Deanna Wampler isn’t a mompreneur — she’s a mother and an entrepreneur.
“I grew up in an entrepreneurial family. I spent four years
studying it as commerce, and there are men that have similar companies as me,” she explains. “They’re not
called “dadpreneurs.”
The social media manager, strategist, and coach made
her side job into a business in early 2011. “I’m a people person, so the best part of my business is forming these amazing relationships with my clients,” she says.
Having flexibility is a huge asset in carving out work and family time. “I figure out what works for me,” Wampler says. “I have the freedom during the day to pick up my kids if I need to.”
It does take some juggling. “Because I do it myself, I carry a little less guilt,” she says, often working 11-hour days. Knowing when to turn it off can be difficult. “You feel torn with that guilt sometimes,” she explains. “You want to continue working on your business.”
Particularly with young children, Wampler says it’s important to find a group of supportive
people to help you. “It can feel like you’re drowning,” she explains. “I work with a lot of female entrepreneurs in Squamish, and we’re all in the same boat. We work how we can.”
One of those entrepreneurs is Shannon Lorenz, owner of Garibaldi Events and Design, who started her business to have more time with her then baby.
That allowed her to have family time and accomplish all her tasks. “Most importantly, [my children] understand my work is my passion, and they understand what hard works look like,” Lorenz says.
The kids are still young, so finding quiet time is difficult, she notes. Routine is a big part of wellbeing: She gets up at the same time every day and works out. “All so I feel like there is consistency in my life and to avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed,” she explains.
It’s important to make individual choices based on lifestyle and preferences, Lorenz says, adding it took time to figure it out.
That’s how the group Squamish Mothers In Business Society came to be. What started as a Facebook group is now a non-profit organization that brings women together to learn from others how to balance motherhood and business.
Grace Macleod is a member and business owner. “It is our way of giving back to the community,” she says.
Though from time to time she may feel squeezed, she’s recently realized how efficient she can be. Not only is she working full time, but she’s also studying at UBC.
“I’ve cut out many of the things that I used to enjoy before the kids arrived,” Macleod acknowledges, noting her husband shares all the home duties.
The family is always first, and the beauty of her job is the balance: She can reschedule something that will be there later, and she doesn’t have to miss the important milestones in her children’s lives.
“It is possible to have a successful business without taking away from family,” she says.
