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The Daily Bulletin
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Also Seen In The Whittier Daily News Moms work the dream
Like Gunn, Stacie Mindich-Jordan got the idea for her business, BabyDish, from her children.
On the weekends, she hosts all kinds of tea parties for her two-year-old business, Princess Dreams Tea Parties. Her fantasy is to have her own bed-and-breakfast, which she said would probably be located out of state, if the dream materializes. Witherspoon charges from about $200 to $300 per party and usually does two a month. Her goal is to quit her job and focus on the business full time, but replacing her job income would mean pumping it up to six to eight parties per month. "For the kids, I would rather be home during the week, and that's one of the biggest motivators for me," she said. The common denominator among these mompreneurs - aside from boundless energy and a desire to raise their children themselves for the first few years - is a persistent motivation to attain the kind of adjustable work-life balance not found in a corporate setting. In a survey of 2,000 mothers nationwide, The Motherhood Project found that 41percent work full time, while just 16percent said they would choose full-time work if they could design their ideal work situation. One in three mothers said they would prefer to work part time, and about 30percent said they would prefer to work for pay from home. Overall, a majority of mothers said they want to be employed - but in positions that do not demand so much of their time. "Researchers who have looked at work-family over the years usually have looked at how to keep women in the work force full time," said Cathy Myers, executive director of the Family and Home Network, an advocate group for stay-at-home parents. "That's based on the male work model ... They pay for on-site day care." Many women, especially those with an entrepreneurial bent, are skilled at multitasking and working in inherently challenging situations - such as having small children at home. So when these women are shoved back into a rigid work environment, it just isn't a good fit. Corporate America has come a long way in trying to accommodate talented mothers. But the truth is that any traditional work situation - even a very flexible one - can seem stifling to a mother with her own ideas about the best way to do things. "People are learning that they can structure work to suit their families. Some businesses have made strides, but most of it has to come from people thinking through what they need, and a lot of it is trial and error. It's such an individual solution for each person." Denise Michael, a former marketing manager for Ralphs Grocery Co., left her job when she had twin boys six years ago, and now she runs her own lending company. When she had her kids, she considered going back to work but couldn't see how it made sense after factoring in the cost of day care. "I was working 70 hours a week (at Ralphs)," she said. "I was not getting what I was worth. "After I added up the nylons, the dry cleaning, the lunches, I was making $3 an hour." Now Michael, who lives in Pasadena, employs other mothers to do paperwork and "all the little things it takes to run your own business." She said she's a great boss because she understands perfectly that mothers need to be able to take off and go do something for their children. One thing she has learned through starting her business is that working - and enjoying it - doesn't mean she can't be a good mother. "A lot of us fear that if we do something it's going to take away from our children," she said. "I thought if I became too successful I wouldn't have the flexibility. I was wrong about that." Janet Willison, a veteran of corporate work environments, went into real estate partly for the unconventional schedule it offered. But it's not flexible enough for her. "Real estate allows you flexibility, but you're going out at 10p.m. to get papers signed. It doesn't work with a 2-year-old," she said. Willison has been working from home with her daughter in tow up to now. But recently, she has morphed into a part-time real estate agent to pursue her real passion: Drama Princess Los Angeles, a clothing line named for her dramatic daughter. Willison said she and business partner Nancy E.M. Bates have spent between $10,000 and $20,000 since starting late last year, and they have attracted the attention of a "major retailer." Her ultimate goal is to focus on Drama Princess full time. "It's tapped into a creative part of me that had been dormant." Weekend warrior Work, on mom's terms. |
