This month as I focus on all sorts of aspects of love, I want to share more about Mompowerment mama Jen Riday, a women’s happiness coach and podcaster who works part time. She describes what she does as “helping women heal their hearts and build self-love so they can heal their relationships and experience greater contentment and peace.”
I loved interviewing Jen and hearing her incredibly positive and can-do attitude about making her passion and her calling into a business where she could work part time. She had been out of the workforce for 10 years, but that didn’t stop her from creating her professional part-time role. She understood her direction and she was going to make something happen. It was amazing to listen to and it’s been great watching her business develop since our interview in 2016.
Jen’s background
I was intrigued by Jen’s story because she had been a SAHM after getting her PhD. In fact, she has her first child while completing her degree. Instead of heading into the workforce after finishing, she stepped away from the workforce to focus on being a mom. When her youngest was about 2, Jen started getting antsy and wondered what was next.
It seemed like the perfect stroke of inspiration as she was called to begin coaching on happiness as she was doing yoga one day. Nothing quite like figuring out your calling while doing something you love. (If that isn’t a clear sign, then I don’t know what is!) Jen began to build her coaching business and podcast at that point, which was about 2 years ago. Her purpose is helping other women figure out self-care and help them fill their cups, which naturally trickles down to their families as well.
What does work time look like?
Jen works from about 9 to 3 each day, so around 30 hours each week. That can vary, based on her family’s schedule. As you can imagine, as mom to 6 kids (yes, 6!), the family’s schedule can be pretty busy and hectic. Jen always wants to be there when kids come and go. And, even over time, Jen wants to stick to this part-time schedule.
Jen’s Approach to Entrepreneurship
Jen loves that entrepreneurship gives her the chance to do something she loves and that is passionate about. Owning her own business provided freedom. She especially enjoys what she calls “time freedom” so that she has the flexibility and control to adjust her schedule, based on her family’s and her own needs for the day or week.
Jen reminds those who want to start a business to embrace delegating. She shares, “I arranged my life as a ‘delegator’ post-business.” You need to understand this as it can be integral to growing a business over time.
From a family perspective, her kids see that mom has personal goals outside of kids and that the world doesn’t revolve around them. Her kids have been able to build their independence and figure things out, which has been great for everyone in the family. Her entrepreneurial endeavor also allows for her husband to spend more time with the kids.
Advice for Moms
- If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, know that it takes start-up money to start a business. And then you have to go from taking money to start actually making money. It’s a shift.
- Take time to figure out what you’re called to do outside of your family. This will give you personal fulfillment and it won’t feel like work.
- Understand what you can delegate. Hire out elements that you don’t have to do and can afford to have someone else do (e.g., VAs, housekeeper, etc.)
If you want to find Jen, check out her website at www.jenriday.com. If you’d like to listen to her podcast, search for Vibrant Happy Women on your favorite podcast app. You will get great ideas from her experience and suggestions as well as from her guests.
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Interested in reading more advice from amazing professional part-time working moms like Jen Riday? Check out the Mompowerment book, available on Amazon (affiliate link).
