Remember the phrase, “a woman’s place is at home”? It’s coming back – but not in the way you might think.
Research shows that there are now over 8.3 million women-owned businesses in the US – a number that has grown by 54% over the last 15 years. And in recent years, another women-owned business trend has come to light – and that’s the growth in home-based moms who are setting up and running their own businesses. This dedicated, home-based demographic – also known as ‘mompreneurs’ – are finding new ways to balance work and family life, and are driving new avenues of growth in the economy.
‘Mompreneurs’ are multi-tasking machines. They are businesswomen but they are also dedicated parents. Many mompreneurs work from home, utilizing mobile technology and the Internet to market and sell their products or services online. But as any parent and entrepreneur knows, businesses are demanding; and children are yet more so. Juggling a business with childcare and quality family time is an enormous challenge – and the reality can place quite a strain on all concerned.
One useful tip which can help make the lives of entrepreneurial moms a little easier is to utilize a virtual office. It’s not just about having a professional frontage for the business – although this is an advantage in itself. Crucially, working moms can tap into the support network on offer to help lighten their load, which includes receptionist and call handling services.
Here are some of the key benefits of a virtual office for at-home moms who run their own business:
Receptionist services: With a virtual office, calls can be answered throughout the day and evening by a professional live receptionist. This takes the distraction away from moms while they’re focusing on their business. And during family time when the smartphone is switched off, clients are still dealt with professionally instead of reaching an answering machine.
Quiet workspace: When there’s a houseful of children and family, sometimes mompreneurs need to sneak off for a few hours’ quiet business time. With a virtual office, business owners can make use of on-demand, well-equipped office space in a wide choice of locations.
Meeting space: Virtual offices provide a professional business address in an office building, and clients can use this very building to hire conference rooms when they need to arrange a meeting.
Protect the home address: Signing up to a business address through a virtual office provides a mailing address – meaning the home address can be protected, and most virtual offices include mail handling and forwarding services as part of the package. Plus, this same address can be used on business cards and correspondence which also generates a professional frontage for the business.
With the number of women-owned businesses and home-based working moms on the rise, a virtual office could help mompreneurs strike the balance between running a business and raising a family – with time to spare at the end!
Are you a multi-tasking mompreneur? How do you balance the needs of your business with your family life? We’d love to hear from you – leave a comment to share your secrets!
Image source: Ambro, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
