E-Source Updates
The Entrepreneur’s Source Celebrates “Mom-Preneurs” on Mother’s Day
The Entrepreneur’s Source® Celebrates “Mom-Preneurs” on Mother’s Day. Working Moms CAN Have It All – Sharon Lewis Shares How Business Ownership Has Empowered Her Personal and Professional Life
Who doesn’t remember the joy of giving mom a hand-crafted gift for Mother’s Day when they were a kid? This is particularly true of kids who were raised by working mothers – moms who truly never get a day off. No wonder those moms gush and fuss over things as simple as a huge cardboard red heart with “Greatest Mom Ever” written with a squiggly crayon (though, it’s certainly possible they are simply secretly thrilled the spelling on the card was correct…).
This Sunday, May 14th, is Mother’s Day and working moms everywhere will be just as grateful for those kinds of gifts from the heart. But what kind of price are these working mothers paying to provide for their families?
More women than ever before – 70 MILLION – are working outside the home in this country, making up close to half of the U.S. labor force. Almost 70 percent of these women are working moms with kids under the age of 18 at home. And with schedules dictated by an unrelenting boss, countless missed play dates, games and school activities quickly translate into “mom guilt.”
Sharon Lewis knew that life as a hard charging drug development project manager for a major pharmaceutical company. Sharon was supervising several teams, with responsibilities ranging from strategic planning to budgeting, while also reporting to senior management. Her job and schedule were demanding. But Sharon was also a mom to a then 4-year old little girl, Kayleigh.
Sharon says Kayleigh sometimes got swept into the pages of Sharon’s calendar app and she constantly felt guilty about it.
“We were spending all of our time together in the car, commuting to and from work, or pre-school,” said Sharon. “It felt like all I was ever saying was ‘Hurry up! We have to be at this place in 30 minutes, we have to eat dinner now, it’s time to get ready for bed!’ It felt like she was having to meet MY agenda, and that’s no fun for a pre-schooler!”
Then came the wake-up call: a high school classmate, only in her mid-40’s (just like Sharon), died suddenly. The cold impact of that reality forced Sharon to take a long, hard look at her own life and career path. She was very successful, but working a ton of hours with limited schedule flexibility. And there was the “mom guilt,” too. Her daughter, while A priority, was not THE priority she needed to be. Sharon went about changing that in a hurry.
“I gave my notice to the company, then took off with my daughter, spending a year just playing and exploring our state of Connecticut. It was a terrific time to re-connect with her before she started kindergarten, and gave me the opportunity to re-think my professional priorities as well. My next step was going to be on my terms, with flexibility and security at the top of the list.”
Sharon realized owning her own business would allow her to have those priorities, and the time was now to take the plunge before feeling compelled to return to the corporate grind. She reached out to The Entrepreneur’s Source®, the nation’s number one resource for exploring alternative career options in franchising.
She was paired with her own personal The Entrepreneur’s Source® coach, who helped channel her prolific, successful management skill sets into launching her very own AdviCoach franchise location in Connecticut. As an AdviCoach coach, Sharon helps owners of small and medium sized businesses define professional and personal success goals, while helping them attain and exceed those goals.
Today, Sharon says the “mom guilt” is gone, as she and Kayleigh enjoy time together biking, gardening, exploring new places, and tending to their chickens.
“I rarely miss my daughter’s events, because I have made them a priority, and can schedule around them with a little notice. With AdviCoach, I believe I have finally found the best balance between what I need to do, and what I want to do. Plus, I think I’m setting a great example for Kayleigh on what a woman can accomplish!”
As we celebrate all moms for Mother’s Day, isn’t it time you gave YOURSELF the gift of taking control of your own career through franchise ownership?
We’re here to help at The Entrepreneur’s Source®. For more information about how you and all working mothers can find the ideal business franchise match with The Entrepreneur’s Source®, please visit www.franchisematch.com.