Managing Multiple Businesses with 2 Young Children: Elin's Unique Approach
Issue #7: Bi-weekly insights for mothers interested in entrepreneurship
Dear Mums,
There is no use in sugar-coating it: balancing motherhood while pursuing entrepreneurial ambitions is challenging.
Some might argue that if you want to be a present parent, entrepreneurship is at odds with that goal. However, I believe that running a business on your own terms is still better than many of the alternatives.
My experience running a digital marketing agency has meant I can spend more time with my children, making them my primary focus, while still contributing financially and maintaining a sense of professional fulfilment.
It’s by no means a perfect balance. I have contemplated alternatives, but no matter which way I spin it, I can only physically and emotionally be in one place at a time. I’d rather my efforts skew in the direction of building relationships with my children.
I continually reevaluate my priorities and seek better strategies to balance the work I enjoy with being the mother I strive to be. This is where it becomes invaluable to talk to other mums who can relate and borrow some strategies that help them.
I reached out to
to see if she’d talk to us about her role as a Mother Entrepreneur and what I learned was truly unique (and liberating.)Her Substack popularity exploded over the last few months and I’ve found her consistency and authentic creative expression inspiring—especially knowing she is doing this with two little kids in tow!
I believe her journey exemplifies how one can harmonise the demanding roles of a mother and a business owner, offering valuable insights for any mum pursuing entrepreneurship.
Insights from Elin Petronella
, is not only a mum of 2 young girls, but a multi-faceted art entrepreneur who first became known as an embroidery-artist who has gone on to expand her artistic offering to include a book, digital magazine, online academy and more. Explore Elin’s work here:
Petronella.Art Magazine — Elin offers inspiration to get artists excited to create more! Every week her 8,000+ subscribers gain value across many facets of art including hand-embroidery, illustration, photography and writing.
Follow Your Gut — is where Elin write on topics of life, freedom, entrepreneurship and creativity while adding the perspective of motherhood.
Charles and Elin Academy — a partnership with her husband, an online art academy which offers an array of embroidery courses and workshops.
What freedoms does running an online business offer you, that enrich your role as a mum?
ELIN: Running my own business means that I can adapt the work hours to suit the needs of myself and my family. There’s really nothing more freeing than that.
Adding the online aspect means there’s location freedom too. As a result of this, I frequently find pockets of time around our daily lives—which sometimes looks like working on my phone in the car while my daughter is in dance class, or adding some stitches to an embroidery while we’re out for lunch.
Working online means there are no limits!
Can you share some specific daily habits or routines that help you manage your art business while caring for your children?
ELIN: I'll be brutally honest, and you may be surprised as it’s very contrary to popular responses but I don’t have any daily routines related to the business anymore and there’s a clear reason for that.
When I first became a mother I was still stuck in my pre-mum-business art life and equated a lot of my self worth to productivity. I was ALWAYS working.
The only way I’ve been able to detox from that unhealthy standard (because you are simply set up for failure if you use productivity as a measure for self worth once your children are here) is to not have any daily todo list.
Instead I’ve implemented a weekly todo list.
This means that there are days I do nothing and days I do more, but on the days I do nothing I do not feel like I’ve failed because there was nothing to cross out on a list.
I see it like this: Instead of feeling behind 7 days out of 7, I’ve reduced my potential “disappointment” to 1 out of 7 days (Sunday when I potentially need to push forward some of the items to the next week.)
It’s a game changer!
What strategies or tools have you found most effective in staying consistent with your business goals, and how can mothers with limited time integrate these into their routines?
ELIN: In line with my previous answer: as opposed to having a big goal that needs to be done I focus on very small goals at the time.
This means that my creative goals is to just do something. Now that can be an entire drawing, article or even sales page. Or it can be literally one embroidery stitch and a scribbled headline for an idea for an upcoming post/email or whatever.
When being used to big chunks of time it’s easy to think that one has to complete a task for it to count, when really it’s about the small incremental steps that add up.
So just because you know you won’t have time to finish up something you start, it doesn’t mean that starting is useless.
What practical advice would you give to a mother who is just starting her entrepreneurial journey? Are there any specific steps or mindset shifts that can help her get started and stay motivated?
ELIN: Try to not overanalyse or overthink it too much.
In the early phase it’s more important to just create and make advancement, more than it is to make the “right thing.” You probably don’t even know what the right thing is yet anyway but you’ll get there through trials and error.
So I would say, take off the pressure of having to get it right from the start.
3 ways to implement Elin’s approach
There is no doubt that pursuing business alongside motherhood requires flexibility, small steps, and a mindset shift.
Taking the lead from Elin, I invite you to consider whether you could benefit from implementing her approach—I know I will.
Here are three ways to start:
1. Implement weekly to-do lists
Switching from daily to weekly goals can significantly reduce stress and disappointment. With a weekly to-do list, you have the flexibility to allocate tasks throughout the week based on your available time and energy levels. This approach allows for days of rest without the constant feeling of falling behind. By planning your tasks for the entire week, you can accommodate unexpected changes in your schedule, such as a sick child, without feeling like you are failing to meet your goals.
At the end of each week, take some time to review what you have accomplished and plan for the next week, adjusting your goals and strategies based on what worked well and what didn’t. This iterative process helps in maintaining a balance and staying on track without overwhelming yourself with daily pressures.
2. Take small incremental steps
Instead of focusing on completing large projects in one go, break them down into small, manageable tasks. This way, you can make consistent progress even with limited time. Embracing the power of micro-tasks can transform your approach to work, allowing you to make meaningful progress in short bursts of time.
For example, if you are working on a new product for your business, break the project into tiny steps like researching suppliers, sketching designs, and writing product descriptions. Each small task, even if it only takes a few minutes, brings you one step closer to your goal.
Over time, these incremental steps add up to significant progress, making large projects more manageable and less daunting. By celebrating these small victories, you can maintain motivation and a sense of achievement, even on days when you can only spare a few minutes for work.
3. Avoid productivity traps
Detaching self-worth from productivity is crucial. Productivity should not define your value or success. It is essential to recognise that your worth is not measured by how much you accomplish in a day. Shifting this mindset can lead to healthier work habits and a more balanced life.
To avoid falling into productivity traps, practise self-compassion and acknowledge the value of your efforts, no matter how small they may seem. Establish clear boundaries between work and family time to ensure you are fully present in each role.
Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship is not about perfect harmony but finding a rhythm that works for you and your family.
I’ll leave you with that for now, feel free to reach out via DM if you want to run your ideas past me!
Speak soon,
Tasha x
Thanks to everyone who took part in the recent Mother Entrepreneur survey. Congratulations to on winning the Moleskine notebook.
The weekly instead of daily to-do list tip sounds so much less exhausting and frustrating! This was just the advice I needed to hear today, definitely going to try it out next week ☺️
Loved reading this! Although I’m not a mum yet, I love reading how others design their life & business so they can go hand in hand ✨