Instant Oatmeal. I love oatmeal
Mum's at home - minding the little ones and also nurturing her own business. Take the case of Mrs Grace Tan, 35, who quit work two years ago to look after her two young children.
Asked why she did not opt for flexi-work, she said: "In my industry, you have to give your 100% commitment. I don't want to let anyone down at the workplace."
A software engineer for eight years, she found that she missed some of the fast-paced routine after she left, and decided to set up a home-based business last year.
Her online shop, Simple Thots, stocks products for other mums such as sandwich cutters and baby products from overseas. Like Mrs Tan, many other enterprising mothers have also become their own bosses at home, choosing to work at their own pace and earning the moniker "mumpreneur". Unlike entrepreneurs fixated on growing their business, mumpreneurs work around their children's schedules and often set aside specific "no work" periods.
As a result, these businesses tend to be run online from home. Mothers may also intentionally keep the business small to be manageable," said Mrs Sher-li Torey, founder of social enterprise
Mums@Work here. Among its 3,800 members, about 1,000 have set up businesses or expressed interest in doing so. Mrs Torrey runs several proframmes supporting mumpreneurs, including a monthly networking brunch conducted together with NTUC's U Family unit.
"We advocate mothers to think about proper business methodologies, rather than take part in quick, get-rich schemes," she added. Mr Josh Gosh, assistant director of corporate services at recruitment firm The GMP Group, said the mumpreneur trend is riding on the ease of the Internet as a platform for online businesses.
"Some women want to spend more time with their children yet pursue their interests. They enjoy the flexi-time and freedom," he said. Retail Expert Sarah Lim, a senior lecturer at the Singapore Polytechnic, said women are now educated and "know where to source for business". Still, Mr Goh cautioned that it may not be a breeze to start a business unless the person has some knowledge of the industry. Mumpreneurs could also be stretched by the volume of orders and might not be able to find helping hands.
But despite the challenges, Mr Goh foresees that the trend will continue. "Technology is a key factor. A lot of small businesses are based on social media and word of mouth. Also, the relaxation of HDB rules means that it is easier to register home-based businesses," he said.
Mumpreneur Neetu Khanchandani, 32, who owns online outfit Entice Jewellery, took that plunge last year. "There are so many opportunities online and it is really good for mothers... they can stay at home yet put their potential to good use," said the mother of a 3.5 year old son. But she admitted that such businesses do not rake in as much as a corporate pay cheque, estimating that she could earn $2,000 more if she return to her previous bank-officer job.
Mrs Tan, who has a five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, said the family income is now half the five-figure sum she and her husband used to earn monthly. But she sees it as a worthy sacrifice. "The time spent with my kids is priceless. I want them to grow up with a strong sense of home and know that there are people they can always come home to." she said, adding that she answers e-mail and packs orders only after 10pm.
Juggling both business and children at home also requires mumpreneurs to find a right balance. Mrs Martha Liebman, 40, gets calls from clients 24/7. The Singapore permanent resident runs BabyTown, an online store selling baby products. On how she copes, The mother of two boys aged nine and four said:" I'm home all the time and I've set my kids' desk next to mine - they have the comfort of knowing I'm nearby."
Mrs Liebman added that mumpreneurs can control the scale of the business to suit their needs. "You can keep it as small as you want, or crank it up when your kids are older, like what I'm planning to do," she said. And unlike other mothers employed by firms, she knows she can take time-out any time she wants to. "I don't miss any of the parent-teacher meetings or my sons' performances. I don't miss critical moments," she said.
Mashed Potato Soup. I made up a batch of Idahoan brand instant mashed potatoes (Loaded Baked flavor), then I put a couple of spoonfuls in my little sieve and poured some prepared Lipton Onion soup over it. Lather, rinse, repeat. Alex loves onions, so this was pretty.
