Balancing Business with Parenthood: The Superpowers of Mom Entrepreneurs
At the intersection where motherhood meets entrepreneurship, there’s a powerful group of business leaders who’ve found their unique skill sets have made them stronger, more resilient, and increasingly influential.
As highlighted in recent research by the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH), mom entrepreneurs navigate a complex landscape shaped by societal expectations, organizational barriers, and personal demands that transform their entrepreneurial journey into something distinctly different from their non-parent counterparts.
The Multidimensional Challenge of "Momming" While Building a Business
The WEKH report on The Intersection of Motherhood & Entrepreneurship notes that "although women entrepreneurs' contributions to the economy and social and environmental sustainability have been recognized, research suggests that the roles and expectations of women, particularly mothers, remain relatively unchanged."
This shows that moms shoulder disproportionate responsibility for household chores and childcare, in addition to their professional commitments. And the data that supports this is striking.
According to the report, "In Canada, close to one-quarter of women who are small business owners have children under the age of 18 years; of those, 67% reported taking on additional care work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, 28% of men reported taking on additional care work during the pandemic.” The effects were especially pronounced for mothers with young children, with 63% of women with children under the age of five agreeing with the statement ‘When I work from home, I feel like I am working all the time and never have time for myself or my family.’”
The report also identifies that mom entrepreneurs rated "lack of access to funding opportunities" as their most significant challenge. This is compounded by inaccessible funding programs, with many agreeing with the statement that they are “too vague and hard to navigate through.”
How Motherhood Enhances Entrepreneurial Skills
Despite these unique challenges, motherhood also cultivates a unique set of skills that translate powerfully into entrepreneurial settings.
This includes capabilities in:
Strategic multitasking: As participants in the study stated and echoed, “Mom entrepreneurs are expert multi-taskers. We can work from the car during dance class. We can prioritize and keep track of all of the things whilst keeping ourselves grounded and sane.” This ability to manage multiple priorities becomes a superpower in entrepreneurial environments that demand attention across various projects.
Efficient time management: Mom entrepreneurs often become experts at time optimization, with many developing sophisticated systems using "time-blocking," digital calendars, and detailed planners to maximize productivity in limited windows. One participant shared that she used "time-blocking to ensure I have dedicated space in my calendar for my children," and another said she used her “calendar to time block and schedule as much as I can during the day.”
Crisis management and adaptability: The report shows that flexibility is a necessity for mom entrepreneurs. As one participant noted, "We discuss in advance what obligations or timelines we have. Flexibility is required and sometimes you need to change plans.” We’ve seen how this rings true at The Forum, and agree that flexibility truly enables our cross-Canada team to show up as their best selves—both at work and at home.
Strategies for Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship
WEKH’s insightful research also revealed several effective approaches mom entrepreneurs employ to maintain balance:
Creating clear boundaries: Moms often establish firm separation between work space and home life. As one participant noted, "a huge component to balancing it all is scheduling." Another explained that they develop “weekly schedules that involve concentrated work during weekdays and the weekends reserved for family time.”
Leveraging support networks: Learning to ask for help also emerged as an essential strategy. One participant stated, "Having a supportive network is one of the biggest factors for mothers to have the best chances at maintaining an optimal motherhood/entrepreneurship balance.” This includes family support, professional childcare, and community resources.
Effective time management: Many reported using "digital calendars and planners to structure their days." The tools they shared included:
Overcoming "mom guilt": Releasing perfectionism was crucial for the moms in the study. As one participant expressed, "the reality is that balance is hard to achieve, and it can't be perfect all the time.” Another echoed this, stating the importance of “letting go and surrendering to joy and peace, ease and flow.”
Self-care prioritization: As one participant aptly puts it, "Pragmatically, I know that if I don't take care of myself, nothing can be cared for.” Another said she knows she is “less effective as a mom and an entrepreneur” if she doesn’t take care of herself.
How The Forum Closes the Gap for Mom Entrepreneurs
The Forum has established itself as a pivotal resource for women entrepreneurs at all stages, who are developing the impactful businesses Canada needs while managing multiple priorities.
Here are just a few of the opportunities entrepreneurs can take advantage of:
The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch: This program addresses the greatest barrier women entrepreneurs face: accessing funding. Through 1:1 mentorship, coaching, education, national exposure, specialized resources, and access to a fiercely supportive community, it’s designed to address the funding barrier head-on and help entrepreneurs build sustainable, investment-ready businesses.
The Forum Mentor Program Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative®: Overcoming hurdles is so much easier with the help of someone who’s walked a similar path. This program is open year-round and connects entrepreneurs with experienced professionals who offer actionable advice, empathetic guidance, and candid industry insights.
Weekly Virtual Connects: This free, safe space allows entrepreneurs to share challenges, ask questions, and build meaningful relationships with peers who understand exactly what it means to start and build a business while managing everything else in their orbit.
The Forum E-Series Presented by RBC: This multi-day virtual experience offers a deep dive into business foundations needed to unlock growth. Entrepreneurs learn from industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs while connecting with a cross-Canada community that wants to see them thrive. The program’s flexible format can be especially great for those with tight schedules and caregiving responsibilities.
A Broader Support System Is Needed
While The Forum's work is making a significant impact, systemic changes are needed to ensure mom entrepreneurs truly have the support they need and deserve:
Inclusive funding models: As the WEKH report shows, there needs to be an increase in the “availability and awareness of targeted funding programs for mom entrepreneurs." This is critical to ensuring they can start and grow businesses that are solving real issues and filling underserved market gaps.
Policy reform: Flexible work arrangements and targeted support programs enable moms to do their best work. When implemented through policy, they can become a norm rather than an exception.
Affordable, accessible childcare: Governments need to increase investment in affordable child care services. This enables more moms to access life-changing support and dedicate more time to scaling their businesses.
Cultural shift: As the WEKH report supports, "foster[ing] more social initiatives that promote gender equality and debunk stereotypes of women entrepreneurs" are needed. This is critical to combatting bias and other unfair treatment.
The Mom Entrepreneur Revolution
Moms are building more than businesses. They’re redefining leadership, transforming workplace culture, and creating opportunities that benefit entire communities.
Through collective action, community-driven support, and continued systemic change, we can ensure that their immense contributions are made possible and recognized.
If you’re an entrepreneur navigating motherhood and business, we welcome and encourage you to get involved with The Forum community! Join our programs, attend our in-person and virtual events, and connect with the 50,000+ amazing entrepreneurs and supporters who are a part of our network.
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