Appendix C
Author Q&A
How did you two meet?
Erin: Well, we were introduced via a colleague. We hadn’t actually met in person until after we wrote the book. We were able to throw out the rule about needing to be in the same state as your coauthor.
Lara: In my quest to surround myself with women smarter than myself, I started a mastermind group for life coaches in 2009, and luckily we had a colleague in common who suggested Erin join the group. I was living in Ontario, Canada, at the time and feeling pretty isolated from my family and friends back in the States, so being able to connect with women like Erin, regardless of where we were all located, was a lifeline for me.
E: It’s been an amazing partnership—almost too good to be true, really. We have some different skills and some that overlap. Lara has some strengths that have contributed greatly to the success of our partnership, and, besides that, I just really like her. That’s always a huge plus when you are going to work with someone on a huge project.
L: Let’s see... Fun? Simpatico? Kinda nirvana? I’ve been in a lot of relationships and partnerships in my life, and some are examples of opposites attracting the other or strengths and weaknesses balancing each other out. But my partnership with Erin is more “like meets like.” Our personalities and strengths help maximize the other. If one of us starts something, the other finishes it. Or we both do the same thing at the same time. In a word, our partnership is easy.
How do you approach work/life balance?
E: I think we both bristle a bit at the phrase work/life balance, though I appreciate when I feel as though things in my life are balanced. I always say that there is no perfect balance—you are either moving toward it or you are moving away from it. I know when I’m moving away from it because I get crabby and resentful. That’s my clue to spend more time in whatever areas I’ve been neglecting.
L: Do the things that matter the most to you. Let go of the things that don’t matter much to you. Sounds simple, but Erin and I both have a built a career out of helping other women live by this guide. It’s not simple because we often have conflicting priorities and a high bar for how we do everything in our lives.
What’s your advice to other moms who want to own their own businesses?
E: Do it! Find something you want to do and then make a plan to do it—using our book, of course! We need more women business owners. We need more women pursuing work (in whatever form) that makes them happy. I know it’s not always possible, but taking small steps in that direction can go a long way toward creating a successful business once it is the right time in your life to pursue that.
L: Although it’s probably easier to make money working for someone else, being your own boss is the ticket to having the freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment through your work that moms like us crave. Being a business owner is satisfying on so many levels. You get to model for your kids what it looks like to have a dream and follow it. You get the opportunity to test yourself and grow in ways you just wouldn’t otherwise. Just be willing to ask for help—at home and in your business.
What have you learned that you wish you had known earlier?
E: I’ve learned to take risks. I’ve learned to care less about what others think of me. I’ve learned that my kids will survive if they have to eat cereal for dinner every now and then. I’ve learned to show up as me without apology. And I’ve learned that asking and hearing no for an answer is better than not asking at all.
L: I own my time. Period. If I could go back to my 30-year-old self who was leaving her career in corporate America to stay home and raise her first child, I would pour her a strong cup of coffee, look her in the eye and tell her this: “No matter how many times you hear the kids calling you from the other room, no matter how insistently your husband reminds you there are no clean socks in the house, and no matter how urgently you think you have to respond to that prospect’s inquiry about hiring you, you are the boss of your time.” I spent way too much time feeling like a victim to how much everybody else needed me. I thought, I could get things done if only everybody (including my babies) would just let me be! Once I learned to organize my time and spend it on my priorities, I stopped feeling so stressed out and overwhelmed. I set boundaries, make plans, and finally feel satisfied with what I accomplish (most of the time).
What’s the best part about owning your own business while being a mother?
E: For me, the best part is the independence I have. I set my own schedule so I can volunteer or attend an event at my kids’ schools. I am home when the kids get home from school. And I really do feel like I’m showing them that a career can look how you want it to look. There are definitely things I’m giving up by choosing this path—steady income, health benefits, and paid vacation come to mind—but I wouldn’t willingly trade the flexibility, autonomy, and sense of fulfillment I get in exchange.
L: Ditto for me what Erin said. But there’s also this huge feeling of accomplishment when I look at my company and realize that I created it from scratch. It’s mine. I am proud of what I’ve been able to do and especially the ability to help other mom entrepreneurs do the same for themselves.
What’s the hardest part?
E: Being responsible for everything. I’m responsible for the growth (or lack thereof) of my company. I’m responsible for getting clients. I’m responsible for marketing and social media and taxes. The other hardest part is that I have more ideas than I could ever act on.
L: I struggle with managing the day-to-day operations. I like to do things when the inspiration hits me, like blogging, shooting a video, calling and checking in on a current or past client, or making a connection with a potential collaboration partner. But the fact is that running a business takes a lot of discipline to do things according to a schedule, a plan, or your calendar. Fortunately, I know my limits and have expanded my team to include a business partner, a business manager, and virtual assistants that help me keep the balls in the air and the projects on track. Without them, I doubt I’d still be in business.
What’s next for you?
E: I hope what’s next is more writing and more work with women who want to take the leap into owning their own business. I absolutely love working with women one on one but I also think it’s time to offer some group work to maximize my time and to make coaching more affordable to all women.
L: I definitely want to write more books with Erin! And in my own career as a coach and speaker, I’m committed to spreading the messages we teach in our book on a much larger scale. I’ll be doing a lot more speaking at conferences and to women’s and small business organizations, and I’d love to become a regular contributor on national radio and TV shows.