The term mumpreneur has officially been recognised and enters Collins English Dictionary.
I’m a proud entrepreneur and love the term mumpreneur.
But not every one loves being called a mumpreneur, the phrase is a bit like marmite – you either love it or hate it. Some women find it degrading. A lot of business mum’s keep the two completely separate and don’t see what one has to do with the other and that it’s a derogatory label.
For me personally I do see that the two are strongly linked. I would never have set up my business in the first place if I didn’t have my daughter, I would have probably continued commuting to London and wouldn’t have seen my entrepreneurial flair I strongly have. My daughter Emily knows mummy works from home and my computers never get switched off until I go to bed. I juggle work and childcare and love the flexibility of being able to work when I want.
Is the term mumpreneur a way of congratulating business mums for having their own business and being a mum? Is this a negative label? I for one like being congratulated, I was honoured and thrilled to attend Downing Street for Best Mumpreneur of the Year. It was a huge achievement and the best thing of all was that my daughter and husband attended as well.
With childcare costs going up and up each year there are more and more mothers who are starting their own business and the trend continues to grow. In fact latest figures show that Mumpreneurs in the UK contribute £7.4 billion to the economy each year and even the Government now recognises this sector as a ‘multi-billion pound opportunity’.
With the rise of business women becoming mumpreneur’s there are more and more websites aimed at this market. Business guides and coaches showing you how to become a successful mumpreneur, There are even networking groups which are just aimed for mumpreneurs.
I’m proud to say I’m a mumpreneur, for me it’s not derogatory it’s a compliment.
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About Lilach
I’m afraid I hate it. There isn’t a term for Dadpreneur. Whether or not someone is a parent is separate to the outside world from their business activities. What about women entrepreneurs who aren’t parents?
Thankfully the term hadn’t been coined when I was both a single mother and a business owner – I would not have taken kindly to being labelled as such.
To me the term gives the impression that the mother is just playing at business – although I have the greatest of respect for women who juggle family commitments with running a business (I know firsthand how hard that can be), the two are separate issues.
Sorry!
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Hi Jane, thanks for your comment. It’s been really interesting writing this article and reading everyone’s opinions.
Whilst I agree with your perspective in many ways, i.e. there aren’t terms for dadpreneurs and what about women who aren’t mothers but are entrepreneurs. I don’t find the term suggests that I’m playing with my business. If anything it’s opened many doors for me, created a lot of publicity and opportunities. But maybe that’s why I’m more positive about the term.
Lilach
Jane, I’m with you on this one. There aren’t dadpreneurs. If anything mumpreneur puts an asterisk by a female entrepreneurs accomplishments, as if to say one is “only” a mumpreneur. As if it’s something they play at in between being a mom, or as if they’re not really entrepreneurs. I know plenty of people, men and women, who only play at doing what they claim to be doing, and to stick a title like mom in front of a word says they don’t take it seriously.
My wife isn’t a mommy artist or a mom singer. I’m not a dad writer or dad business owner. I’m a writer, I own a business. My wife is an artist and a singer. We are also parents. I don’t define my entire life by one role or the other, and the mixing of the two only cutesies it up to an intolerable degree.
Thanks Erik, appreciate your comment:) It’s an interesting debate I can see why you feel this way but at the same time I like the term and don’t find it offensive or even cutesied.
Mumpreneur, as well as mommy blogger, are the words that I cringe when I hear them, I have very negative feeling about both. (My spell check it now accepting “Mumpreneur” as a valid word, lol)
Twitter: BrankicaU
Tricky one to say. I don’t mind it, however feel there’s a lack of one for dads. I understand that people believe the father should be working and earning for his family whilst mother cares for the children, but times have changed and dad’s still set-up a business to keep their family going.
However I also think it’s a positive term in fact it’s a woman whose empowering in the sense she can run her own business and still be a mother, that part I do like about being a Mumpreneur. Now if only my browser would accept Mumpreneur as a word!
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Thanks PetitMom. You’re right times have changed and there aren’t terms for dads or women who don’t have children. I wonder if dad’s would want one though?
I agree and see it as a positive term and don’t find it insulting or degrading however I completely understand how many mums may see the complete opposite.
I wonder if my spell check will now accept the word too:)
Lilach
Do I like it or not? hmmmmm, let me see. Well I think it describes a lot of women these days that do have to juggle business and children, whether a married or single mother. So it aptly describes the situation, I wonder if anyone would actually call themselves a “mumpreneur” to describe what they did, I think probably not and I don’t think I would like to be labelled as a “mumpreneur”. whilst I believe it is a nice and useful term it does also imply somehow that a woman that has her own business and juggles the kids is somehow not taken as seriously as saying “I’m a business woman” The word “entrepreneur” is rather overused anyway. Generally speaking
The majority of men start a business and do not have to juggle the home and childcare situation as this is usually left to the woman to do. so would the term Dadpreneur be appropriate, possibly not and again, as I am saying it out loud it does imply someone working for a bit of “pin money”.
However, we should be very proud and I am of my achievements of starting and running several business, the first one of which was started before I was a mum and carried on after I became a mum. Started 3 more businesses and have always been around for my daughter when she comes home from school, I’ve always attended all school function and although she knows that mummy works from home I still have my “shut down the office” time when she is around so I can spend time with her.
I am grateful that I am able to have a business that allows me the flexibity of being with my daughter. So to summarise about the word I do not find it offensive, it does not make me angry, but I wouldn’t choose to use it to describe myself.
Suzanne
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Thanks Suzanne, interesting to see your view point.
I must admit that I do add “mumpreneur” to keywords in my profile on Twitter and on a few other social networks. I wouldn’t actually say I’m a mumpreneur in conversation though.
I have worked incredibly hard to get where I am today and I think the reason why I like the terms so much is the publicity it has given me. Attending Downing Street and being in numerous magazines/radio etc as a mumpreneur. I’m being completely honest here and I wonder if I would feel so differently if I didn’t have that to fall back on?
Regardless of the term, I am working mother who loves the flexibility like you to be able to be with my daughter. And ultimately that’s why I set up my business.
… and there’s the reason many people won’t like the term.
Successful business women and entrepreneurs are just that; successful business women and entrepreneurs. Why do you need a special label because you are a mum?
I would much rather appreciate a business woman’s achievements for her achievements, not because she is a woman and why on earth do some feel extra credit is required for having been able to multi-task too. I think Richard Branson and the Dragons have managed to deliver more than one thing at a time, irrespective of their gender and family status.
Let’s celebrate the achievements of all entrepreneurs and not invite ‘special labels’ or ‘dispensations’ on the grounds of gender and fertility! Equality via achievement first and foremost.
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Kevin I appreciate your comment. I rarely label people and I certainly didn’t label myself mumpreneur, others did and the truth is that 5 years ago the term wasn’t widely used as it is now and I got a lot of PR on the back of being a “mumpreneur” and attending Downing Street etc. So for me I’ve used it and it’s served me very well. I don’t find it derogatory and don’t dislike the term.
But I do agree that we should (and indeed do) celebrate all achievements for entrepreneurs. I personally think if someone is happy to be called a mumpreneur there is no harm in it. I would never call someone else a mumpreneur, simply a business woman unless of course they chose that term for themselves.
I can’t substantiate this but it sounds more like a put down and, at best, a backhanded compliment!
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Thanks Linda, I appreciate your comment. As I’ve said in other comments, I’ve found it fascinating hearing about how people find the term on one hand like a put down as you’ve said and others who see it as a compliment.
Lilach
I agree with Jane Hatton. I really don’t like the term. Why do women entrepreneurs need a separate label. I agree that many women bring a different set of skills and qualities to entrepreneurship, such as being more conscious of their ethics and the impact of their business activities on the community and wider environment. However rather than this been seen as uniquely part of a different subset of women entrepreneurs it should held up as best practice for all entrepreneurs. I can’t see many men aspiring to be a Mumpreneur and if it remains the preserve of women men will continue to believe that in order to be a successful entrepreneur you need to cultivate some of the more aggressive and negative traits associated with successful men. We can see the result of that already – why would we want more.
Twitter: tycoonwoman
Thanks Tycoonwoman. I agree with what you’re saying a lot which is rather ironic! Women entrepreneurs don’t need a separate label – I’m interested to learn how it came about and when…
However it exists and perhaps I have leveraged the term in my business, as I’ve said before it really has given me so many opportunities. I don’t find it offensive or degrading and I certainly wouldn’t think that a mumpreneur isn’t as successful or as good as a women entrepreneur. I can totally see how many women would find this though.
It’s interesting reading your comment – particularly about the traits of what’s associated with a successful man.
Lilach
The term ‘mumpreneur’ fascinates me. It is arguably the beginning of a new phase in feminism and one that I welcome and whilst I don’t think the term is an elegant one, I love what it represents.
I like it because it has something of the rebel about it. It is an audacious phrase that suggests we are not just women trying to fit in to a still very male orientated environment but women who are comfortable enough to say that they can work and be mothers with an emphasis on the desire to be hands on when it comes to our families.
Some have suggested that the term takes us back to a time when women were relegated to the house, but I feel it does the exact opposite. To my mind those women who wish to hide the fact that we are mothers in the workplace are bowing to pressures they perceive from other quarters. What could be more inspiring and more admirable than to coin a phrase that tells the world women can be all that they want to be cerebrally without having to compromise on all they wish to be maternally?
No, the term does not take us back in time, it emancipates us. It sends out a clear message that women want to embrace life – the men in their life, the children in their life and the life there is to be had in work and whilst the term itself will probably never win any prizes for profundity or poetic license, it may just sashay into the history books as the most intelligent phase Feminism has ever seen – complete comfort with who we are and who we love.
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Thanks Natasha. I too find the term fascinating and what has fascinated me even more has been the opinions of how some business mum’s despise it whilst others like myself embrace it and are proud to be called mumpreneurs.
Mumpreneur!!! I love the word. It is interesting and it excites people when I explain the meaning. I love being a mum and an entrepreneur. My understanding and view point of the term stems from the fact that most mothers who before now thought they were diehard career women decided on their own due to becoming mothers and sometimes being laid off from their jobs to start a business that dose not necessary take them far away from their kids but gives them the added advantage of entering a new phase in their life – starting a business and at the same time taking care of their kids. i belong to this category . I don’t see it as being derogatory; it doesn’t make me less of an entrepreneur because I contribute my own quota. Instead it makes me proud that i am comfortable in my new role.
I believe the term best describe a woman who is deliberately growing her business organically so she can handle the responsibility of taking care of her family. It is not used to solicit a special support; it is just what it is; a mum and an entrepreneur working with her kids not far from her workstation.
Twitter: pams33
Thanks Pamela. I too love the term and see it as a huge shift in the business world that it’s made the English dictionary.
I just love being a “mumpreneur” and very proud I am too. Nice to see it recognised in the dictionary at last since I have been one now for 27 years! Now we need dadpreneur to be recognised for Chris. Loved your post Lilach and thanks for letting us all know.
PS Congratulations on your award!
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Thanks Susan, nice to see another proud mumpreneur – shame you’ve had to wait 27 years for the recognition:)
Would Chris like to be called a dadpreneur? I was having a conversation on Twitter about whether now we have the term mumpreneur whether we should have dadpreneur – it would be interesting to see how many dad businessmen love/hate this term!
Thanks for the congrats:)
I have always disliked the term but wasn’t sure why. This debate has made me think about why the term irks me so much. So I blogged about it myself – It’s great to get your thoughts in order.
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Thanks Debbie. It’s amazing how business mums either love it or hate it. I look forward to reading the comments on your blog too:)
I’m a bloke so i have absolutely nothing to say about the word. What i will say is one of the great things about the blogosphere is how many awesome lady bloggers there are. I was just in a facebook group where i commented that at the time 10 of us were interracting, all bloggers, and i was the only male. I wasn’t complaining though!
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Thanks Larry. You’re quite right, there are some awesome female bloggers and it’s growing every day. We’re gonna rule the world haha lol
This interests me hugely. I strongly dislike the term but for differing reasons to the above.
Firstly, it’s a language thing. I don’t like this new trend of mashing two words together… That in itself to me makes it seem patronising.
Am I a mum in business? Yes. Is that all that I am? No. I’m a woman in business… wait… a person in business. I’m also a dog owner, a home owner, a fan of socialising and travel. All of these things also have to be juggled around my business ventures but there is no term coined for them. I realise these are all choices, but so was having my daughter. I chose to build a business and shape the life I have around her, that doesn’t set me apart from anyone else in business and nor should it.
I don’t feel I deserve a pat on the back for organising a business around my daughter. It doesn’t mean the people who run businesses without children should be any less celebrated. In fact, I don’t like my clients to even know about my daughter because I feel it’s a part of my private life. People feel they ‘know’ me because I am prevalent on social networking sites and open with my blogging. I like to keep something for myself.
So it’s a multi-level thing for me. I don’t mind other people using the term mumpreneur – but adding it into the dictionary? I will go so far as to say I feel angered by it. I am drafting my own blog post and will link back here as my inspiration.
To clarify – I have operated a business mums networking group for some time so I am all for family friendly working. I have no issue with people who gain enough confidence from the term mumpreneur that they make that leap into starting their own business… each to their own. This is just my view
Twitter: totallylaura
Thanks Laura for sharing your opinion.
It’s interesting as I don’t keep my private life private as it were. Emily is very much part of my business, I write about her on Facebook and all my clients know about her. In fact just two days ago as it was half term I had to take her to one of my clients board meetings (their suggestion as I had no childcare!). Many would see this as unprofessional perhaps but I maintain that I started this business for her and ultimately because of her.
I do see why some women don’t like it and even though I understand their opinions I still am very comfortable with the term and am delighted to use it.
Hi there! I hate the sound of mumpreneur, but wonder if it’s an age thing. (I’m in the 50+ age bracket!) I’ve always worked and brought up two children as a single mother – I would have felt really undermined as I was juggling work and family if I’d had this label. Mind you, I don’t like the word housewife either, but at least men are referred to as househusband quite often. But then I quite like yummy mummy…..mmmmmn yep, definitely an age thing. Good debate though.
Thanks Louise. You raise some interesting questions… housewife, I don’t like the term but then I’m not one and would make a rubbish housewife! Yummy mummy… I don’t dislike that term either lol Wonder if that will make the dictionary:)
This indeed is a tricky “new word” it signifies for me the shift in noticing women who work with a double burden (or a double blessing depending on your view). It is good for this to be highlighted. Maybe a tax break will ensue? Those who work and look after their own children…. ummm now there is a hard-worker if ever I saw one. Does it need to be recognized? YES. Is Mumpreneur the way to do it? NO probably not. I know many women who work and look after children but for whom there are sadly not the opportunities or open doors such as there are for Mumpreneurs. A need that led to a marketing storm, (one which I take part in too I might add). Do I want to reach Mumpreneurs YES, more important for me are “would be” Mumpreneurs. But equally I would like to raise a shout for women who are not entrepreneurs but are as equally creative and determined.
Thanks Gillian, interesting comments there. I’m liking a tax break… I doubt we’re see that any time soon though!
I agree all women should be recognised for what they do. Although times have moved on significantly since other mothers it’s still very hard for women to have a career and children. Childcare prices are ridiculously high and I still see mothers having the main responsibility of juggling work and meetings at school, events etc.
I am a mumpreneur and proud! I would never have set up my childrens illustration business if I had not been on maternity leave with my daughter in 2004. So for me, being a mum was a pivotal point in my career. I get that some woman get peeved because being a mum has nothing to do with what they are doing or how successful they are. But I may never have had my divine inspiration moment had it not been for my daughter. Saying that, I also think that the interenet has played a huge part in the rise of the ‘mumpreneur’. For me, in 2004 the internet had just opened up a whole new way of shopping and doing business that just wasn’t there before. I now had the ability to set up a business from my home and could choose the hours I worked so that I got to spend time with the kids. I think to be a ‘mumpreneur’ you definatley need to have done a few nightshifts. Working into the wee hours of the morning after the kids have gone to bed.
Thanks Helen. I too set up my business once I had Emily and often wonder if I would have left the corporate commuting world otherwise.
I too work nights and often into the wee hours like you. But I feel very lucky and privileged that whilst I do work long hours I also have the flexibility or taking my daughter to school and being able to have the flexibility that companies just don’t deliver on.
I don’t have particularly feelings about it, it’s just a word after all, I guess it really just sounds a bit ‘cheesy’ to me. Anyone who starts an enterprise will have a range of personal challenges to overcome, what about the blind-preneurs, the deaf-preneurs, the ethnicminority-preneurs or the disatvantagedsocialbackground-preneurs?
Hats off to mums who juggle child rearing with business, my wife and I run our business around our 2yo twins so I can fully appreciate the challenges, but then again going too work in a normal job is extremely tough when you also have childcare responsibilities…
Thanks John, nice to see another male opinion on here:) You’re quite right – what about all the other groups. They don’t have a “label”… would they want one?
Most people hate labels and I must admit I wasn’t a fan but for me mumpreneur fitted well and I’ve never seen it as derogatory, if I had I obviously wouldn’t like it!
I think anyone working in today’s world raising children is a huge juggle and everyone should be commended, whether you work for an employer, run your own business, a mum or a dad.
Hi Lilach, I’m all for “smashwords” and use one to describe my business. Steve Jobs listed his occupation as entrepreneur – and the word has always had a “reach for the stars” quality about it. I’ve worn both hats, running operations large and small and taking care of our children – 3 in 2 ½ years – twins is the answer to the inevitable next question – I shant be clamoring for Dadpreneur to be added next, but I do have some LOL stories about one Dad’s experience of play-date, playground and bake sale snubbing – that I shall save for another day.
There is an old school stigma (dwindling?) toward “bootstrappers” of all stripes held by folks who have “normal” (perhaps, soon to be not) jobs. There is a credibility battle that independents face that is not part of the conversation when one is backed by a large corporation.
Any business descriptor that opens doors of opportunity or builds a sense of collective belonging is righteous step in the right direction.
Thanks Chase – it will be interesting to hear your stories:)
I may do a poll to see how many dad’s would actually like the term dadpreneur (although I doubt the numbers will be high!). This debate has been really interesting and it’s great to see the male and female opinions.
I think in one hand I like it, “mumpreneur” = you can still be an entrepreneur and a Mum, network with other Mumpreneurs and get tips on how to juggle the situation, it is like being part of a parents’ group and what is wrong with that? But, on the other hand I prefer the general term of entrepreneur, only not to be categorised. I guess it also depends on the type of business you are running, as the director of my Event Management Company I prefer entrepreneur. I think hating it is a bit “ott”, to be honest I am sure the Dads are not that bothered if there isn’t such a thing as a Dadpreneur
Thanks Saleha. I agree and it’s been interesting watching the rise of female networking groups and even more so business mum groups.
At the end of the day I prefer to call myself an entrepreneur but also like the term mumpreneur (shame my spell checker still doesn’t!).
I’ve loved watching this thread and reading everyone’s opinions, female and male so many thanks for commenting:)
Ahhh, labels. They cause offence because of the feeling that the ‘labelee’ attaches to it.
I am a Mumpreneur, WAHM, wife, mother, daughter, sister, cloth nappy user, breastfeeding, vegaquarian and property developer. The only definitions that matter with all of these labels are the ones that I apply. And do you know what, I love all of them, otherwise I wouldn’t have them in my life.
In our community, we use WAHD (Work At Home Dad).
Thanks Emma. Yes it’s interesting the whole “label debate”. Normally I don’t like them but for some reason I seem to be drawn towards the mumpreneur label and am proud to be one.
I love your WAHD = it will be interesting to see if the dadpreneur or WAHD ever takes up…
Great article Lilach. I quite liked the term Mumpreneur (although I don’t think of myself as a Mumpreneur despite jugggling running a business from home with looking after my two boys – double standards, eh?). However, I read somewhere recently that the perception of Mumpreneurs is “mums, usually with baby or child-related businesses”. That is not my understanding of Mumpreneur and is rather a narrow definition that implies mumpreneur businesses are not taken as seriously as other businesses.
To me, being a business women is what it’s about and that’s how I label myself, although I will use the mumpreneur keyword in my profiles as you have as it is such a widely used term and another way for people to find you.
I think the biggest question is whether your passion is starting and running a profitable business (with the flexibility to work around your kids’ schedules) or you’re first and foremost a mum who wants to generate a bit of extra income. I see a big difference between the business mums (whose goal is running a profitable business and creating wealth) and the “I need a bit of cash quickly” brigade.
What do others think?
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I tend not to get so hung up on labels and what they may or may not mean. So for the most part, I take no offense. But I kinda like the term mumpreneur! I do see myself as a business person who works hard and aims to do as well as possible. But for me, my number one “profession” started with the birth of my first child. Raising my two kids has been the best, most rewarding job of my life, and watching every miracle, every trial and tribulation of their growing up has been worth leaving the “official” working world. But now I am really loving the flexibility of building my business around my family’s schedule. Working from home was something I wanted to do so that I could make good money while being around and available for my husband and kids. Though things can still get crazy, and being flexible sometimes means working till the wee hours to finish my business tasks, this is the very best of both worlds to me. I love being a mumpreneur!!
Thanks Jeanine. I too love being a mumpreneur as it represents for me my life with Emily and how I feel fortunate to be able to work from home doing what I love doing whilst being able to spend time with Emily.
Not that it’s easy, every day we face challenges (as does any mum who works) and I feel like adding to my profile – juggler:)
Mompreneur. Me likey!! and personally it is the word I use to describe myself casually. Mompreneur is a word that has been used widely online and offline and definitely it has created an ‘awareness’ to the public. This word has helped me connect with many other mothers working from home around the world. In Singapore, it is a word that many mothers would love to be able to say – I am a mompreneur!
@thetweeterian
Thanks Adah. It’s nice to see another mum who likes the word mumpreneur. It’s been so interesting reading all the comments (and a big thanks to everyone who has taken the time to comment, both male and female) as some mothers like yourself love it and others really don’t and see it as derogatory.
It’s vile – almost as vile as ‘webinar’.
Portmanteaux work when they either create an entirely new word (such as blog) or when they maintain the spirit of the original two words, ideally with a bit of humour (c.f. slacktivist). ‘Mumpreneur’ merely chops another portmanteau in two and gracelessly jams one half of it onto another word. It’s awkward and ugly, partly because it chops colloquial English with French.
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So it’s fair to say you’re not a fan Patrick?
Let’s be inclusive here.
Here are some suggestions:
muminister, conductress, hostess, waitress, chairwoman, charwoman, mumster, sportsmum, dadsmum, mumsmum, mismumigment
Twitter: stephen_bray
lol
Mumpreneur: a woman who thinks her clients and customers give a toss about the fact she has children.
Alternatively, a woman of the financial liberty (usually provided by her husband) to use her children as an excuse for working two hours a week and calling it “a business”.
Alternatively, a woman business owner who contracts for professional services with another woman business owner and then decides she does not have to pay the invoice because we’re all “just mums in business”, aren’t we?
True. Burnt. Never wasting my time working with a “mumpreneur” again.
Thanks Heather. Hmmm you’re not a fan of the term then lol
I don’t think my clients “give a toss” about the fact that I have children but and here is a big but, they all know I do but only because I choose to tell them. They also tell me about their lives and families.
I’m certainly not provided for by my husband, never have been and never will be. And working two hours a week! I work more hours than my husband who is a policeman and more hours than all of my full time friends.
I outsource work to whoever fits the bill best. Some of my work is outsourced to women who happen be mothers and some of it is outsourced to men. And everyone pays me upfront upon invoice, not after I have done the work so there is no problem chasing money.
I admit there are some women who run a business as if it’s part time, there are a few women networking groups that unfortunately have given many working mum’s/entrepreneurs a bad name.
Thanks for your comments, I love reading everyone’s different opinions:)
I have a lot of respect for all Mumpreneurs in the world. Being involved in an entrepreneurship venture is tough enough, I can’t imagine how one could also take care of young children! I fail to see how the term “Mumpreneur” could be considered degrading!
Thanks Sam, appreciate your comment. I too don’t find it degrading and a compliment. I’m loving reading everyone’s different opinions on the term:)
I admit I’m on the fence about this one. I know both men and women who are stay at home parents turned entrepreneurs. I wouldn’t feel right implying that one sex deserves special recognition . I have tremendous respect for all entrepreneurs, and realize that most people face some sort of work/life balance issue — whether it’s parenting, caregiving, health or starting a business when you’re the only source of household income (a single parent or a single person). Part of me thinks there are already enough messages in society that parents are inherently superior to people who don’t have kids.
On the other hand, some of the women I know started businesses/blogs having to do with children and parenting. I think the term is a great fit for them because being a mom is a big part of their professional identity. I also see a lot of guilt in the moms I know — guilt because they are working or guilt because they aren’t. It’s nice to see a positive label that empowers women and if they want to use it, who am I to argue?
Told you, I’m on the fence! I’m enjoying hearing other people’s points of view.
Thanks Beth, really appreciate your comment:) I can completely see where you’re coming from and agree. For me I like the word and was flattered when people started calling me it… I then continued and use it as keywords for my marketing.
I don’t think guilt ever goes away as a working mum… (for me anyway) but I’ve found the guilt lessons as my daughter gets older …
Hi this was tweeted to you ….. “Mumpreneur – another stupid label for stupid women -so you are a mum who does other stuff ?where did the women’s movement go?” @mgfsm
Twitter: mgfsm
The women’s movement is still there and it includes mums too:)
It ‘s not a word I thought much about until I read all the comments for and against. But no, I don’t think it is derogatory, you could say it celebrates all our acheivemenst, being a mum is much more than a word and being an entrepreneur is more than a word. It doesnt dismiss men either – behind every successful Mumpreneur there may well be a very supportive Dad. To me it just feels like a lighthearted name to acknowledge our legion of skills.
But if it feels derogatory to some, we can develop another new word too. Any ideas?
Twitter: hauschkagrace
Thanks Grace. I do feel the same, I don’t find it derogatory and have embraced the term. I really am finding it so interesting how some women love it and others hate it – so much so they find it derogatory and insulting.
Not sure if we should even think about coming with another word – no doubt that wouldn’t be seen in a positive light.
I think for some women they’re more than happy to be called business women/entrepreneurs and others like the term so call themselves mumpreneur. At the end of the day it’s an individual choice and the term I’m sure was bought to praise women who work rather than insult them so it’s a great shame that some people see it as this.
I think the term mumprenuer is actually quite fun. I rather be called that than MILF (it’s a joke folks:) )
I understand where everyone is coming from about fathers not having a similar phrase for them. But, when people usually hear entrepreneur for a male, many people I know think most of these guys are family men.
I think the term mumprenuer is more aimed at mothers who (like meaning one says) are currently juggling raising their children and creating a job that’s flexible to the needs of their family. With these ladies, the business and its revenue are not top priority like it would be for most entrepreneurs. Their families are. These ladies are more family minded than business professional minded. That’s why you see a growing market aimed at them. I know of a blog that has well over 100,000 mumprenuers read it because it’s bringing up what a stay at home mom goes through taking care of home and what they need to do to find balance to start, then maintain an online business. The support in that circle is amazing because alot of the readers confess how difficult it is to start and keep an online income when home life is a full-time job in itself.
So when I hear the term mumprenuer, I’m thinking of the moms whose full-time job is taking care of the children and home. And their part time job is running their home based business.
Twitter: ShanikaJourney
I’m not fond of the term Mumpreneur, but I can see it being a fun term to use. I wouldn’t use it, but that’s just me. Mumpreneur kind of falls into that same category. as Mommy Bloggers, which I really don’t like. Yes, I’m a Mom and I blog, but I don’t want or need to be labeled or known as a Mommy Blogger. Entrepreneur, solopreneur or small business owner are more generic terms and I prefer those.
Twitter: SophiaMcI