7 Ways Being a Mom Has Made Me a Better Creative Entrepreneur

Moms make the best creative entrepreneurs. At least, that’s what I tell my kids. 😘

When I left my job as a marketing manager to pursue my copywriting business full-time, I wasn’t yet a mom. But I hoped one day I would be.

Six years later, I have two healthy, hilarious boys. And I couldn’t be more grateful for the family and business I have the privilege to lead.

In honor of Mother’s Day, I want to reflect on all the ways being a mom has made me a better business owner. Or at least seven.

Moms, can you relate?

(Disclaimer: I want to acknowledge that Mother’s Day can stir up some strong emotions, including for me. This post is not meant to make anyone feel hurt, left out, or less than. I admire all moms and entrepreneurs, whether or not those roles overlap!)

1. I Prioritize What Matters

There’s something about rolling around the floor with your kids after working all day that just centers you.

You know that this — giggling with them, squeezing their thighs like stress balls, making them feel like the most important little people in the world — is what life is all about.

So if you’re going to be away from your children, the reason better be strong.

Not everyone can choose a career they’re passionate about. I’m fortunate that I can. And I try not to squander that blessing.

When my boys are at daycare, I’m hyper-focused at the office. I take time management seriously, often eating lunch at my desk, rarely scrolling Instagram.

I create with intention. Stay in my lane. Put my head down and work (especially on VIP Days).

On the flip side, I’m no stranger to self-care. I take daily walks, attend workout classes, schedule lunches with friends and 4 p.m. manicures. I know these breaks make me healthier, happier, and ultimately a better business owner.

Whatever I do — whether at home or at work — I do it wholeheartedly.

2. I Dismiss What Doesn’t

Prioritizing what matters means deprioritizing everything else.

Over the years, I’ve been very judicious about what I say “yes” to — which requires a heck of a lot of “nos.” Even to otherwise good things. Even to things it seems like every other creative entrepreneur is doing.

Here are a handful of business opportunities I’ve turned down, at least for now:

• Growing a big team
• Creating digital products
• Doing live launches
• Starting a podcast or YouTube channel
• Posting daily on Instagram
• Showing up on multiple social platforms
• Constantly consuming content
• Attending or hosting most meetings and events

As mompreneurs, we literally can’t do everything. Not all at once.

And I’m completely okay with that. Or I’ve chosen to be.

3. I Have More Empathy

When I meet a creative entrepreneur who’s also a mom, it’s like when Annie and Hallie put the picture of their parents back together: instant bond.

There’s a mutual understanding between me and my mama clients. We respect each other’s time, celebrate each other’s wins, and laugh about our shared experiences (like when our toddlers climb into our beds at midnight, as a client and I recently connected over).

It’s not just fellow moms, either. Parenthood has given me more grace toward everyone.

You never know what someone’s dealing with at home, for better or for worse.

So I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.

4. I Have More Confidence

A client of mine, a successful entrepreneur and mom of four, recently told me, “You stop caring about what people think in your forties.”

That’s great news, because I already care less about what people think in my thirties — and I attribute a lot of that to becoming a mom.

When your body has grown, delivered, and fed a human being, your attitude toward it — and your entire identity — begins to shift. Your self-image becomes less about appearance and more about power. Less about what you can’t do and more about what you can.

I’ve carried this sense of self-trust into my business. I’ve done hard things at home, so I can do them at work. I have two beautiful boys who think I’m the best, so it’s okay if someone online thinks I’m so-so.

Four years of motherhood have already made me more authentic and resilient. I can’t wait to see what the next 10+ years will do to my confidence.

5. I’m a Better Leader

Moms are, by definition, leaders. We lead our children emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and (especially in those first few years) physically.

As an introvert, I haven’t historically considered myself a leader. Yet as a business owner — however small my copywriting studio may be — I have no choice but to be one. And, thanks to motherhood, I’m becoming a better one every day.

Here are a few ways guiding my kids has helped me guide my business:

• I communicate effectively. As a boy mom, I’ve learned to be extremely direct and concise — no over-explaining or asking questions when there isn’t actually a choice. I also know to tailor my communication style to the age and/or mood of the child I’m addressing. In business, that looks like tweaking my tone to the client or team member I’m talking to, being crystal-clear about expectations, and balancing ownership of my own communication with accountability for theirs.
  
• I stay organized. Both motherhood and business can be messy, but they don’t have to be chaotic. At home, I try to create a peaceful environment by restricting toys to certain rooms, cleaning the kitchen (mostly) every night, and doing a monthly deep clean of the whole house. At work, I try to keep a clear desk, a clear inbox and ClickUp, and clear processes for marketing, sales, and client experience. While I’m a fairly flexible person, I know systems are the key to sanity in business and life.
  
• I seek consistency. As my almost-four-year-old becomes more, ahem, independent, I want to make sure our family is consistent with expectations and consequences. Although it’s hard to stick to routines, studies show how important they are for child development. Same goes for business. While the Type B part of me wants to take each day as it comes, I know that regular rhythms (like Marketing Monday, Finance Friday, and recurring tasks for my assistant) are good for me and my small team.

6. My Creativity Has Flourished

I almost said “I’m more creative,” but I don’t think that’s right. As a mom, I have much less time to follow my former creative pursuits: reading literature, writing essays, going to art galleries.

Yet I’m still as creative. Just in different ways. Such as…

• Storytelling: I read to my kids every night (and most mornings and afternoons when we’re home). Reading children’s books has reminded me of the power of brevity, imagination, and precision of language… all key skills for a copywriter like me. Seeing what my children find funny or interesting is telling, too — it helps me understand what humans, including my clients, might resonate with.
  
• Playing: I’m not really a sit-on-the-sidelines kind of mom. I’ll throw the ball, be the horsie, go down the slide. The best surprise about participating in my kids’ play is that — guess what — it’s actually fun. It lightens my mood, boosts my creativity, and helps me see the beauty in the ordinary, which has the excellent side effect of inspiring my professional work.
  
• Problem solving: Motherhood requires you to be resourceful. No baby wipes? Wet a paper towel. Kids going crazy? Distract with a toy. At your wit’s end? Call in reinforcements. With each year, I’ve become more inventive in how I approach all kinds of situations. And yes, sometimes, that means asking for help — something my self-sufficient spirit used to resent.

7. I Embrace Change

One of the best pieces of parenting advice I’ve ever heard is that “everything is temporary.” Both the good and the tiring.

The baby won’t cry forever… nor will he nurse forever. The toddler won’t wet his bed forever… nor will he snuggle close forever.

Knowing that each moment is fleeting helps me stay intentional with my time. It’s why I try to live in the present while keeping a long-term perspective.

Eventually, I’ll get to enjoy meals in relative peace. I’ll get to introduce my kids to Harry Potter. I’ll get to create a course or community or some other cool endeavor with Quotable Copy.

Maybe. If the Lord is willing. (And if I am.)

Whatever happens… it’s going to happen. So I’ll need to adapt. Swap perfectionism with patience.

And see what beautiful things start to happen.

Has Motherhood Made You More Creative? Productive? Appreciative?

If you’re a “mompreneur,” I bet it has. And I’d love to hear how.

Connect with me on Instagram to share the ways motherhood has made you a better entrepreneur. Let’s support each other as we raise our families and businesses!

(Not a mompreneur? Let’s support each other, too. 🤍)