030: Balancing your business with your kids, Jill Gum

We are so excited for today's episode as its a subject that gets talked a lot about in facebook groups and forums but I don't really hear it being talked about all that often on podcasts or blogs. What is it actually like to run a full time creative small business while also running a family with small children involved? I don't have any personal experience with small kids....teenagers yes, but little ones...no, so today we are bringing Jill from Jill Gum Photography on to the show to talk about how she has been able to start, run and grow a thriving wedding business while also having two kids under 5.

She shares tons of great strategies with us today on the show! So if this is you and you are thinking to yourself, "how in the world am I going to manage all of this?!?!?"....listen to the episode and know that you can do it and we are rooting for you!!!

Jill's professional bio: Jill Gum started her professional photography career as a first time mother and music teacher on an extended maternity leave. After earning her Bachelors Degree in Music Education, Jill taught high school choir for 8 years, after which she resigned to focus on her photography business. She photographs a few portrait sessions each year, but specializes in high-end weddings in Illinois and beyond. Jill is also a blogger, educator, and speaker, offering coaching sessions, newsletters, and workshops for every level of photographer and small business owner. Jill and her husband, Michael, photograph around 20 weddings a year together while raising two toddlers in their country home. She has been featured by a number of wedding blogs and is the Rising Tide Society leader in Springfield, Illinois. Through her educational offerings, Jill seeks to encourage and equip photographers to build profitable and life-changing businesses that afford them the lifestyle they dream.

Balancing your business with also having small children

Show Notes

Biggest challenge?

Balance

Biggest benefit?

Flexibility

Strategies to help balancing

You have to find a way to carve time out (that is not nap time) to work. Schedule in dedicated work time that isn't just "fit in" where it could be.
Have a separate work space for work.
Before you are able to have dedicated work time, you need to utilize nap time very very well.
Try not to work at night after the kids go to bed. Utilize that time for your marriage. Might not work all the time, but making it a priority is important!
Be willing to ask for help
Outsource