Introduction
I often get asked, “How do you do it?” I’m a full-time mom (not a fan of the “single mom” label) who has built businesses from scratch, opened two retail stores, and even hand-made my own products.
Here’s the truth: In just two years, I generated $220K in sales. But behind the success was burnout, exhaustion, and lessons I’ll never forget. Running a team of three while juggling motherhood stretched me to my limits—and ultimately, I had to shut it all down.
If you’re balancing a 9-to-5, motherhood, and entrepreneurship, I want to share what I learned so you don’t repeat my mistakes.
“Stop Winging It: Why Scheduling Posts Could Save Your Sanity”
Back then, I wrote and posted everything day by day. No content calendar. No automation. Just me, my phone, and too much caffeine.
The result? Hours lost that could have gone into strategy, money management, or rest. Looking back, I should have hired a virtual assistant—or at the very least, used ChatGPT to batch my posts and plan ahead.
Lesson: Automate what you can. Time saved on small tasks adds up to bigger wins.
“Crawl Before You Run: The Danger of Scaling Too Fast”
I didn’t plan to open a second store. An eager sales rep showed me a mall location, and excitement clouded my vision. I strayed from my 3-year plan, ignored the importance of having more capital in the bank, and went for it.
Yes, it expanded my business quickly—but as fast as I rose, I fell. Running two stores meant double the stress, double the expenses, and double the time away from what mattered most.
Lesson: Don’t let shiny opportunities rush your growth. Stick to your plan, build slowly, and ensure your foundation (and finances) are solid before scaling.
“Hustle Without Health is a Trap”
Here’s the part I didn’t expect—my health collapsed before my business did. I developed diabetes, not from genetics but from neglect. Long hours, skipped meals, and stress took their toll.
I’ve always preached self-love (I even wrote a book about it!), but in reality, I wasn’t practicing it. Hustle culture cost me my health, and no revenue milestone was worth that.
Lesson: Your health is your real wealth. Build systems that prioritize you, not just your business.
“The Lifestyle Check: Are You Building a Business That Fits Your Life?”
My daughter loved coming to the store with me. It sparked her creativity and gave us bonding moments I’ll always cherish. But it also meant she missed out on dance classes and other activities because I had to work late.
I started my business for three reasons: flexibility, time with my child, and impact. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of the first two and only chased impact.
Lesson: Your business should serve your lifestyle—not steal it. Never lose sight of why you started.
Conclusion
Looking back, I’m grateful for the $220K in sales, but even more grateful for the lessons burnout taught me. Entrepreneurship is not just about building a business—it’s about building a life you love.
So if you’re a mom building a business, remember:
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Automate the small things.
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Stick to your growth plan.
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Guard your health.
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Protect your lifestyle.
Because success is sweeter when you don’t sacrifice the very things you started for.
✨ Ready to grow your business without burnout?
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