The Stereotyped MOM/MUM

I have been thinking about this lately...what advice do I have to give mothers...

My question for mothers: Have you ever been stumped to say something great, when a person asked you, "what do you do?" (especially when you are a mother - we do anything, nothing and everything)

Well, I can say I am proud to be a mother, however, I do get stereotyped daily. It is very easy to look at me and think my hubby and I have a conventional family. My values are traditional, but what I do is very unconventional. I was a business partner in a small start up well before any ideas of entering into a life partnership, which became an amazing ice-ing on the cake. But, it's so easy to assume that I had no part in building the business, but actually I really admired the huge risk my hubby took in coming up with an idea, getting a small business grant, and start perfecting the idea, moving into his first office in Nov 98...I think a great partnership always begins with mutual respect of each others skills, determination and professionalism. I signed on feeling empowered and he was eager for me to go for it and build the business putting in place whatever I felt needed to be put in place. i do feel proud of the fact I took on big challenges and went about reviewing everything, realizing everything needed have something in place from scratch.

I found that there was a great lesson in a start up or small business, do everything in the beginning on a shoe string budget. I was really impressed that the small start up team of 8, did business, using excel, paper orders, manual charging, etc...I could start from scratch now that I had the blueprint and go for my life...I would build the business and let clay continue to perfect the idea, track sales and handle issues with servers. We worked together on whatever needed to be done...he worked very hard getting the idea up and running, he was exhausted and needed some help...then I got exhausted getting to 50 staff, that we both needed to take stock and balance things...together...

So when I get asked what is my experience and background, I am aiming to become more defined and not mumble along some half hearted "don't do me justice" answer and instead say..."my background has been a Director of an Internet Company that exports services to the US, and I took on the building of the business from the ground up. Now I am a Co-founder in a Web 2.0 start up, I popularized and fashioned the space of Family 2.0 (blogging) and i juggle all this being a mom/mum, a business partner and a wife..."

Rather than "I am a mom/mum and have some businesses with my husband", I get lots of stereotypical responses.

I remember once, I was at an important function, where I was introduced to a young guy and his father (a business function), right, okay, this old bloke proceeded to mock me (whilst trying to be nice) that I was "getting in on the boss" so to speak (he continued this banter for a couple of minutes until poked by his son), talking about nearly punching the guy, and I am quite lady like. I was only 21 when I met Clay, and Clay 22, what the blazer was this old guy (50 yr old) talking about...? I held back, as his son (around 20ish) was extremely embarrassed, realizing this ain't the 'chick' to be saying this too. Gees, some people don't know how to be polite...but I certainly 'got the picture' on his view of women!!! I also have been told, 'women belong in the house as a  house wife and not in the boardroom', well we'll see about that matey...

I am blessed with an amazing husband that treats this lady with respect and keeps us as an amazing team, he is a King in a wonderful empowering kingdom and I flourish in this environment, being a wizard (get the business analogies hehe)...can't help it, but he is such a an amazing tech entrepreneur with such vision, passion and smarts!!!

Sometimes whatever mothers achieve, it's a really good idea to work out who you are and what you are passionate about, write it down and declare it to the world...it's so easy sometimes, to say great things and achievements others have done and forget yourself...this day and age woman are unique, it's easy to get stereotyped - oh shouldn't you be working, shouldn't you be staying home, oh shouldn't you let your husband do that...shouldn't you be a great cook, shouldn't you be a great mother...we don't know if we are coming or going...

...don't lose who you are and don't accept, but politely correct any assumptions about who you are...you know generally it takes around a year for somone to suss out who you really are...one comment doesn't pass that time and replace anyone but you and your family being an expert on YOU!!!!

Go gals, reach any dream you desire...I did :0)

Here's an example of one mother saying I am "Much More Than A Mom"