Martha Brown – Balancing Business and Family with Finesse

Transcript

Hi and welcome to You World Order Showcase podcast. Today we're speaking with.

Martha Brown, Martha.

Is going through kind of a transition herself right now.

She is working on helping moms get from chaos to clarity and helping them just really.

Reshape their thoughts about how business and mom life work.

So share

Share your story with us, Martha.

Tell us that you got started.

Why you're shifting from what you were doing, what you were doing, all this stuff.

All the stuff.

Well, thank you for having me.

I appreciate being here.

And you know, I'm always like.

Oh, it's a.

Short story, but you know there's always.

Those ebbs and flows in all of it.

Actually I really got interested in coaching.

A few years ago.

And was doing a little bit part time here or there while I was still working a.

Full time job.

And then my husband and I started fostering kiddos and we got a place with our son.

Who actually today is his?

Five year what we're calling Brown anniversary.

So this is five, five years ago, was his adoption with us but and realized that I have.

Worked so many hours for so long and we waited for this moment and I really wanted to be there for any kids that.

Came into our lives.

So I quit my full time job and went into business, you know, full time, full time, while also raising him.

And then in the interim.

We've also have adopted two other kids too.

Beautiful. Thank you.

I love that so much.

Thank you.

And you know, it's just.

I was blessed enough to have this, this moment of.

This moment of clarity for myself of OK wait, I worked my life and worked so hard to be where we are, that now's the time to go full force into being able to coaching. I could set my schedule for the most part. You know, there's things that you can't but.

Just so we could create that life for the this family life that we wanted.

And when I first started, I actually have been coaching with women who were struggling with their relationship with alcohol, and I've done that for quite a few years.

For the last few years, and then more and more in doing that.

I have had other business owners come to me.

Other people come to me about how do you get started?

Can you help me?

What about this?

How are you doing?

This is a busy mom of three kids and.

Still working, still making money, still coaching and all that.

So it kind of happened organically this shift over.

With it, but at.

The same time I myself am sober.

And I have just over 20 years sober myself.

But I was.

I you know, over the last few years, like I was struggling with some stuff and I just felt.

Like I was not really in that place.

To also then.

Be coaching and working with people on that too.

I had to take a step back and I had to take.

Care of me?

And so I did that.

And so then with that happening, just this transition into working more with moms.

Especially with that.

Guilt and time management is a big thing.

Too, it just has.

It's just, it's just.

So we're running with it.

That's an awesome story and I can totally relate to the mom guilt I I've been doing this for a really long time and I've had.

Little kids and then.

They got older and I was homeschooling on top.

Of them like.

You always have kids in the background and.

You know, it's interesting.

How zoom has kind of allowed us?

To figure out.

How to do?

Business online.

But also the.

Sometimes you know, kids come into the picture and it's really it's kind of heartwarming to me that we're not just trying to shove children in the corner and say.

Yeah, you gotta be quiet.

Moms working.

They're they can be a part of your life and they are a natural.

Extension of what you're doing.

And it's.

Really kind of beautiful.

How that's all coming into being more accepted.

You know, yes.

And I think like with you know over the last, you know what three years everything shifting to more on the online space, there really wasn't a choice.

People were home with their kids like it just.

Like full time.

So it just had to happen and you'll still see my kids wander into the screen once in.

A while.

Sometimes it's just to give.

Me a big hug or.

Kiss and wonder if they just need that touch point and honest.

I have found that it's easier just to embrace that, give it to them, and then they'll like, go back to whatever they were doing versus being like, leave me alone.

I'll working because otherwise it's they just keep coming back.

But I'd love to share a quick story too is because my kids.

Have been around so much with me working and doing this and seeing the things I do I've noticed it's starting to shift over for them too.

So like the other day, my daughter was down playing with some of her little like Barbies and Lol dolls and stuff, and she took her tablet and she had it faced towards her and she turned on the camera and she was recording herself doing videos showing people how to do this.

She's like, yeah, mom, I'm.

Going to have my own business.

And this is what?

I'm going to show people.

How they can like?

Make all these stories up with their dolls.

I'm like, OK?

And she's 6 just turned 6.

So yeah.

I love this so.

Much, it's just modeling future behavior for.

Your children, instead of going to the you.

Know go, go.

To work with Mom Day or dad.

Day or whatever that was.

Now it's like.

Back in the day.

You're seeing Mom.

What she does and you're playing the game because that's all playing is.

It's learning skills and practicing so that at some point maybe you really get good at it.

Or maybe they discover.

That you.

Know their thing playing at how you discover.

Who you are and.

What things like you up?

And it's so exciting.

I'm six years.

Old and yeah.

Already, you know, playing this game where she's and.

I'm sure you could.

Help her post them on YouTube.

Yes, or.

Or she maybe even be live on YouTube.

But it's.

She's not yet, but.

But she's that's what she wants.

They actually her and my son.

Just a year.

Older both want.

They're like we need our YouTube channels.

So, like, OK, we gotta find some time to, like plan this out.

Like we're gonna.

Work this like it's a business.

Like, if we're gonna really do this, we're.

Like OK.

So we're it's in the works, but yeah.

But that's the time to start.

I know my own daughter.

I have a 19 year old daughter who recently moved out but.

She's been doing stuff on YouTube, off and on.

That was a learning process for her and she did it most.

She would ask for advice, but mostly she's learned all of the things herself.

And it was just part of part of.

Who she's become.

She does other things too, I mean.

She's a Baker now.

That's nice. That's fun.

He loves it. It's.

She bakes at home for fun.

So, gosh.

That's amazing.

I am not that person.

Yeah, yeah, well I am.

But she just.

She had worked in a.

Factory for a year.

And saved a whole bunch of money.

And then she decided she's not going.

To live her whole life just to.

Make money working in a factory.

And factory life is so depressing.

It's like.

It's hard.

So when you.

Can model like other alternatives for your kids?

It's so empowering.

Yeah, it's fun.

And that's not to say that we don't.

Have our struggles too, because we absolutely do.

Right.

But yeah, it's those moments that I try to hold on to when I am getting frustrated, getting frustrated with things too, so.

Yeah, and that's another thing everybody has moments of frustration when you're in business for yourself.

And what if people everybody starts out by themselves and they're just trying to figure it out.

And then when you learn that, hey, maybe I could hire some help and shorten the learning curve by paying a couple dollars.

Which is what you're offering to moms.

So how does it look when people work with you?

What kinds?

Of things do.

You do for them.

Or teach them to do for themselves.

Yeah. So

Part of it is like.

Helping them make a plan, right?

So we all know where we want to go.

We all know what we want, which typically for going into business, yes, we want.

To help other people.

But it is a business.

So yes, we want to make money doing it and I feel like there's this like taboo around saying I want to make.

Money like you're.

Bad or something and it's not.

You're going into, you're working.

Right. And so.

There should be like some kind of compensation.

For it so it's.

Having helping moms, especially with that.

Figuring out I'm sorry.

Let me back up.

Figure out that ebb and flow of.

With the plan of how to work and how to be there for.

Your family because.

Most of the time.

Their why is because they want to spend time with their family.

But what typically happens is we set a goal for ourselves and like once we hit that goal, then I'm going to make sure I take off afternoons to play with the kids.

Once I hit the school, then we'll go on that trip instead of actually doing it.

Then we just keep setting these higher goals for ourselves, and we forget what that Y.

Is so helping.

Moms like reconnect with their why and then get that plan in place for them and getting those routines like we all hate to hear it.

Ohh, I'm so sick of routines but.

When we have these routines in place, whether there are morning or evening, daily, routine, weekly, routine, whatever it is, then it really starts to help us get more focused and get more done in less time.

So we, we do have that time to do those things that we want to do, even if it's for ourselves too.

Maybe I want to go get a massage.

You know, maybe.

You know I.

Do want to take a couple of days off to go play with the kids, especially during the summer when we can.

Swim and be.

Outside more so.

That's really helping get.

Focused on that and then helping them learn.

I feel like.

For a lot of.

Business owners, too, they don't realize how many.

Tasks we have that are repeatable.

Right. We're doing the same thing on a day-to-day basis on.

A week to week basis.

Yeah, the more systematized you can get.

Yes, so helping them.

Your life is for everybody.

With exactly so helping them figure out what that system is.

That could work for.

Them and introducing them to some tools that can.

Help too, so yeah.

And tracking your data, knowing your numbers, those kinds of things are super important.

And entrepreneurs, when they first start out tend to gloss over systems.

Boundaries using your calendar, letting your calendar shape your day.

And not just, you know who.

You gotta talk to.

But you schedule.

Time in there to do the tasks that need to be done.

Otherwise you're not.

You're gonna.

You're going to constantly be.

Behind the 8 ball, I guess is the.

Best way to put it if you don't.

Yes, and in burnout too, like you're gonna burn yourself out because you're always trying to be everything to everyone.

All the time and it's not possible.

It's not and you need.

To be able to hire people.

To come in and do some of those tasks.

And yeah, if you're a business, you're gonna have some expenses.

Get over it.

Right.

It's reality, but it's like anything else.

It's like having kids.

You have expenses like it happens like whenever we have these big things in our lives.

Business kids, a car, a home, whatever.

There's expenses with all of it.

And a lot of.

Times those expenses make it so that you can actually have higher revenues.

Instead of just like.

Wanting to do it all yourself, there's a.

Limit to your time, so there's a limit to your money.

Yeah. And when you're doing, you know $10.00 an.

Hour tasks.

Instead of, you know.

The real general income generating.

Tasks that you're good at.

It's costing you.

Whatever the difference between what you charge per hour.

To do the thing.

You're really good at.

And the $10.00 an hour thing that you could be paying someone else to do.

Yes, I love that too, because we do talk a lot.

I talk a lot about like working in your zone of genius too, right?

Like, where are your strengths?

What are you good at and what are those like, higher level tasks that you have to do so like it is it's and I just talked about this the other day with someone like.

Write down all of the tasks that you do.

For work, for home, whatever and.

Maybe for you it may not be yet.

You know, getting help in your business, maybe you're still building if.

Do things there, but maybe it's you could hire somebody to come clean your house once a week for you, maybe, and that could take that off your plate.

You could hire someone to help pick up the kids from school or something.

So it.

For, you know, grocery.

To do both of it.

Oh, my gosh.

That I use that and it is my saving grace.

It is.

It'll save you maybe 5 hours a week absolutely.

The best thing ever.

Just not having to go and fetch the groceries.

And I'm not.

And I hear from people.

Well, you have to pay for it, which I do like the annual subscription for it.

I'm not buying the extra food at the store when I'm going, which I almost always do when I'm shopping myself.

With those.

Those little things that.

Look so good right then, but.

Really, they're not on the.

List yes.

So delivery or pickup where I can just pull up in my car, they bring it.

Out to me those.

Are the things that have helped me with my time, especially is those types of things.

So I can keep working because going to the grocery store with three little kids is not fun.

At all at all.

I can so rewrite that.

So if I need to.

Go to the store without them.

I'm taking away from working.

I'm doing it during my working time, which is precious time too.

So if I have it delivered then I don't have to worry about any of it I.

Can put in the order the.

Night before with the kit.

You know, around with the kids and then it can be here the next day.

OK.

Yeah, yeah, it it's just one of.

Those amazing things.

I don't have to do grocery delivery.

Because my husband's retired.

So I trained him to grocery shop.

I love that.

He takes pictures.

Of things now he's looking at his phone.

Nice, nice.

And I have.

Friends that work at the local grocery store.

So if he's really confused.

MM.

He's not too afraid to ask my friend.

Hey, that's good.

Then he will ask.

Yeah, he'll.

Ask her.

He's known her for.

Years and years.

OK.

That's very helpful.

It is it.

It works for me.

But if you're if you're just trying to start out and you've got lots of kids or even just one kid.

Yes, even if you're not starting out.

Your business.

Just going to say.

This is the way to save money.

God, you may have to pay for it, but yeah.

Yes, time.

End time.

It's worth it.

Like hands down and I think I've been using our delivery thing.

It's been four years now, at least four years.

We've I've been doing.

I just.

I found it when it first.

Came out.

And I'm just like, oh.

Yeah, I can, this is.

And I'm like ohh yeah.

This is really nice.

So yeah, and yeah.

Just the time saving.

Yes and.

And honestly, money saving.

It is.

It is.

What else I could talk about the?

How great that is.

I know I.

Know the grocery stuff and.

That I think to like one of the biggest.

Things that I think can help, especially with like that time management getting more focused is I'm a huge believer in the brain dump.

So I do this with like I do this every week for myself when I'm planning.

Out my week.

I every either Sunday night or Monday morning.

I take a piece of paper and a pen.

I don't do it on my computer.

It's all on a piece of paper.

I set a timer for like 10 minutes and I write out everything that's in my head of things.

I think I need to do whether it's for home, whether it's big projects that aren't going to get done that week, but if they're here and they're popping up, I need to get.

It out for work for.

The kids, whatever is, you know, if it's doctor's appointments that need made.

I gotta get caught up on laundry.

Whatever it is, I just take that 10 minutes and I write them all out in a list.

And then.

I get up, I walk away.

I usually try to walk around outside for a little bit.

If it's warm enough and just take a couple of minutes just to breathe.

Take a break.

Maybe I'll throw on some music and dance around or something and I come back and.

I look at.

That list.

And I pick my top two priorities for the week.

It doesn't mean the rest isn't going to get done.

It just helps me to prioritize.

So I don't look at this.

List and think how the heck bless you how.

The heck am I going to get?

All of this.

And so instead I know what my top two priorities are, and then I can fit in everything else around that.

So yeah.

Yeah, that's really helpful knowing what you're going to do and having systems makes it easier because it you can fit it into your system and you can fit it into your calendar and you can make times.

That you're going.

To work on those.

Two things, and you're not feeling so overwhelmed.

When the end of the week comes around, it's like, but I never had time to do those things.

Right. And.

What I like to do too is if they are a big project and let's just say it's like I'm gonna.

Like launch a new program or something like that.

It's not just launching a new program.

Oh, this is going to take an hour to do.

Not a problem, no.

It's like even taking that and breaking it down even further into those little things, like writing an outline, you know what?

What is it?

Picking a date.

What platform am I going to do it?

What tools do I need?

All of those things.

So when you write all those?

Out then you can also sometimes what I like to do is I write them out on sticky note.

And then I could put them in order of how I think I need things to go.

And then how long I think each one is going to take me so I can plug them into my calendar.

And not feel like you know.

Ohh yeah, I'm chunking right on there.

Oh, once a new program.

That's not going to happen.

So that helps and.

And it.

Go ahead I.

Was supposed to say.

Doing it that way helps you when you sit down to actually work.

You're not having to think.

About OK, what are the steps I'm going to?

Do cause you.

OK, I need to work on these.

Tasks wait.

And exactly that is so.

True and the thing.

To go along with that too, is I like to put together a like tasks.

So if I know I need to make a bunch of.

Phone calls to.

Make a doctor's appointment to call Internet company to whatever they are.

I put those tasks all together for like 30 minutes, so I'm doing the same thing over and over again and I'm not like breaking things up.

I know exactly what I need to do.

I then once that time goes off, I take a break.

I come back and I start working on something else.

So yeah.

And if you don't get it all done.

You move it to.

A different time slot.

You don't try to like.

OK.

But I've got.

To do this other thing now it's OK.

It just.

Schedule it for later, but do schedule it.

Don't try to.

Just keep working on it until and then push the other things out of the way, because then then you really do get start to get behind and overwhelmed.

Yes, yes.

And just the other thing that I always suggest too is yes, to keep like a tight schedule.

However, I usually.

Have little pockets of space on my calendar because.

I don't know what's going to.

Come up.

Right.

Like, I don't know if something to come up with the kids.

I don't know if something.

Come up in business.

I don't know what might happen throughout the day, so if I.

Have that.

Space, and if nothing does, and I know I can, you know, fit something else in there.

To do.

But it helps.

To give me a little bit of grace.

Too, and not beat myself up so much.

I didn't get.

All this done because God forbid something come.

Up, but yeah.

Yeah, and stuff always comes up, and sometimes things don't go the way you plan for them to go and you have to be able to say, OK, so it's not as I expected.

I'm going to learn from this and we're just going to adjust on the fly.

And you know, sometimes you may.

There's an old saying.

I love this one.

I'm not particularly religious, but.

Want to see God laugh?

Tell him your plans.

Exactly because there's.

Always something that comes along that's just like.

Wow, didn't see that one coming.

And you know, kid gets sick and.

He's at school and he needs.

To be picked up.

Somebody gets in an accident and you know.

Your whole day screwed up as you're dealing with that, it's just like.

Stuff happens. You're a mom.

And they do.

And then I'm not like it's all about like then not beating yourself up because.

It's going back to your why?

Why am I doing what I'm doing?

I'm doing this so I can't like.

For me I can be there for.

My kids.

Especially in those times when needed.

Like I can do that, and sometimes there's things that come up that like, you know, I have an appointment scheduled, I can't.

Then it's finding people to help to support in those times.

So yeah.

So how?

How do people work?

With you, I know you have.

An offer that you make to people.

To just get them.

Started to see what it looks.

Like for you.

What is the thing that you're offering?

Tell us a little bit about that.

So yeah.

So there's a couple of things.

So I have a I have a giveaway right now.

It is called the powerhouse productivity bundle and what it includes is it has my four top principles for productivity.

So to be able to be more focused.

And to get more done.

In less time, you know and still be able to create that money and create that time in.

Your day but.

I also included it my top seven tools to do this along with like short tutorials for you on how to use those tools.

So it's like things in business like one of my favorite things is Canva.

To create your own.

Graphics or like a project management board or even using AI a little bit to not just help with your business, but to help to plan stuff at home too.

So like those are just a few teasers.

I love AI.

Yeah, I do too.

It you know, I know a lot of people are scared of it.

But if you use it as a tool in your toolbox.

To help you.

It can.

It can be amazing.

I showed I have a Facebook group too called busy Moms and Business Solutions, and I just did a whole thing on AI and showed them how they could do all their meal planning.

Right from using AI and I'm like you can plan your whole thing here or you can ask it what?

Kind of food you want.

What kind of food to leave out if you want to include snacks, whatever it is.

And so yeah, it's pretty.

It's pretty amazing for whether use it for business or for.

Planning a personal project, so yeah.

It does programming even.

Yeah, like, yes.

It created my image.

Yes, I love that.

That's gorgeous.

So I yeah, I'm really.

I'm a big fan.

So what's the one thing that you want?

The audience to take away from our conversation today.

That would really, I think the biggest thing is.

That it's OK that things aren't neat and tidy.

And perfect like.

Being a busy business owner, being a busy parent, being a busy people.

Just in general.

I think so many times, like being that business owner we.

Think we need to.

Wait for things to be perfect in order.

To do them.

And it's in taking that imperfect action and giving ourselves, like I talked about, giving ourselves grace in that space around us, that it starts to get us out there.

And when we're out there and talking to people and coaching people and all of that type of stuff, we're there when people need us.

Where if we don't and we wait, then people are missing out on the thing that you can help.

Them with so.

Right.

And that's really what it all comes down to is helping people solve problems and.

When you're not out there doing the thing that.

You were created.

You do.

Someone who needs your light to shine on them so.

That they can do the thing that.

They were created to do.

It's not getting that opportunity.

No, no.

Yeah, yeah.

How can people get in touch with you?

That's the best thing.

Right.

So you can find me on.

I'm on most of the social media channels.

You can find me at marthabrowncoaching.com and two if they want to get that productivity bundle. If you just go to successwithmartha.com.

To get that and then there's a space on there too.

When you go to your.

You page that.

You can book a free call with me and we can get you started on that plan too.

So yeah, picked.

Thanks so much, Martha, this has been.

Great chatting with you all.

Things business and moms.

Yay, thank you.

For having me, I really enjoyed being here.