What It's Really Like to Be a Mompreneur with Candice D'Angelo, Founder of The Selling Lab
Candice D'Angelo – a corporate dropout with 12+ years of sales experience – is the founder of The Selling Lab, a sales training agency where online and offline businesses alike come to level up and sharpen their sales skills to become sales experts. Backed by a personal multi-million dollar sales book, D’Angelo has proudly taught more than 100 business owners the art of selling since the company's inception in 2018.
In our candid interview, this mom of three gives a glimpse into her everyday life as an author and dual Founder and shares her tips on how we can do a better job of supporting other mompreneurs and moms in the workforce.
Some say that having a business is like having a baby. Now that you’ve experienced both, can you confirm for us whether that rings true?
YES! It is constantly in need of something and you never know what the next day is going to be like and then all of a sudden, it’s all grown up and successful. The days are long but the years are short.
How did your daily routine change after having kids?
My daily routine was a "hit the ground running" scenario. I have three boys and two businesses. Not to mention I'm a wife and house manager. I had to learn really quickly how to balance everything. My daily routine went from fly by the seat of my pants to my calendar running me. I never used my calendar and now I can't live without it. We are pretty much on a daily calendar of events or it simply doesn't get done.
What does balance mean to you?
Balance to me means not feeling guilty about not working when I am with my kids; not feeling guilty about not being with my kids when I am working; and not feeling guilty about either one when I am doing something for myself. I have been able to do that by maintaining a calendar that works and keeps us all on time and on-task.
What tips do you have for balancing home life with your responsibilities as an entrepreneur?
Prioritize your calendar. Start with the very important items like appointments, school functions, and client calls. Also, put your client-facing work on your calendar and block off that time.
Plan your meals on Sundays. Decide which meals you are having and make enough for leftovers the following night so you're not cooking every night.
Make sure you stop working by a certain hour and shift your mindset to mom mode.
Try your best not to work on the weekends but if you have to, don't feel guilty. Keep it to a minimum amount of time.
What do you wish you'd known before embracing your new life as a mompreneur?
I wish I knew that this was going to be harder than I had fantasized it being. I had glamorized being a mompreneur and it's simply not glamorous...at all. It's harder. Much harder. The mom guilt is doubled and you have to find a place in yourself to be okay with how the day went and not get bent out of shape about it. For example, I hadn’t given thought to the fact that I would be wearing all of the hats. Marketing, sales, CFO, IT, and all in one day. I had only envisioned that I would be working with people that were so happy to have found me–this wasn’t the case. I work primarily remotely and I am by myself until the kids come home. It sounds super great but it can be very lonely. So, I joined the Chamber of Commerce and a few online communities that host events locally so I can get back out there. I make sure I remember that I only have a block of time to make progress with client work so I make sure to stay super focused during that time.
How can we do a better job of supporting new moms?
Lots and lots of dialogue and stories from other mothers who might feel like this is only happening to them. For example, postpartum depression signs, how to manage your time as a mompreneur, guilt around being a working mom, and how to manage that. Just keep being a platform for those to feel like they are not isolated.
Any final words of wisdom?
Totally do it! As a mom, we are constantly doing things for others. Do this for yourself! You'll make mistakes and you'll learn from them but don't give up. You ARE good enough!
