How to succeed and grow a small business as a “mompreneur”

Andi Fagen is the founder of Creative DSM, a marketing agency that helps the small businesses grow and thrive with its vast range of SEO-focused services. Apart from being a business owner, she is also a new mom who gradually learned the art of maintaining a perfect work-life balance. She encourages the small businesses to ‘stop working so hard and learn delegation to balance it all”.  With a comprehensive set of services, her company helps the small businesses to learn how to dive in, provides tips for balancing, refocusing and self-approval.
Her company is mainly focused on the small businesses within the wedding industry such as florists, event venues, photographers, décor rentals, stylists, wedding planners, and others. In this exclusive interview, she talks about her company, and how she maintains a balance between being an entrepreneur and a mother.
Interviewer: What inspired you to become a female entrepreneur?
Andi:
I’ve had the opportunity to see the ups and downs and growing pains of some really great brands. From this experience, I started Creative DSM, with the mission to educate small business owners, especially fellow mompreneurs, to stop working so hard.  We have enough to balance outside of work, so it’s important to keep your business efficient.  SEO can be the most powerful marketing tool, but many small businesses find it hard to pay and manage an in-house marketing team. That’s where Creative DSM steps in and builds cohesive strategies that not only save money, but create new customer acquisition funnels.
Interviewer: What advice do you have for taking business to the next level?
Andi:
Most businesses start with a talent, turn to a hobby, and launch on the dream of owning your own time.  There is a saying that says “Good things come to those who hustle.” And while this is one of my favorite mottos, there comes a time and place when there is no more time left to hustle.  If you’re working yourself to the bone trying to make ends meet, you’re not really working for yourself.  This is where delegation comes into play.  Build a team of people you trust, take a few leaps of faith, and really own your own time.  Nothing good ever came out of exhaustion.
Interviewer: What hacks do you have for female entrepreneurs?
Andi:
I don’t multi-task when it comes to work. When you think about it, multitasking is really just a skill you use to get everything done, but that doesn’t mean it’s done correctly.  I like to say I am an all or nothing person.  I go full force at something or don’t do it at all.  Make a list of your top priorities for the day, and follow that list.  I also set Google Calendar reminders for almost everything I do.  Including scheduling out time to update a client’s Instagram, or to respond to new business requests.  When I see an alert go off, I know that it is time to switch gears and focus 100% effort on the new task.
Along these same lines, remember it’s ok to say no to commitments or even new business. We’re trained that more money means you are more successful.  But if that new customer comes with a hefty time price tag, you could be draining one resource for another.  Remember to be selfish with your time (something I learned from Create Your Inner Circle), and  do the things you are ready to dive into full force.
Interviewer: How’s life like being a mompreneur?
Andi:
Funny enough, becoming a mom is what made me transform my hobby into a business.  I want to show my son that sometimes a leap of faith is what you have to do in order to get to the next step.  Staying in a comfort zone, or even just a place where excuses are OK, is never going to take you to the next level.  In the same respect, it’s important to enjoy what you do.  Spending 40+ hours a week in a role that you don’t believe in, doesn’t necessarily breed a happy lifestyle. Sure, there are some late hours, and sometimes I have to do some work on a weekend. But I like to think that I am a much better mom when I enjoy what I am doing, and he is happier for it.
 
More information about Andi Fagen and her company can be found on its official website.
Contact Details
Company: Creative DSM
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.creativedsm.com
Country: USA