HalfSane Sleep Deprived Entrepreneur
What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?
My greatest influence in business is a tie between two very different and extremely successful individuals – Elon Musk and Lori Greiner. They both encountered many difficulties on their road to success, but they overcame every obstacle and continue to push forward. It is this drive and attitude that I try to model after in not just business but life in general.
Since you are also a mom… How do you balance your personal and professional life?
This is something that I initially struggled with when I first started trying to manage a business and a baby. I think that balancing act just got easier as time went on. I made a schedule for myself that could remain flexible for a baby yet allowed me to get all of my work done that needed to be completed. I think that this is where a lot of home-based business owners struggle. Especially for me, when I am home, I can ALWAYS find something that needs to be done around the house. So, I have a designated work space that has little to no distractions (aside from my little girl) and during the time I allot for myself, I do nothing else but work.
Have you made any adjustments to your personal and professional life to juggle these two roles?
Absolutely!! I had to prioritize and cut out things that fell lower on the chart. My family, business and sanity ranked at the top. If it didn’t contribute in a positive way to one of these three things – it got the axe! I actually cut out A LOT of time on social media recently. Obviously, I am still on it regularly but not for hours on end. I do what needs to be done, look at a few things then put my phone down. This alone has saved me so much time.
What is the greatest obstacle you have faced in achieving the success you desire? How do you overcome it?
The greatest obstacle I have faced starting out was working a full-time job, taking care of my family and trying to build a brand. Let me tell you – THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY!! I found myself working 15 to 18-hour days regularly. I still have days with those kinds of hours, but now it is working towards my goals – not someone else’s – and I am 100% OK with this! In the end, I look back and it is worth every sleepless night.
What advice would you give entrepreneurs that want to start their own company?
Work hard and don’t ever doubt yourself! It’s pretty simple. There is no magic answer or secret no one is telling you. Hard work pays off – period. If you have a dream to become an entrepreneur – work for it. It is not easy and you will have struggles. You will also come across a lot of people that will be negative and try to cast doubt on what you are trying to accomplish, and you cannot let them. Stay focused on that light at the end of the tunnel and you will get there. I promise you!
Some of my newest projects include several online blogs, stores and services like www.facethefork.com which is filled with life tips, recipes and more. It is something I created as an outlet while struggling to overcome an eating disorder. The business services and support that I provide to MOMpreneurs and startups can be found at www.nineteenfiftysolutions.com while www.pawsandsweets.com is a pet boutique filled with handcrafted items for your furry loved one.
By Maureen Lynne
@maureenlynne