How I Built a Six-Figure Business While Raising My Baby
I’ll be honest with you: I did not grow up dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur. Ask little me what I wanted to be and you’d probably hear “artist,” “teacher,” or “owner of twelve dogs.”
But “accidental entrepreneur”? That’s a new one, even for me.
My business didn’t start with a flashy launch or a color-coded plan. It started with me, hunched over a laptop, simply wondering, “Should I keep cobbling together part-time gigs… or go ALL IN?” Some days it felt brave. Other days? Totally bonkers. But I took the leap, and thank goodness I did.
There was one of those face-in-the-mirror moments we all dread – am I really gonna try? Or just keep playing safe and small? I was terrified: What if I lose all my clients? What if everything crashes and burns? But deep down, I had a scrappy stubbornness (and a healthy dose of caffeine) that told me: I’ll figure it out. I always do.
So here’s my real-life, changing-diapers-during-Zooms story: how I navigated the glorious circus of new motherhood while building my SEO copywriting baby, simple sprout studio, into a legit six-figure biz.
Spoiler: It was not glamorous. But it was so worth it.
The Early Days: Hustle Without a Handbook
Flashback to 2013. I had all the time in the world, the energy of a caffeinated squirrel as a 20-something, and not a single clue what things like “work-life balance” or “diaper genies” were.
Just me, SEO know-how, and way too many open browser tabs. I dove headfirst into the world of SEO copywriting, convinced I could help other business owners get found on Google and sound like humans at the same time (no shade, tech bros).
Cut to 2019: Enter baby. My business is booming, but so is my schedule – 40, sometimes 50 hours a week. And then, boom: newborn in arms, bags under my eyes, and a calendar that suddenly meant nothing.
The old “just work more” trick wasn’t going to cut it. Everything was different, and no one had mailed me the “Here’s how to run a business and keep a tiny human alive” handbook.
A day in my life? Part marathon, part sitcom. Feeding, soothing, meetings, diaper changes, emails, coffee, repeat. I scoured the internet for advice and got a vague “you just do it!” Gee, thanks, I thought, as I tried to type with one hand and keep the other one on burp patrol.
Quick realization: the 40-hour grind was a no-go. But 15-20 hours? That I could handle! I’ve stuck to it – and truly, it’s been a lifesaver.
Facing the Realities of Mompreneurship
Let’s not sugarcoat it: bringing together mom life and business life? It sometimes felt like juggling spatulas and live chickens on zero sleep – with a meeting starting in five.
Postpartum anxiety, cluster feeding, Zoom calls with suit-clad C-suites while my baby tried to audition for a soundtrack in the background… you name it, we’ve been there. I’m pretty sure there’s not a single spot in my house I haven’t used as an impromptu office or nap zone.
Time management? Ha! My best-laid schedules were torn up every time a nap schedule dropped, or preschool started, or someone woke up with the sniffles.
Self-doubt? Oh, it showed up for work every single day, whispering, Why would anyone hire you, drool-stained and scattered? But then, a client would send a thank-you or a glowing review, and suddenly the hard work was so worth it.
The big lesson: it’s never about having zero struggles. It’s about learning to dance with them, sometimes literally, because walking with a baby in a carrier while typing is an Olympic event.
The Strategies That Changed Everything
Magic? Nope. (But if you have some, send it my way!) What got me through were real strategies, hard-won and honestly not all that glamorous.
1. Embracing a “Less is More” Mindset
My biggest aha? Busy does not mean productive. Just because my to-do list had 37 things didn’t mean they all mattered.
So, I trimmed the fat: focused on the high-impact tasks, let the other stuff slide, and found faith in the fine art of saying “no.” My new motto: outsource, automate, or let it rot.
2. Mastering Time-Blocking
Those magical pockets of time – nap sprints, late night sessions, whenever the stars aligned – became my work goldmines.
I set boundaries like a knight sets shields: “I take calls only while my son’s at school!” And guess what? The world didn’t end. Clients actually respected it.
3. Asking for & Investing in Help
Somewhere along the way, I realized: I cannot, and do not want to, do it alone. Hiring help turned out to be my sanity-saver.
Bringing in outside childcare (a few precious preschool hours a week!) meant I could focus – and, okay, sometimes just pee in peace. Those were my power hours.
4. Shifting My Mindset
Flawless is fiction; done is delicious. I worked hard on letting go of perfectionism (work in progress!) and made self-care non-negotiable.
Fitness, healthy food, sleep – boring, but true. The healthier I was, the better everything got, from client calls to mom life.
The Six-Figure Breakthrough
Now for the “OMG, really?!” part. That first year after my son arrived, I slashed my working hours – from 40+ down to 15-20 – and I doubled my income. (Read that again!)
Six figures? Got there not long after. And yes, I threw myself a solo dance party each time Stripe pinged.
These days, my business hums along thanks to an awesome network and a good mix of regulars and referrals. More importantly? I’ve built a life I genuinely love.
I’m there for pick-ups, sick days, vacations (laptop always in tow), and random cuddle-fests. It’s not a Pinterest-perfect story, but it’s all mine.
If I could go back, I’d whisper to my new-mom self: Enjoy those squishy-baby days. Relax! The business will be there, and so will you. If you’re reading this and dreaming of starting something, my advice is simple: just do it—and make sure you love it enough to stick with it on the hard days.
Your Roadmap to Becoming a Mompreneur
You don’t have to figure this out the “hard way” like I did – swimming through sleep deprivation and endless trial-and-error. That’s exactly why I created the Becoming Mompreneur course.
I put everything I’ve learned (including the disasters and the wins and the awkward Zoom calls with a baby on my lap) into this framework that blends business, mom life, and sanity-saving systems.
Real talk, real strategies, real community. We tackle everything from time management to mindset and purpose, with room for grace and imperfection.
Ready to build a business and life you actually want to live—from diaper changes to discovery calls? This is your step.
Learn more about the Becoming Mompreneur course and join me on your journey today!
