The Opportunity That Changed My Life
Becoming a mother completely changes your entire approach and outlook on life. As a mom, you experience so many things that you never would have considered possible or that you would ever do. After all, how many of us have caught stuff flying out of our children’s mouths and bodies?
I was always a high achiever. I had to do the best, be the best, and succeed. I always had a 1-year plan, a 5-year plan, and the outlines of a 10-year plan. But children have a way of changing your plans without you even knowing it is happening.
The Moment Everything Changed
I was working full-time as a CPA (certified public accountant) for one of the big public accounting firms. I was on my first maternity leave when I was promoted. Returning to work after baby #1 was challenging, but I was still working towards my 5 and 10-year plans. When baby #2 arrived, my 5 and 10-year plans suddenly lost their appeal to me. I didn’t want to have my kids in daycare from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. My employer worked with me by creating a new role and reducing my hours (and salary) so my kids were not in daycare 12 hours a day, but it was still hard.
I constantly felt torn between being the best mom I could be and giving my best at work. I thought it would get easier once my older child started public school, but it didn’t. The mommy guilt was overwhelming. My children spent long days at school and aftercare, and they often had to miss playdates, clubs, and other activities simply because I had to work. I was not happy and, for the first time in my life, I felt like I was failing at everything.
Taking the Leap!
Making the leap from paid employment with benefits to a small business owner with only one employee (me) was a big one. Managing the business, state filings, and bookkeeping were all easy for me (accounting background was a huge help in setting up and maintaining my business). Kids’ MusicRound provided all the training, mentoring, and ongoing professional development I needed to thrive on the creative side of the business, leading Kids’ MusicRound classes with confidence. I was now able to build a schedule of classes around my children’s activities so I was always there when they got home from school. And I had the added benefit of being able to make music all the time with little ones at their cutest and formative stage of life! Maybe my family wasn’t able to go on huge, expensive vacations each year, but I was able to add enough money to the bank to pay for all my children’s activities and a summer swim club. The overwhelming mommy guilt disappeared. Instead of feeling like I was failing at everything, I finally felt like I was succeeding where it mattered most. And I was happy again.
Questions to Ask Before Taking the Leap
If you are considering starting your own business, there are a few critical factors to consider:
- What are my financial goals and will my business be able to meet these goals?
- What will I do about health insurance and retirement planning?
- Am I trained or how do I get trained to do my business?
- Do I have people to help with the aspects of a small business that I am not knowledgeable about? Such as bookkeeping, legal filings, marketing, social media, etc.
- Will I enjoy what I’ll actually be doing day-to-day to make my business run?
- Does my business fit with my family’s needs and will they support my endeavor?
- If my business does not succeed, how long will I give it and what will I do next?
Twenty Years Later, I'd Make the Same Choice
Twenty years and 80 semesters of music classes later, I am still enjoying making music every day. I don’t regret my time in public accounting because it provided me with the skills to manage my small business. Even though my own children are now officially “grown and flown,” I continue to be happy with my change in profession and lifestyle.
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