Let’s face it—starting and running a business isn’t always rainbows and lattes. It’s exciting, rewarding, and yes, sometimes a little overwhelming. And guess what? Every successful entrepreneur has made a few stumbles along the way—especially us fabulous multitasking women! But here’s the good news: you can learn from their oopsies and step into your business journey with confidence and clarity.
So, let’s spill the tea on the top business mistakes many women make and how you, supermom, can totally dodge them!
1. Waiting for Everything to Be Perfect
We love a good plan. The color-coded notebooks, the vision boards, the Pinterest-worthy logos—but perfection can be a trap.
The Fix:
Start messy. Seriously! Progress over perfection is your new best friend. Launch the idea, test the waters, and refine as you go. Done is better than perfect.
2. Undercharging for Your Services
So many women feel weird about charging their worth. You end up working long hours for peanuts and wondering if the hustle is even worth it. Trust me, I know. I was practically the poster child (or mom) for undercharging for the longest time, which left me drained, demoralised, and broke.
The Fix:
Know your value, mommy! Research your market, associated costs (such as travel, meals, stationery & other materials, childcare for your kids while you’re working), add tax (yes, literally and mentally), and price with confidence. Remember, you’re not just selling a product or service — you’re offering solutions, time, and talent, and sometimes, spending your own money in the process.
3. Doing It All Alone
We get it. We’re used to being the mom, cook, cleaner, teacher, and now businesswoman. But trying to handle everything in your business is a fast track to burnout.
The Fix:
Outsource where you can—hire a VA, use online tools, swap skills with a fellow mompreneur. And don’t forget to ask for help. It’s not weakness; it’s smart business.
4. Skipping the Money Stuff
Let’s be honest—finances aren’t everyone’s cup of coffee. But ignoring them doesn’t make them go away.
The Fix:
Create a simple budget, track your income and expenses, and learn the basics of taxes and pricing. Even using a simple spreadsheet or a free app can work wonders. Your bank account will thank you! Otherwise, you might just spend more on your business than you make, and that would just be a plain disaster.
5. Not Marketing Enough
You post once, get crickets, and give up. Sound familiar? I can relate. Many women feel “salesy” or shy about promoting themselves. But if no one knows what you do, how can they buy from you?
The Fix:
Tell your story! Share behind the scenes, client wins, and how your product changes lives. Be real, be consistent, and don’t be afraid to show up online like the boss you are.
6. Neglecting Self-Care
Running on coffee and chaos might feel heroic, but it’s not sustainable. Your business can’t thrive if you’re running on empty.
The Fix:
Schedule “you-time” like an important meeting—because it is. Take walks, breathe deeply, and rest without guilt. A rested mommy is a powerhouse!
7. Not Having a Clear Business Strategy
Winging it works… until it doesn’t. Without a clear plan, it’s easy to feel lost or stuck.
The Fix:
Set clear goals. Map out your offers, audience, and income streams. Break your goals into baby steps so you can take one at a time—just like walking your toddler through the toy aisle (with some control).
8. Underestimating What You Have to Offer
This sounds a lot like undercharging for your services, but not quite. Lacking an appreciation or understanding of your vast skills and knowledge will leave you thinking you really have nothing to offer that someone would want to pay for.
Your knowledge and skills are valuable, whether that’s in baking, flower arranging, events decor, office admin, makeup artistry, or content creation. There’s someone out there who would give an arm (or a dollar) to learn what you know.
The Fix:
Make an elaborate list of all your skills, knowledge and experience. This can be work or business related, personal skills and talents, passion projects, and hobbies. And then group them into services that you can sell to others.
Don’t be shy to package your vast knowledge into products that can generate you a good income. Others who know less than you and are possibly less experienced are doing it – trust me.
Final Sips of Wisdom:
Mistakes happen. But every single one is a lesson in disguise. You are smart, capable, and more than enough to build a thriving business. Just take it step by step, learn as you go, and don’t forget to celebrate the wins—big and small.
You’ve got this, mommy!
Empowering entrepreneur and stay-at-home moms with business ideas for a successful future – one step at a time!
