Can You Really Build a Business With Young Kids?

There's a question I think a lot of moms are quietly carrying around.

Can you build a business with young kids, or is that just something people say on the internet?

It's a fair question! Somewhere along the way, most of us picked up the idea that building anything real takes a quiet house, a clear calendar, and a sitter on standby.

I don't think that's the real question, though.

The real question is whether you're willing to let it look completely different than you pictured, because it will. (Mine definitely does!)

So let me show you what it actually looks like!

Can You Build a Business With Young Kids — Yes, Just Not the Way You Picture It

Yes, you truly can.

But it probably won't look like the perfect version in your head.

Not a closed office door.

Not eight uninterrupted hours of focus.

Not waiting until everyone's in school.

It looks a lot more like real life, and that's exactly why it works for moms!

You Don't Need a Quiet House

Some of my most productive work sessions have happened with one kid elbow-deep in Play-Doh and the other one busy with a snack.

Recently I was filming a training for my team when my daughter crawled right up into my lap to help. (very polished, very professional! 🤪)

And that's okay.

It isn't a business you squeeze in after the kids grow up, it's one you build with them right there at your feet.

It's for the mom who gets interrupted mid-sentence.

The mom who wants to build something without clocking into another job.

The mom who'd rather be home and still wants to contribute.

Flexibility Is the Whole Point

Here's the thing, I actually had a pretty flexible job before this. If one of my kids was sick, I could stay home.

But staying home usually meant a sick baby on one arm and my inbox open with the other hand. (Plus a movie on, praying for an extra-long nap so I didn't fall behind!)

I felt guilty for not being fully at work, and guilty for not being fully with them.

It honestly broke my heart to think about.

Then this spring, my son woke up in the middle of the night with a fever (and the kind of miserable that only settles when someone's holding him).

The next day there was no scramble over who'd take the sick day.

I held him while he slept.

And the work that needed doing got done from my phone, right there with him.

It isn't about working less, it's about working where your family actually needs you.

I built this while I was still working full time, raising little ones, and helping out on the farm, so believe me, my house has never once been calm or empty!

Find Your Support Before You Need It

Maybe your biggest worry is not knowing where to even start.

That's fair, and it's exactly why you shouldn't try to do this alone!

Look for systems you can follow (the daily guided work sessions I do are my favorite, snacks and Play-Doh included), training you can watch with a baby on your hip, and people who are building with little ones of their own.

You don't need to have it all figured out, you need something you can repeat on a hard week.

For me, a lot of not knowing where to start turned out to be a confidence thing more than a time thing. The questions that helped me sort through it are ones I still journal through, usually with someone tugging on my sleeve.

I'll be honest with you, though.

This is NOT easy, I'd never tell you it was. There will be weeks it feels slow and weeks you wonder if it's working at all.

But I'm so grateful I didn't wait for a quieter season to start.

Start With the Kids in the Room

What keeps me going has very little to do with the business itself. It’s getting more of me to give my kids. Not the leftovers, not half my attention while I’m mentally somewhere else.

Present over polished, every time.

So here's my challenge for you this week. Pick one small thing you can do for your business with the kids right there in the room, and do it anyway!

Having little ones at your feet doesn't mean you're not ready. It means you already know how to get things done with someone hanging on your leg.

If you're feeling that same not-sure-where-to-start, I put those questions in one place for you. My FREE Confidence Collective Workbook walks you through my five pillars of confidence, with journal prompts, affirmations, and a page to map out your first step. Download your copy here! 💗

Love,

Breanna