Running a Business While Raising Kids: Moms in Franchising

By Emily Driscoll Between seemingly endless carpool lines, acting as the referee for warring siblings, and getting dinner on the table at a reasonable hour every night, being a mother is a full time job in itself. To add running a business to the daily trials and tribulations of motherhood would send most moms running for the hills, but not Jaime Deason. After a successful career working in the inner-city school system in Washington, DC, Deason knew she eventually wanted to get back into the working world after having children and decided franchising through Fetch! Pet Care would be a good fit for her busy lifestyle. “I was looking for something I could do close to home or at home as well as something with a flexible schedule so I could be around more for my kids as they grow up,” says Deason. “Also, my love of pets and knowing that this service was something that was needed in my area was also factored into my decision.” Why moms are drawn to franchising One of the biggest draws for mothers seeking out business opportunities through franchising is schedule flexibility, something that can help make the situation easier for the whole family, says Tiffany Walker, a Fantastic Sams franchisee in Indianapolis and mom to three little girls. After working in corporate America for 14 years, Walker decided to follow her dream of small business ownership and purchased an existing Fantastic Sams Salon. “This was the first summer where I could stay home with my kids some days and put them in camps anywhere in the city based on their interests,” she says. “In previous years, I signed them up for camp based on the camp schedule matching my work schedule and the camp being close to my home or work.” Linda Stevens, a Fetch! Pet Care franchisee in the southern Chicago suburbs, was tired of the travelling required for the construction business and wanted to spend more time with her son. “Having enough sitters on staff to rely on gives me more time with my family and my hours and location allow me to work from anywhere,” she says. There never seem to be enough hours in a day as a mother, and not having to start from scratch allows moms to explore more business options. “Having the support of a franchise system can take a lot less time to get the business up and running in the beginning,” says Deason. A Balancing Act Starting a franchise can have its challenges, especially in getting acquainted with the industry and building up a client base when there are little ones to attend to. “I started on my own without any help of a sitter until I felt comfortable enough to hire more staff that allowed me more free time,” says Stevens. Although franchising is a great option for moms, running a business of any kind with children and other obligations can make it more difficult to deal with unexpected issues that may arise--having built-in support is essential in tackling those problems, Deason explains. “Everyone encounters issues with time management, and having kids adds to that, but also creates a desire and need to work out the time issues so that you not only have time for work and yourself, but also with your family,” she says. Advice for mother-franchisee hopefuls Deason recommends that mothers looking to get into business be very realistic about the time commitment involved and the importance of a support system. “It takes so much hard work and effort and it can be very hard to turn that attention to the business off and not feel like you are "on" 24/7,” she says. “You really have to be able to set some limits to make sure you don't burn out and still have time for the people and other things you love.” At the end of the day, having a passion for the industry is the motivation that will keep moms going well past the bedtime stories and goodnight hugs, says Stevens. “Find something that you love and are passionate about and if it fulfills you, the rest will follow.”