My Story: Becoming an Entrepreneur
I live in Toms River, NJ with my husband Dan, a construction Project Manager; our four-year-old son, Will; and our two mischievous retrievers, Guss and Maggie. My business is a public relations firm that handles mainly entertainment and non-profit clients. We handle a wide range of PR initiatives such as event management, launches, cross-promotional partnerships and brand building. I employ freelance publicists who primarily work from home so the hours and schedule are flexible and conducive with family life.
Before I started my own business from home, I commuted into New York City where I served as a corporate communications manager for a very well known publisher and multimedia company. Prior to that, I managed publicity for a television network. For 10 years I had a fulfilling, fast-paced career as an entertainment publicist. However, when my husband and I decided to start a family, that lifestyle was not conducive to small children. And, having lost my own mother when I was in college, I knew when I became a mother my children would be the number-one priority in my life.
My son was the inspiration behind my business. I started freelancing at night when he was an infant. I would write press releases and newsletters in between late night feedings. I wanted to contribute to the household income again so that my son could have a more enriched childhood. Music classes, swim classes, gymboree—it all adds up, especially when you’re trying to survive on one income.
Since I started my own business, I juggle my work around my family which is very different from when I worked in corporate America. I schedule conference calls and meetings around my son’s life not the other way around. And because I have a great network of other publicists who are in the same situation, the juggle works. (PR is one of the few careers that’s female dominated.)
I make more money now then I did when I was commuting into Manhattan—more as my base salary and more because I’m not paying expensive costs like gas, parking, public transportation and extra taxes because I work in a different state then I live.
I believe that I'm a better entrepreneur because I am a mom and I’m a better mom because I’m an entrepreneur. Happiness is the key. I enjoy and appreciate what I do much more which in turn gives me confidence in both my professional and personal life. And not having the pressure of, “How am I going to pay for mommy and me classes this month?” is a huge weight off my shoulders.
My biggest fear in starting my business was losing time with my son. However, my business started to flourish at the perfect time in his life—when he was a toddler and craved to be around other children. He loved preschool and karate because he was able to interact with children his own age and I was able to get work done during the day. And, we also love networking with other stay-at-home moms because whether they work part-time or not at all, everyone loves play dates! If you’re a mom who doesn’t work outside the home, it gives you a chance to get something done on your own, in peace. And for working moms, it’s a great guilt-free and cost-free way to get the work done.
The greatest lesson I learned after starting my own business was that even though I work at home I still need to set time limits and days off. Everyone needs a day or two off for mental health. When your work is in your house, it’s difficult to step away. I literally grew my business from my kitchen table because in the beginning we couldn’t afford an office. So, if it was off hours and I went to get a drink of water or something to eat it would take me an hour because I felt compelled to check my email. I learned to delegate better to those that are helping me. Otherwise, I would get completely overwhelmed and stressed.
