Preparing My Business for Maternity Leave
Balancing Family and Business: Maternity Leave as an Entrepreneur
As a self-employed business owner, my dream was always to have the flexibility and freedom to run my own business while being there for my family. Growing up with parents working corporate jobs and long hours, I knew I wanted a different path, one that would allow me to be present for my future children. When the opportunity to become a full-time freelancer arose, I took a leap of faith. As I embarked on my entrepreneurship journey, I made a conscious decision to build a business that would allow me to prioritize my family. When planning ahead for maternity leave while we were trying to conceive, I knew I had to make strategic preparations. In this blog post, I will share how I transformed my business, expanded my team, and secured financial stability to successfully navigate maternity leave.
Building a Supportive Team
Realizing that expanding my team was crucial for both business growth and maintaining stability during my absence, I strategically brought on support in various areas. I hired individuals skilled in social media management, copywriting, web design and development, and branding design. This transformation from a one-woman show to a team of 5+ contractors in just one year not only helped to ensure a seamless workflow during my absence but also fostered a supportive work environment.
Creating a robust project pipeline
Knowing that I would need to step away from day-to-day operations, I dedicated significant time and effort to building a strong project pipeline. By actively pursuing new clients and nurturing existing relationships, I aimed to secure a consistent flow of work throughout my maternity leave. This allowed my team to seamlessly transition into handling ongoing projects while I focused on my family.
Early onboarding and delegation
To prepare my team for my absence, I made a conscious effort to onboard and delegate responsibilities well in advance. By involving them in key projects, providing thorough training, and fostering open communication, I ensured that everyone was aligned and capable of managing tasks in my absence. This proactive approach helped build trust and confidence within the team, empowering them to handle challenges independently.
Financial preparedness
Understanding the limitations of self-employed government maternity leave options, I recognized the importance of financial preparedness. To safeguard my business’s stability during my absence, I diligently saved and built a business savings nest. By setting aside a portion of revenue consistently and creating a contingency fund, I provided a financial safety net to cover expenses and maintain operations during my maternity leave.
Preparing my business for maternity leave required careful planning, strategic decision-making, and a supportive team. By expanding my team, building a robust project pipeline, onboarding and delegating responsibilities, and securing financial stability, I successfully prepared my business for the arrival of my child.
Today, I can confidently say that my business is in safe hands, and I am grateful for the amazing team that supported me and my clients through my fertility journey, pregnancy, and now my maternity leave. As my family grows, so will my business, and I look forward to the exciting future that awaits both on the personal and professional fronts.
