5 Steps to Becoming a Stay-At-Home Mom Influencer

Some of my most insightful, inspiring, and innovative friends are my fellow baby-wearing, story-telling, photo-capturing mom bosses. You see, we have this crazy commonality of being social media savvy while juggling a few kids, a camera and a handful of contracts. We’re stay-at-home mom influencers.

We’ve created a career and a brand around making the most of motherhood, and I think we do a pretty good job of capturing the good, the bad, and sometimes even the ugly. We boomerang our best moments with fun dancing posts, and then we blog about our setbacks. The spills, the sleepless nights, and the daily attempts to lose those last ten pounds.

At the end of the day, we’ve all worked countless hours to turn motherhood into a stay-at-home career that allows us to hold onto and capture the fleeting moments with our little ones.

A recent study reveals that 71 percent of mompreneurs still serve as the primary childcare provider. They regularly put in a “second shift” after kids go to bed.

My Mompreneur Path

Like many moms, after having my first child I couldn’t picture returning to my nine-to-five job. This motivated me to channel my inner creativity and explore a number of fun projects, most of which became solid—albeit temporary—sources of income.

I flipped lamps, had a photography business, and I even owned a pregnancy fitness franchise for a while. Being a New York City girl, I had grit and street hustle, and nothing was going to change that, not even four babies.

When we opted for a lifestyle change, leaving the Carolinas on the East Coast for the sunny and chill side of Southern California, I started a blog.

Listen to The Mom Confidential Podcast Episode 30: ““When She Makes More Than Him“

Long Live The Mom Hustle

Stay-at-home mom businesses (including influencers) have been on the rise for quite some time. Whether it’s a product, a service, or a blog, we all have to lean on our friends, followers, and fans for our brand to grow. And social media has become a fantastic way to develop a network and create influence around the things we’re most passionate about.

Some may find this hard to believe, but as moms, there are actually things out there (besides our children) that motivate us, make us tick, and give us purpose. For me, it’s being able to interact with other moms, offer tips on products I love, share stories and give virtual high-fives to the other hardworking parents out there who tune in.

Having a strong social media presence is every marketer’s dream, and it’s the new power tool for moms seeking a flexible schedule while working from home. For us, the equation is quite simple. If we can sell it on a flexible schedule, and stay at home—we’re in!

Having the opportunity to mom, wife, and create a revenue stream around something we love is the new American dream. And only those who are highly motivated, who are consistent in brand and social engagement, and who don’t give up before that moment of motivation becomes a mindset, will succeed.

“I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is.” —Oprah Winfrey

5 Steps To Joining The Stay-At-Home Influencers

Create a Multi-Dimensional Approach With a Blog

I recommend starting with a blog, no matter if your business is a product, or your product is your blog. Some say it’s a dying space. I say it’s here to stay.

Once you find your niche, stick to it, be creative and whatever you do, be “real.” Contrary to popular belief (aka, many fans of the Kardashians and reality TV), people are drawn to authenticity and are looking for others to which they can relate.

Here’s how mine works. My blog chronicles my life, my love of family, fashion, food, and more, and my social media channels amplify the blog. And these days, it’s become so much more than just writing a couple of articles every week. Through my blog, I’ve been able to take my love of photography and videography—on both sides of the lens—to the next level. So, ask yourself what your strongest points are in this space. Is it photography, staging, videography, your writing chops? And build upon that.

Make it Personal

As crazy as this sounds, your identity and personal story should be part of your business strategy. You want to have a consistent message, not be all over the place. If you are a mom who specializes in children’s behavior, don’t review sunglasses. It doesn’t work.

Stick with your specialty, but organically weave in other facets of your life. If you’re a mom who sells essential oils, your own success will be determined by your experiences with the products and the testimonials of your family and friends. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to share.

Most mompreneurs, around 57 percent start their business venture at age 40 or older. On average, their first child at the time of starting their business is six years old.

Create Your Own Style and Stick to It

Treat every image you post as if it’s a piece of art. Be thoughtful about it. Is it aesthetically pleasing to the eye? Some stay-at-home influencers focus more on the perfect photo, shot with an uber-expensive camera, while others use their iPhone, and do just fine. Whichever direction you take, create your own style and stick to it.

Establishing a consistent brand makes it all the easier for others to relate, to preach what you’re preaching, and to buy what you’re selling. I was a photographer long before blogging became mainstream, so I prefer to share professional images. That’s just me. There are several great mobile apps, however, that can create a similar effect from your smartphone photos. It’s just a matter of preference and convenience. Just be consistent!

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“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.”—Rudyard Kipling

Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff

Naysayers will be naysayers, but I’ll continue to spread the gospel of awesome products, business,es and organizations that I believe in. I’m really proud of the community that I’ve cultivated around my stories in parenting. And while some choose to spend their energy picking apart the personal triumphs of others, I choose to celebrate those triumphs, and I’m getting paid to do so, so it’s a win/win.

As with anything, it’s not easy, and success does not happen overnight. Although part of my job is to share picture-perfect moments of mommyhood, truth be told, I am putting in more hours of work now than I ever have. And that’s not even counting the hours mothering! The only difference now is that instead of students, my children are my focus, and when I’m not focused on them or my husband, the social aspect of my business truly fulfills me.

As far as their marital status is concerned, most mompreneurs, about 79 percent, are married. Ninety-five percent have a partner who also brings in an income.

Appreciate Every Success

I am beyond blessed to share this endeavor with women around the world. This has been the most fulfilling and rewarding job I’ve ever had. And this is just the beginning. The rise of the stay-at-home ‘mompreneur’ has not even come close to reaching its peak. Brands all over the world consider us a powerful vehicle for reaching their audience. We all know that moms hold the purchasing power—at least that holds true in our household.

So, to all the women out there entering into or mastering the stay-at-home influencer hustle, I salute you. And I believe there’s room for all of us to thrive here.

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“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.” – Maya Angelou