The Pros & Cons of Momtrepreneurship.

I haven’t had a normal job (with a boss, regular paycheck and benefits) since I graduated from college, more years ago than I want to admit.  Freelancing and self-employment can be challenging, but since everyone always says ‘make a list of the good & bad’ when you’re facing a decision, here are a few pros and cons for aspiring momtrepreneurs to consider.

Disadvantages To Being Your Own Boss.

-Staff meetings are weird unless you enjoy talking to yourself.
-You’ll know you’re lying if you call in sick on the day the Nordstrom Half Yearly sale starts.
-You don’t get to have office parties, or celebrate co-workers’ birthdays, or compare notes on who should have been kicked off of last night’s “So You Think You Can Dance”).
-There’s no easy answer to ‘What do you do?’ (In my case it’s “I’m a writer/comedian/humorist/blogger/singer/music teacher/sleep-deprived mom” – and that’s the short answer.)

Advantages To Running Your Own Business.

-The commute is really short.
-You can work in pajamas or sweats with no makeup on (just avoid videoconferencing.)
-Insomnia becomes a good thing (it’s amazing what you can accomplish in a quiet house at 3 a.m.)
-You get to give yourself an occasional day/afternoon/hour off (I take a mid-day dance class 2-3 times a week, figuring I make up for it when I have those bouts of insomnia.)
-There are no Gen Y young staffers around complaining about your taste in music.
-You can catch up on “So You Think You Can Dance”, “The Daily Show” or “Desparate Housewives” while you collate, file, or do other mindless work.
-No matter how odd, unusual, or weirdly creative your business is, you know there’s a momtrepreneur out there doing something even more unusual – and you get to be part of a terrific, creative group of odd, unusual, weirdly creative, sleep-deprived moms who work in their pjs, love what they do, and demonstrate the amazing power of women!

-Lauren Mayer, The Psycho SuperMomtrepreneur