France lives a boom of mothers who set out to start their own business, an entrepreneurial boom that follows in the wake of the United States and is a relief for many women with children.
It is estimated about seven million mompreneurs, you are businesswomen who achieve domestic and professional reconciliation in their own way, and not without effort. Women who are between 25 and 40 years old on average, have completed higher education and most occupied intermediate positions before embarking on the adventure alone.
They are women who during pregnancy or after childbirth decide to face a personal professional project, leaving their previous jobs that probably did not satisfy them enough or did not suit what they wanted with a new member in the family.
Many do so even when they have returned to work, after maternity leave, and prove that reconciliation is not possible. In this, neither France nor the United States have an advantage. Companies (politicians, society ...) do not trust the benefits of conciliation. With that panorama, it is not surprising that working women ("traditional" style) do not want to have more children.
But what if you decide on schedules, who works at home, who decides transfers, who can work with your children? I think it's a great advantage, now you just have to know what to work on. So creativity to power. Creativity and spirit of adventure, because you never know how the business will work out ...
But while we know if it works or we are not calm because mompreneurs or mammo entrepreneurs have financial support to develop their projects, bureaucratic facilities that pave the way in countries like France and the United States.
The rise of the mamiemprendedoras
In France, there are several reasons that have fueled this maternal and business boom.
- With more than 800,000 births per year, the inhabitants of the French country are the European champions in birth.
- In addition, mothers are the most active in the continent, with an activity rate of 80% in the case of those with a child.
- This is linked to the machismo of companies: according to data from a study conducted by the firm Regus, specializing in work management at home, 41% of employers fear a lack of flexibility in their mother employees and 29% are afraid of a new maternity leave. What we said before.
- The recent reform of the status of the entrepreneur, which has democratized business creation in Gallic soil, joins the aid that the French Government grants to the newly released. Since its entry into force in 2009, more than 500,000 people have signed up to this formula that allows all French people to start their business simply and quickly, with hardly any paperwork, meeting certain requirements.
- Add to this the tax advantages of this type of business.
Teleworking as an ally
The key in these new companies run by moms is telecommuting, especially work through the computer. New technologies and the development of online commerce facilitate the management of work-family agendas.
79% of women entrepreneurs say they have created their company to gain independence and 62% say they enjoy greater flexibility to combine childcare with their affairs.
This explains why most of the female entrepreneurs have given birth to their company in sectors related to new technologies, or in those that facilitate teleworking, such as consulting or business services (communication, business advice), services to the person and online commerce.
The support among these women is essential, and there are several websites that bring together experiences, doubts and advice, such as some meetings ("mamicafés", how little I like the name).
Some problem had to have ...
Edwige, mother of two children who went to the online business of baby clothes, explains that
The biggest advantage is the flexibility that allows you, although you should not fool yourself: In the end you work twice and never disconnect. Placing the businesswoman's medal next to the mother's is not easy. On the contrary, two gallons weigh more than one.
According to an association of mammam entrepreneurs, 86% recognize that sharing domestic and professional space forces them to work during the weekends or in the afternoon (what does this sound like to me?), While only 54% of wage earners It does. 58% explain that, despite the adventure, they still have difficulties to manage everything.
And enterprising parents who quit their previous job to turn their lives around with children? Will this double effort have something to do with them so that they decide less to undertake this adventure? Has work at home been, is and always will be for women? Or do they not see the need to leave their old jobs because nothing changes there for them? Many questions for so little space, a simple invitation to reflection.
Surely, although they have had less help and support, among our readers are some of these mompreneurs or mamiemprendedoras, self-employed moms who decided to change their way of working with their babies
