Here’s How You Can Manage Starting a Business and Welcoming a Baby at the Same Time By: Emily Graham

Here’s How You Can Manage Starting a Business and Welcoming a Baby at the Same Time By Emily Graham

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Starting a business is hard enough on its own, but add in the challenges of welcoming a baby, and it can feel downright impossible. Not only do you have to worry about the usual startup concerns like funding, marketing, and product development, but you also have to figure out how to juggle everything at once after your little one arrives. In this article, we’ll explore some useful strategies to help you strike a balance between managing a business and taking care of a newborn.

Develop a Routine

One of the biggest challenges of starting a business when you have a baby on the way is figuring out how to balance work and family life. A good first step towards tackling this challenge will be to develop a routine that helps you stay organized and efficient.

Newborns and routines solemnly go together, but within the first 1-2 weeks, you’ll develop an understanding of what are the best times to work. This could be early in the morning when your baby is asleep or in the evening once your partner is home and can undertake childcare duties. The best approach will be to create a schedule around these times, as it will provide some much-needed clarity and predictability regarding work.

Find Experienced Childcare

The three months post-delivery is commonly known as the fourth trimester, where taking care of your health is as important as taking care of the baby. It is during this period that your body recovers from the several physical and hormonal changes it underwent over the course of the pregnancy, as reported by Chester County Hospital. Hence, rather than stretching yourself thin between business and childcare duties, hire an experienced nanny to take some burden off your shoulders.

Along with looking for nannies online, collect suggestions from family, friends, and colleagues. Next, schedule interviews to meet candidates in person and evaluate whether they are a good fit for you and your baby. Depending on your needs and preference, opt to hire them full-time or part-time.

Establish an LLC

According to research by Care.com, more than 51% of families spend an excess of 20% of their monthly household income on childcare. This is a steep 70% increase compared to pre-pandemic spending. Along with current costs, you’ll need to factor in future costs of schooling, clothing, healthcare, and more. In a nutshell, having steady financials will be key to securing your child’s future.

Establishing a limited liability company will help you achieve this security by protecting personal assets and finances from business-related liabilities. This is because, with an LLC, the business is considered a separate legal entity from the owner. Additionally, with an LLC, you’ll avoid the drawback of double taxation and be eligible to use business expenses as tax write-offs. You can expect to save between a few hundred to thousands of dollars yearly. Here is a guide on how to start an LLC in Virginia.

Market Your Business

Getting the word out about your new business is an essential part of establishing a successful venture. Marketing allows potential customers to become aware of your business and its offerings, so it’s critical to craft a flexible and comprehensive plan for advertising and promotion. Consider investing in digital marketing strategies like social media advertising or SEO optimization to maximize your reach.

Content marketing has become a popular and cost-effective way of engaging audiences, enhancing brand loyalty and promoting offers. By regularly creating content that’s valuable to the reader, businesses can cultivate trust with their customers and establish themselves as experts in their respective fields. If you’re curious about content creation and marketing, you can learn more here. 

Implement a Document Management System 

Another important thing to do before starting your business is to implement a document management system. This will be especially important if you're planning on communicating with clients or staff digitally. Additionally, with a newborn in the house, it’s best to adopt a paper-free approach.

There are several different ways to store files electronically, but PDFs are often the preferred format over Microsoft Word or Excel documents. That's because PDFs preserve formatting and allow encryption, securing your data from bad actors. Additionally, all document management systems are compatible with PDF. 

By taking care of key details like forming an LLC and implementing a document management system beforehand, you'll be able to set yourself up for success once your little one arrives. And by developing routines and finding childcare, you'll be able to manage both work and family life with ease.

If you need help managing the first few months of motherhood, postpartum doula Morgan Owens can support you. Schedule a consultation.