A new generation of mums are juggling Mummy duties, running their own businesses and working from home at the same time.
Leaving the kids with Grandma or a nanny before heading to work used to be the way most working mums had to go about earning a living.
But times have changed.
More than any other generation, today’s millennial mums believe it is possible to have it all; dedicating time to raise their kids without having to trade their laptops for an apron.
That is why an increasing number of millennial mums are opting for jobs that allow fiexible work-at-home arrangements, or starting their own businesses.
The number of mumpreneurs – women who start a business after having a kid – in Mums@Work’s database has seen a whopping 35-fold increase, from about 100 to 3,500, over the last seven years. The local career portal supports mums looking for work-life balance.
Technology, says its founder and mum-of-two, Sher-li Torrey, has evened out the playing field for these Internet-savvy women.
“Back then, we had to explain what a mumpreneur is, but there is greater awareness now,” says Sher-li, who is also the co-founder of Career Navigators Singapore, a platform that helps mothers who have taken a career hiatus return to the workforce.
Another interesting trend she has observed is that more PMEs (professionals, managers and executives) – including accountants, lawyers and doctors – are stepping out of the full-time workforce to explore business ownership.
At the same time, the types of mumpreneurial start-ups have evolved.
“Our Start a Biz workshop typically saw women who wanted to start kidswear businesses. But these days, they are very varied; we’ve seen B-to-B (businesstobusiness) start-ups, consultation services, home-made crafts, and more,” adds Sher-li.
In addition, the trend has spurred companies to provide more flexible work options for mums.
The number of firms in Singapore providing ad-hoc flexible work arrangements – which includes working out-ofof fice – rose from 70 per cent in 2015 to 77 per cent last year, according to an employment survey by the Ministry of Manpower.
“While I won’t say there has been a very huge hike, what’s interesting is that most companies are now less reluctant to offer work-fromhome options. At our recent career fair, we had companies like Microsoft, Mastercard and BDO Consulting specifically offering work-from-home jobs for certain roles,” says Sher-li.
Elynn Liew, a former HR executive and mum-of-two who founded Careermums, an online job portal, has seen a 50 per cent rise in the number of work-from-home job listings in the last seven years.
“A number of our clients are young business owners who may be parents themselves.
Some of them specifically want to hire mothers because they understand their work-life balance struggles, and know that they have talents and skills to offer,” she says.
While there are now more opportunities than ever for mums to start a business or work at home, the pressing question is: How do you make it work? Here’s what you need to know before you take the plunge.
You need the right attitude – and a marathoner’s endurance
Are you ready to plough on with deadlines when everyone else has called it a day, and maybe work harder than if you were at a full-time job?
Do you mind taking risks and not have a stable income?
These are hard questions that you will have to ask yourself, say mumpreneurs and WAHMs (work-at-home mums).
Audrey Tan, 30, who brought Korean churros brand Churro 101 to Singapore, says multitasking with running a business and raising kids requires tremendous stamina and endurance.
The mum of two kids aged two years old and seven months old survived only on two hours of sleep daily when her business first took off about two years ago.
“There are no shortcuts and you can’t cut corners,” says Audrey.
So don’t even think about it if you’re not the driven, strong-minded, self-motivated, disciplined type. Without these traits, warns Su Ling Zagorodnova, founder and MILLENNIAL MUMS ISSUE director of webstore Pupsik Studio, you will give up at the first sign of difficulty.
Ample family support is crucial This is the key to success. Su Ling says her husband is her “cheerleader” whenever the going gets tough.
“Starting a business is already very challenging, and more so when you’re doing it and caring for a baby.
Financially, emotionally and physically, family support – especially from your husband – is very important,” says the mumpreneur with three kids.
Elynn of Careermums says many work-from-home jobs still require you to occasionally go back to the office or out for appointments, so “back-up” help from family is essential.
In fact, it’s so important that Sher-li suggests reconsidering working at home or starting a business if your family members aren’t supportive of the idea or do not respect your work-athome hours.
Find a space to call your own
If there’s one thing mumpreneurs and WAHMs can agree on, it’s the importance of having your own work space – one that is not invaded by nappies, toys or spit-ups.
“You must – and I can’t stress this enough – have a dedicated work area in your home. Once I close the door of my work room, to take an important work call, for example, my kids know that no amount of knocking will make me open it,” quips Elynn.
Sher-li says this personal boundary also applies for work timings. If your designated work time is between 8am and 11am when your kid is in school, no one should burden you with family commitments unless it is an emergency.
Plan, plan and plan, but remain fiexible
Most WAHMs and mumpreneurs tell YP they have their daily schedules planned right down to the last minute. Mummy duties can get overwhelming, and this helps them to know exactly when to tick off work tasks without being constantly interrupted by the kids.
“Most work can only be done when my baby is napping.
I also ask for work calls to be scheduled during certain times of the day or be communicated through e-mail, text or Whatsapp,” says Su Ling.
But don’t sweat it if your original plan doesn’t work out as intended. Be fiexible and always have a back-up plan (or two), advises mum-of-three Fathiah Nur Liyana, 31, who designs and customises bridal outfits from home.
“Just go with the flow,” she says. “Once, I had to take my baby, who was unwell, to a last-minute client appointment.
I ended up babywearing him on my back during the bridal fitting.
Thankfully, the bride-to-be was very understanding about it.”
You are not an island, although you’re working solo
Often, the journey can be “incredibly lonely”, says Sher-li.
“You may feel cut off from your colleagues. It may not seem like a big deal at first, but you may feel left out when you see their bond,” she adds.
For this reason, make an effort to keep in touch with former colleagues and employers. Pencil in that lunch or coffee date; not only is the social interaction a moodenhancer, but that connection also keeps doors open should you decide to return to work full-time, says Elynn.
Networking sessions that allow you to meet and mingle with other like-minded mums, like Mums@Work’s Mumpreneur Mondays, help as well.
“A lot of WAHMs think they are alone, and meeting other mums at these networking sessions can lift that sense of isolation. Many tell me how glad they are to finally find other mums who understand them,” says Elynn.
Manage your expectations
Sure, you might have the luxury of babywearing or nursing on demand while tackling a job assignment. But working from home does not mean you get to spend long leisurely hours with the kids.
“Many mums want to work from home, thinking they can spend a lot of quality time with their babies.
This is not necessarily true, especially when work gets busy or if you’re starting a new business,” says Audrey.
There’s also a misconception that workfromhome positions don’t require any face-time.
Sher-li says mums should be prepared to occasionally go back to the office for meetings or work appointments.
By the way, she adds, it is proven that work-fromhome job positions that are totally detached from the team will not succeed beyond six months.
You will also need to be realistic about your income, especially at the beginning.
“Mums starting a business may find that they are working around the clock but not earning much, when they factor in the time and money put in the first place,” says Su Ling.
Technically speaking, a salaried worker’s pay should not be affected whether she works from home or in the office as long as she puts in the stipulated number of work hours, says Elynn. But it may be pro-rated if you’re on a part-time work arrangement and work fewer hours.
Salaried WAHMs may face fewer promotion prospects, depending on the company, Sher-li shares.
“As there is less facetime, it might be harder for the boss to justify why you are promoted over another colleague,” she says.
A final note: Beware of job scams
“This stay-home mum made $9,000 in a week!” Sounds familiar? If a work from home job position sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Steer clear of any jobs that require you to purchase something in advance, such as a software programme, advises Elynn. In addition, no legitimate employer would require applicants to pay a processing fees to start work.
“There are some exceptions though. For example, some companies may require mums to undergo relevant training, at their own expense, before they can be hired, but such requirements are very rare,” she says.
According to Elynn, legitimate job portals usually take steps to protect jobseekers. Careermums, for instance, conducts checks on its job listings and sieves out positions that are not suitable for its target group of mothers, she says.
