Whether it’s a side hustle or a full-time business, mom entrepreneurs do whatever it takes to have it all. Here’s one mom’s journey to her small business and what she learned along the way.
In February 2020, Kate Gaffney was having a universal mom experience: Her hands were full, literally.
“Picking up my kids from preschool was a real pain,” Gaffney said. “I had to carry their art projects, hold my oldest daughter’s hand, carry my youngest daughter by the armpits because she wouldn’t put her legs on my hip, and the whole time I was trying not to drop anything while looking for the keys to the car.”
Over lunch with her husband, Sean, Gaffney described her predicament and what she thought could solve it: a sleek leather handbag that was stylish, practical and made it easier to carry everything in one trip.
“Sean looked at me and said, ‘You should do this,’” Gaffney recalls. “I went home, ordered everything I needed, made a pouch, took pictures, and launched an Etsy shop six days later.”
Four years later, Gaffney’s leather goods business, Avryn Co., is booming. Her bracelets adorn the arms of busy women in the area, across the country, and all over Instagram (even @BusyToddler has one). From college students to moms to corporate executives, people love joining Avryn Co.’s One Trip Club.
Here’s Gaffney’s advice for new mom entrepreneurs
Management of time
- “Be realistic about the time you have,” Gaffney said. “Initially, I didn’t have a retail location on purpose because I didn’t want to commit to those hours. I focused on the online store so people could browse whenever they wanted and I could make and ship products around the time of my day.”
- Set limits on your time. “I don’t like the work-to-the-hell culture,” she said. “In the beginning, it was a lot of pushing, but I was careful not to let work take over my life.”
- Gaffney encourages new mom entrepreneurs to use their free time wisely! Especially when kids are younger, their time at preschool, mom’s morning run, or even nap time can seem like a blink of an eye, so make sure you know what you need to do each day and plan accordingly.
Childcare
- Of course, term time is a great time to get things done, but if you’re lucky enough to have extra support, Gaffney suggests establishing a routine so everyone knows what to expect. “To avoid those last-minute childcare requests, I worked with my support network to create rhythms I could count on. For example, I know the grandparents pick up the kids from school on Wednesdays, so I can work late that day.”
- When your kids are home, setting goals for play can help them learn to play independently. Gaffney said, “I’ve always found it helpful to intentionally say something like, ‘Mommy is going to come to your play restaurant for 20 minutes, and then I’m going to make dinner or work on my computer.'”
- If it’s playtime, Gaffney believes it’s especially important to be present so your kids can “enjoy that time with you. If I was on my phone or distracted the entire time I was telling my kids I was going to play, they wouldn’t feel like that time mattered.”
Mental load
- “Know that a lot of things get easier,” Gaffney said. “The first couple of years, I felt like I was drinking from a fire hose. I felt like I had to start from scratch and learn something new every day. Of course, I’m still learning new things now, but it’s a lot less overwhelming.”
- Gaffney says the fact that your kids are getting older also makes things easier. “When you don’t have to fit work into preschool or nap time, your work starts to feel less scattered and you feel like you’re more productive.”
- During tough times, Gaffney says she takes time to stop and read positive comments about her business or funny messages from customers. “Just noticing that someone is a repeat customer can make you feel better,” she said. “Celebrating those little things can remind you that what you’re doing is worth it and keep you from feeling so overwhelmed.”
- “When all else fails, I take a nap,” she says. “If I feel completely overwhelmed, I take a nap. When I wake up, things are usually much better and I have the mental capacity to tackle what I was doing.”
Business investment
- In the beginning, Gaffney believes in being very careful about your business expenses. “I was so frugal in the beginning that I refused to buy QuickBooks,” Gaffney said with a laugh. “I did everything in an Excel spreadsheet.” Gaffney suggests doing things as frugally and neatly as possible in the beginning, so you can test things out and see if your business will work.
- Once you’ve earned some money, Gaffney recommends investing some of it back into your business. “I stay frugal with my business spending,” she admitted, “but I buy things that help us run smoothly, save us time, and improve our products. I also try to anticipate where growth is going so I have the right tools and support.”
- Two larger business expenses that Gaffney says have really improved her work-life balance are a dedicated space for the business and hiring extra help. “I started out by prepping everything on our dining room table,” she says. “It got to the point where the business was taking over our entire house. It felt like a big step to move the business out of our home and into a workspace, and it’s really helpful to have another full-time staff member with me so it’s not all on me.”
- The presentation of your product is what gets it noticed. “We tried to present ourselves well from the beginning,” she said. “All those little details matter, especially in branding, packaging and photography. You can have a really strong product, but [if you have] “A terrible brand image, no one will buy it.”
Small Business Advice
- Good customer service is never a bad idea. “The focus should be on customer satisfaction,” Gaffney said. “Even if it doesn’t make financial sense, if we can satisfy a customer, it goes a long way toward growing your business and building customer loyalty.”
- Develop connections with small businesses. “Having a few friends who are small business people really helped me in the beginning,” she said. “Being able to say, ‘Does anyone understand Facebook marketing?’ or ‘Does anyone know how to calculate sales tax?’ It helps to have a few friends who are in the same boat.” Gaffney says Instagram is a great place to start connecting with other small businesses.
- Perfect what you offer. “There’s always external pressure to do more, but it’s important for me to focus on our core product and do it really well,” she said. “I’d rather do that than spread myself too thin and offer something mediocre that I’m not proud of.”
- While Gaffney has literally and figuratively developed a way to handle the burdens of work and motherhood, it remains and will always remain a balancing act for her, as it does for all other mothers. For example: During our interview, she had to take a short break to fix a car seat issue before continuing our conversation without issue.
- Four years ago, Gaffney said to herself or anyone starting out today: “You’re right. It’s overwhelming and it’s hard, but if you believe in what you’re doing, it’s worth it and you’ll get through it.”
Learn more about Gaffney’s business at avrynco.com.
