Mumpreneur? I'm not sure I like it!!

Hi - here we are again.  Nearly November!!  Can't decide whether to be excited or worried about my first christmas with the shop.  I'll let you know.

I've decided to wade into the "mumpreneur" debate on here - dicey I know, there are two very divided camps and I don't want to antagonise anyone, but here is my twopennethworth.

Obviously the majority of my customers are mums - some grandparents or interested other parties but mostly mums.  And I want to offer a service that appeals to them whatever their work situation - I'm not sure it matters what that is, but I know I want to be as convenient and inspirational as possible, thinking about my own experiences as a working mother.  And I am a mother myself - and I have 2 businesses - does this make me a mumpreneur?  I guess so, by definition, but why does it sit so uneasily?

Lets take the mum thing out of it for a second.  When I was a senior manager at a global bank, I was, whether I liked it or not (too much pressure!), a role model to other women, and networking with other women was important to me.  So important I spent several hundreds of pounds to join a professional women's networking and support group, whose aim was to encourage us to eventually strive for board appointments.  I found the events exhilerating and inspiring but it was greeted with a sneer from my role-model mum ("I HATE women-only things", she said) and disgust from my male colleagues ("its terribly sexist, you know").  So I ended up half-apologising for it whenever it was mentioned.  Ridiculous!  I wonder whether part of the reaction actually showed underlying distaste still for a women fighting for her career with other women rather than putting up and shutting up with male dominated environments.

So why is label mumpreneur a bit uncomfortable for me - isn't it an extension of female networking?  I think because I don't want to be defined by the fact I am a mother.  And I'm not sure the term itself is helpful to dispell the idea that this is women playing at it, its just a hobby, not to be taken seriously.

So just for the record - I take my business very seriously.  I want to win.  Market share, plaudits, awards.  I want to push myself creatively, negotiate hard, work hard.  But its true - I want to do this for my kids too - I want to be able to pick them up from school.  I want to be a good role model for my daughter.  And if people don't take me seriously, thats their problem.

And I am enjoying meeting other business women, having spent nearly 15 years in male dominated environments - many of the mothers I meet are just trying to keep something for themselves whilst they bring up their children.  Good on them.  And some of them are incredibly creative (more than me) and have really good business concepts, and have a drive and passion that will make them a success.

So "Businesswomen", fine.  "Mumpreneur" - if you really have to - I'm not ashamed to play on it.  Just don't make the assumption I'm not serious - I am.

Have a great evening x