Mompreneurs 10 Years and Still Going Strong
It was just over 10 years ago, in September of 1996, that authors Ellen Parlapiano and Patricia Cobe released their first Mompreneurs book, catapulting work-at-home mothers into the spotlight, and coining the catchy word “mompreneurs� to describe entrepreneurial moms.
As work-at-home moms themselves, Parlapiano and Cobe decided to write the book when they couldn’t find anything on the market addressing the special needs of mothers running businesses from home.
With their fingers on the pulse of the Mompreneur movement, the authors have noticed many exciting trends that will make it easier for today’s mothers to launch their own enterprises:
- Technology makes working from home easier than ever! “The Web provides a gateway to careers that were practically unheard of when we wrote our first book,� says Cobe, citing examples like e-tailing, personal coaching, online tutoring and virtual assistants.
- Mothers of invention are creating new niches. Today’s creative moms are inventing gadgets and safety products that solve problems they’ve discovered in their own family lives.
- Moms want to make a difference. “We are seeing a big increase in cause-related companies—businesses with a social conscience,� says Parlapiano.
- Funding is easier to find. Though Mompreneurs still tend to rely on savings accounts and credit cards for start-up expenses, grants and low-interest loans are more accessible, if you know where to look.
- Work-from-home moms are now getting the respect they deserve! With about half a million moms running their own businesses, entrepreneurial mothers are finally being taken seriously by the “traditional� work world.
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