A Question for small and hobby business owners?

digwriter · September 2014

If you run a business either as your main income source or as a side, how do you plan to keep up with things as you progress in your pregnancy?

I have a small business and orders during 1st tri were killing me due to exhaustion. I can't imagine with 3rd tri will be like. I know that I'll have to put the shop on vacation for a while after new kiddo gets here. I just don't know for how long.

What do you all have planned?

erobbins09 · September 2014

Mine is for supplemental income, not full at this point.

I'm trying really hard to build up my inventory now. It sucks but because my items are ready-made and not custom I'm (hopefully) able to do this. Id like to be able to have enough product that some income can still come in post baby.. Even just enough for a couple packs of diapers

anything helps..

michelle142 · September 2014

My plan is to take out any items that are customized and only keep the Instant Downloads. Those take care of themselves.

The non-internet side of my business will be on maternity leave until I'm ready to pick it back up.

digwriter · September 2014

erobbins09 said:
Id like to be able to have enough product that some income can still come in post baby.. Even just enough for a couple packs of diapers anything helps..

This is exactly what I want. So I don't want to go on full vacation mode.

digwriter · September 2014

michelle142 said:
My plan is to take out any items that are customized and only keep the Instant Downloads. Those take care of themselves.

The non-internet side of my business will be on maternity leave until I'm ready to pick it back up.

Love your plan to go instant download only. That's a really smart idea.

yesiknowwhatcausesthat · September 2014

I do in home daycare and I have an online business. The online business is now just a hobby and only makes enough to cover my website fees. Years ago when I was in production I just had to let it go because I couldn't keep up (making cloth diapers). I then developed and sold my patterns, at first paper only. Even that was hard to keep up with (they don't mail themselves!). So now I do instant downloads and for now I took my paper patterns "off the shelf." Daycare is nice because I'm only watching one child plus my own. Since I won't stop watching my own children, I don't have to stop watching my dc child either. At least not yet...there are SOME rules that make it different with a dc child here (no naps for me lol)...obviously.

Neesey · September 2014

My staff will run the studio for me while I'm out. I hired a full time manager last week so she will be ready to go. I use logmein.com to access my work computer from home so I will still be running payroll and doing ordering. I'm trying to stockpile designs for my online business that are ready to launch. I'm going to take off after Christmas through the second week of January to really focus on getting that ready to go. Everything else I'm delegating.

Izzy0927 · September 2014

I am a freelance graphic designer (in addition to my FT marketing/graphic design job). I've already started scaling back and attempting to wrap up some major projects I've had going on. I plan to only take on smaller projects (and fewer of them than usual) until the baby is born, and then I have a long-term project I might start while on maternity leave. I'm just too exhausted and too stressed to work AND have do as much freelance on the side as I usually do while pregnant.

thegoodpotato · September 2014

I'll be working right up to delivery. Can't afford not to.

My store is about four blocks from my house, though, so NBD.

Chcaggie1 · September 2014

I work full time but also have a Mary Kay business. I have not been putting as much time into my business since I have been pregnant mainly b/c I spend most of my spare time researching, shopping or planning/prepping for our lo! However, the great thing about this business is that it can be fairly self sustaining. I still have existing customers placing orders with me even though I am not actively seeking new customers. I plan to continue to service my existing customers as I am now and when the opportunity arises I will work vendor events and parties as they fit into my schedule.

Neesey · September 2014

@thegoodpotato‌ I wish my shop was that close!! I'm 15-20 minutes away. Usually not an issue unless pregnancy brain forgets something when I'm already home.
I love that there are so many business owners here!

reneamac313 · September 2014

Mine is definitely a bit different...I own a company that does on-location beauty services. We do mostly bridal at this point in time so luckily baby will be born out of wedding season. I've got a team of people to continue any services that may be booked during that time though. I'll be working as long as I can though and hopefully it won't be too long before I can jump back in.

StephanieLBerg · September 2014

I have a shop on Etsy that I've been able to keep up on so far, and I expect that Christmas will be super busy for me. However, I will put my shop on Vacation Mode for about 8 weeks when I get closer to D-day. All my customers know I'm pregnant and that shipping may take an extra couple of days because of it. However, I am hopefully going to be starting a new part time job here in the next few weeks which may take away time from my shop, so I'm just going to have to play it by ear I think.

MrsRoy07 · September 2014

I do a direct sales, in home party business, so I'll have to take a "maternity leave" of sorts from parties. Thankfully our business also does pretty well with Facebook parties, so after the holidays I'm hoping to switch to entirely Facebook parties and maintain my business that way until I can start doing home parties again.

The income is extra for us, but I'd like to keep at least $200/month coming to help pay for Evie's dance class, preschool, and other fun extras.

brij2006 · September 2014

Mine is a side job that is direct sales with food (Tastefully Simple). I used to do it 2 parties/week. Now I've cut it to 1 party/week instead, and plan to keep it that way until the end of pregnancy. My plan is to not schedule any parties for the month of February (due Feb 17th), and keep my schedule open until March 15th. After that, I will continue with 1 party/week.

Want a personalized experience?

A Question for small and hobby business owners?

Re: A Question for small and hobby business owners?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards