Do you remember why you started out in business? Was it for flexibility, a second income, so you didn’t have to go back to work or simply for the love of it?

A year or two into business and I have met a lot of mums who have, in the busy-ness of business, lost sight of why they started or completely forgotten altogether.

Why? Because starting a business is hard work, all-consuming, and so demanding of you in the here and now that it is a rare moment when you actually take a step back and ask yourself questions like ‘Now, why did I start in business again?’

So why do you even need to keep sight of why you started? For many reasons:

1. To develop your business plan. You need to know how much you aim to make and whether this is even feasible given your whys.
2. To help determine whether you should turn your hobby into a business. It’s always tempting when everyone is telling you that you should be selling in stores etc but will taking this path fulfil what you’re trying to achieve?
3. To ensure you don’t get carried away with committing to projects that will take you away from your whys.
4. To make sure you’re happy. If you’re running your business in line with your life priorities it will ensure as little stress and conflict as possible. It will probably also make you a less-guilty parent!
5. It will keep you on track to achieving your goals as you’ll be actively involved in making them happen as opposed to just bumbling along, head down in your work, oblivious to where you’re going and if it’s the right direction.

So, how to keep them front of mind?

Write them on a piece of paper and pop them in front of you at your desk. Whenever you make a decision for business, check it against your list. Is it in keeping with your whys? If not, is it necessary to do?

Then conduct regular reviews of your whys and if they’re still important to you or have they changed? And why?

Then write down your new list, pin it up and start again.

Cheers, Alli x

Motivating Mum is a website and events service offering support and advice to mums in business, or those wanting to be. Phone mentoring with established mums in biz, networking and brainstorm events across Oz and the UK, online forum, articles and features and much more.
UK: www.motivatingmum.co.uk Australia: www.motivatingmum.com

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