Yes, everybody could use more money. But most mom business owners and business seekers I know aren’t looking to make millions. Most of us want to contribute to the family income while staying at home with our children. Especially initially, our goals are usually more family focused, like paying the mortgage, getting a new car, saving for college, or being able to go out to dinner a couple times a month. We want a business that we can enjoy and still have time to enjoy our family.
I recently posed a question on a popular message board and the responses I got confirmed that “rich” isn’t always the goal. Moms want to “pay bills and have some in savings,” “pay my bills and take care of kids, and “pay the bills, have some fun and still have enough to set aside in savings/retirement.” Others mentioned “financial security” and the “peace of mind” that comes from not worrying about money.
Often after meeting some immediate needs with our first business endeavor, we start looking more towards the future and wanting a little more. I think about how I’d like to enjoy retirement without worrying about money. And how I’d like my son to be able to choose his career or business path without being so concerned about whether his chosen path will net enough income. I even think about how much fun it would be to help other moms get started in business by providing some start-up cash or funding a business expansion.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t go for millions if that’s what you want. In fact there were a few responders who said they want to be rich and be able to afford luxuries. What I am suggesting is that if you are marketing your business to moms, don’t assume we’re all looking for big bucks. Promising fancy cars and six figure incomes doesn’t attract as many moms as you think it might.
The key is to listen to what each individual prospect is looking for and help her meet her goals.
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March 11th, 2010 at 2:32 PM
I agree Linda. When I started working from home, I just wanted to earn “fun money” so I can buy stuff for me and the kids without having to ask from my hubby. Now I not only have “fun money” but I am able to contribute to the family income. The best part is – I work when I want to and play when I want to.
March 12th, 2010 at 11:16 AM
Hi Marie,
Thanks for stopping by. I think that’s a big part of it for moms too – we need the flexibility to be able to walk away from the work when we want to. To build a business to “rich” would make it much more difficult to do that.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:06 PM
I agree completely. The only problem with this though is if you are a leader and your business is your career and your team is mostly made up of moms who aren’t in it for the income. It’s important to have a good mix of these slow and steady moms as well as career oriented team members if you want your team (and your income) to grow. I’ve learned this the hard way!
March 15th, 2010 at 6:34 PM
Hi Karen. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Good point. That’s another reason why consultants and new recruits should be trying to match up according to their goals.
March 26th, 2010 at 8:10 AM
Each client has different needs, identify their issue, offer them to solve their problems and they will pay your bills.