Doing The Hustle

It never really occurred to me that I could do it for myself. I mean, I knew I was capable and pretty efficient and quite creative but I never really considered jacking it all in and actually working for myself. Up until now, I've either been employed or a freelancer relying on other people to throw me a bone. Now though, since becoming a momma, I'm inspired. There's a number of reasons for this but the most important one would be the discovery of Mothers Meeting. Founder, Jenny Scott, is an amazing example of the ultimate hustler who started with an idea (I need to make friends with babies) and built an empire between the naps and the nappies. Now, four years later Mothers Meeting is bringing literally hundreds of mommas together each week and hooking them up. If you go, I guarantee you'll leave and MM event with either a new coffee buddy, a new business partner, a new buddy...or perhaps all three.

Watching her do what she does and watching all the mommas that she brings together do what they do made me realise that I have potential and you know what? Not despite being a momma but because I'm a momma. The wonderful Yvonne Fuchs of The Branding Workshop said something the first time I went to one of the MM Business Club meetings that stayed with me forever. She said, 'I'd hire a mother every time. There's no one more efficient. No one will get stuff done like a mother.'

Never have truer words been uttered. I wish I'd know how efficient I could be before I had a baby - I would have taken over the world. I look at what I achieve now between the nap and the nappies and think, "Fuck me...BC (before children) I'd have fannied around all week on that. Now I've just done it in half and hour and you know what? It's BETTER."

So, the point is, sometimes motherhood knocks the wind out of you. Sometimes, it forces you to panic about work and time and managing and you can get lost in a spiral of worry and anxiety. What I'm discovering (and I'm only nineteen months into this mother thing) is that you are more powerful than you ever were. You are stronger than you were and have more stamina than you did. You are pretty damn magical. You are a hustler and, with that kind of power, you can do great things.

Go forth and be great.