporately-employed women have been
issues. One of the examples of powerful
disillusioned by the inflexible reality of senior
communicators I showed this CEO was the Chief
management once they have children but for
of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison’s
small business this is a win: there are simply
June 2013 short but powerful YouTube speech
more highly-skilled, business-savvy women in
he gave to his peers, which went viral because of
the position to start-up a company than ever
its cut-through language and unpoetically direct
before.
message.
Women are generally having children later too,
The line that really stuck with me was “The
with most of us likely to have children between
the ages of 30 and 34. By this age, many women standard you walk past is the standard you accept.”
How true for so many things we all face daily –
have the senior skills, amazing networks of
contacts and the life experience required to start not just when it comes to the big ticket matters
like sexual harassment.
an empire. Woo hoo!
In the past 15 years, the barrier to entry for
starting a business has also been dramatically
lowered by the internet. A (man) or woman with
broadband, relevant skills, a modest amount of
funding and a good idea can launch a successful
business from anywhere, aided by low
overheads and agile working patterns if needed.
Having a family for many is the watershed
moment to launch into a business. Time away
from work provides the ideal opportunity to
assess whether to return to the workplace or go
it alone.
But why can’t we just celebrate the business
owners as they are, devoid of a cringe-worthy
mumpreneuer tag? It is patronising and limiting.
It implies businesses for mums equal selling
a few trinkets from a car boot every Sunday.
I don’t think anyone who knows me thinks
running a communications agency is a hobby I
slot in around loads of washing and perfecting
baked ricotta