The family-focused entrepreneurs were mixed on the question of whether they would consider returning to work as an employee in an organisational context, with flexibility, autonomy, and financial stability emerging as the major themes. All of the family-focused entrepreneurs were wholly self-employed (i.e. not supplementing their income with full-time, part-time, or casual employment). Presented with the question “Would you ever consider working for someone else (as an employee) instead of being self- employed?” three of the women in this group said, ‘Yes’, and two said they were, ‘Not Sure’. Those who answered affirmatively were less established in business, and said they would consider returning to organisational employment when their children were older (e.g. entering primary school) or if the business was not viable on its own (Int. 17, 37). The two ‘Not Sure’ responses came from the more established business operators (Int. 22, 29), who said they would not eagerly rush back into organisational
employment unless they were lured by a very exciting – and flexible – opportunity.
Among the participants who said they would consider returning to organisational employment, the responses revolved mainly around finances and business viability. For example: “It is easier working for someone else” (Int. 09), or “If my virtual private assistant business is not as lucrative as I anticipate, I will seek part- time employment” (Int. 37), or “I am considering contracting my services to others to promote my business whilst I continue to network” (Int. 47).
4.7 Conclusion
The five women in this category cited predominantly family motivations for becoming self-employed, and shared a family-focused orientation to work and family.
For the family-focused entrepreneurs, the decision to become self-employed was tied directly and explicitly to their identities as mothers. The women in this group were united in their desire to enact a certain idealised vision of motherhood, characterised by a high degree of maternal involvement, both physical and emotional. All of the women in this group cited their desire to stay at home with their young children, at least in their preschool years, as a primary driver. In two cases, this desire was backed (at least initially) by a philosophical opposition to using formal child care, particularly centre- based child care. In this respect, the family-focused entrepreneurs largely embodied Ekinsmyth’s (2013a, 2013b) definition of ‘mumpreneurs’ in that they had consciously and deliberately configured their businesses around their children. At least three of the women in this group volunteered to participate in the study after seeing advertisements posted on the social media pages of self-described ‘mumpreneur’ networking groups.
The women in this group started their business as a way to make money from home, to supplement the family income and provide extra niceties (such as holidays and extracurricular activities for children). They did not become self-employed to pursue specific financial or business-related opportunities, or to fulfil specific career ambitions. Indeed, all of the women in this group started businesses that were largely unrelated to their previous employment (Int. 09, 17, 22, 37, 39). Although they were not initially driven to self-employment by career motives, two of the women in this group developed professional ambitions with the growth of their businesses (Int. 22, 39). Nevertheless, despite their family-focused motivations, nearly all of the women in this group spoke about the importance of paid work and cultivating a professional identity beyond motherhood (Int. 09, 22, 37, 39), although this sometimes resulted in feelings of
Chapter Five:
Career-Focused Entrepreneurs
5.1 Introduction
Of the 60 women interviewed for this study, only four participants – or seven percent of the sample – had self-employment narratives that revolved primarily around career or financial motivations. Although these career-focused entrepreneurs started their businesses after becoming pregnant or having children, their self-employment motivations were largely unrelated to their family responsibilities. All of the women in this group were highly educated professionals who had started their businesses to advance their careers, pursue unique opportunities, make more money, or attain greater professional status. In every case, the businesses these women started were an extension of their former careers, and the decision to become self-employed was a deliberate, carefully considered strategy. Although they did not cite their children or families as primary motivators for becoming self-employed, family dynamics were still important to the career-focused entrepreneurs, who described flexibility and autonomy over working hours as the chief benefits of being self-employed15.
The four women in this group were between the ages of 24 and 54, and all married or living with a domestic partner. All of the women in this group were high
15 It is possible that the selection criteria for women in this study – i.e. women who became self- employed after motherhood – may not have attracted as many female entrepreneurs with career-focused motivations as a differently designed study. However, as discussed in Chapter Three, substantial efforts were made to attract women from generic ‘women in business’ networking groups, in addition to networking groups aimed specifically at working mothers or ‘mumpreneurs’. It is also possible, that women with children are simply more likely to report predominance of family-related motives for start- up, as has been suggested by Kirkwood (2009) and Dawson and Henley (2012). These findings are
income earners, reporting gross personal incomes of AUD$2000 or more per week; either the higher income earner in their households (Int. 01, 08, 16) or earning roughly the same as their partner or spouse (Int. 46). The length of time these women had been self-employed varied considerably, from fewer than 12 months (Int. 16) to between 10 and 15 years (Int. 01; 08). Table 5.1 provides an overview of the career-focused
entrepreneurs:
Table 5.1 Characteristics of the career-focused entrepreneurs
Int. Name# Age No.
Children Age of Youngest Child Status Type of Business Business Duration Income (AUD/wk) 01 Pauline Heatherton 45-54 1 18 M* Property Consultant 10>15yrs 2000+
08 Katrina Miller 35-44 2 6 M* Nutrition
Consultant
10>15yrs 2000+** 16 Penny Butler-
Evans
35-44 2 6 M* Architect >12m 2000+
46 Lola Chen 24-35 2 2 M Accountant 1>3 yrs 2000+
# Participants’ names have been changed to preserve confidentiality. * Highest income earner in the household, by marital status.
** Uses regular employment (full-time, part-time, or casual) to supplement business income.
The individual circumstances in which these women left organisational employment to start their own businesses varied considerably, but the reasons they cited for becoming self-employed fell into three broad categories: 1) the desire for independence, autonomy, or control over their work; 2) the possibility of financial benefit, or the desire for greater financial control; and 3) the opportunity to achieve greater professional status.
The career-focused entrepreneurs were unique among the women in this study in that they did not express an alteration in their priorities away from their careers post- motherhood. Instead, they were more likely to observe that motherhood had changed the way they approached their work (e.g. how they handled their time, the types of
clients they were willing to engage, or which projects they wanted to do), but their work remained a central focus of their lives. The career-focused entrepreneurs were also unique among the women in the study in that they did not share a preference for part- time or flexible work, although the flexibility of self-employment (particularly with respect to their children) was frequently cited as a secondary benefit. The remainder of this section highlights the shared characteristics of the career-focused entrepreneurs, drawing on examples from the participants’ personal accounts.