The current global health challenge has given the world of entrepreneurship a new perspective — one that does not have skyscrapers, metro traffic, and face-to-face stakeholder meetings. Empires are now born and managed in bedrooms, sala areas, and even home kitchens, making opportunities more available and inclusive for parents managing the household.
On mothers specifically, the “Economic Engagement of Mothers: Entrepreneurship, Employment, and the Motherhood Wage Penalty” report by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has shown that six out of ten moms aspire to be their own boss, hence the jump to entrepreneurship; while 52 percent said they dabbled in entrepreneurship to make more money to obtain a higher standard of living. And with the rise of various business channels both offline and online, and the changing business landscape — there is no doubt that more mompreneurs will be taking part in the playing field.
Stylist to the stars and entrepreneur Liz Uy is no stranger to the uphill climb that one has to take in starting a business, more so managing one remotely. But with her various ventures taking flight, the mother of two shares her top five essentials that helped her steer her businesses effectively from home.
1. Have Your Own Personal WFH Area
Liz’s first must for every mom-preneur is to create a creativity and productivity lair in the house, no matter how big the area is or where it is located.
Having your own area sets a spatial cue that you are ready to work and to put in the grind. Do not shy away from showing off your personality through the aesthetic of your work area. Get those abubots in, paint those walls with your beloved pantones, put those paintings or posters up. It’s important that you feel that the area is 100% “you”.
Liz has always kept her work-from-home arena neat and inspiring to energize her daily as she meets clients, partners and different stakeholders. She manages her different ventures in a minimalist yet chic work area which has the fresh vibes that set the mood.
2. Dressing Well Gives an Instant Confidence Boost
Former Vogue editor Diana Vreeland once famously said, “You gotta have style. It helps you get down the stairs. It helps you get up in the morning. It’s a way of life.”
Indeed, being comfortable in your own skin and expressing yourself through your own style is very empowering. Feel free to dress up and flaunt your style and panache. Liz Uy shares that dressing up at home has allowed her to work smarter. Doing so boosts her psyche, and makes her feel more confident and ready for the day — not to mention being ready to hop on to sudden video calls and meetings.
The patterns are waiting to be paired, colors ready to be matched. Show them who the boss is — with style.
3. Self Care is a Must
Working and doing business from home causes burnout. Before the lockdowns and implementation of telecommuting dynamics, the home was a sanctuary for relaxation and time off of work. But with these lines blurred, one can mindlessly lose track of time and just exhaust all energy in the grind.
An important reminder from Liz is to find time to take care of yourself. Part of Liz’s regular morning routine is meditation, which studies worldwide show is effective at managing stress levels and boosting productivity as it calms the mind and the spirit. Meditation also increases focus and motivation which are vital for success.
Before getting in the zone, Liz also makes sure she gets a cup of coffee and time to read her books. However, her first order of business every day is her skincare routine, which according to her, gives her moments of calm and peace.
In establishing a daily routine, do not miss adding in those that benefit you physically, mentally and spiritually. Being shipshape across all facets is what will get you through the tough waves.
4. Spend Time with Your Family
Not facing the metro traffic daily frees up your schedule tremendously. Nothing can be a better boost than a hug from your child or a kiss from your special someone. Try to squeeze in your jampacked schedule quick moments of fun and bonding with your family. Surely, five-minute tea parties and simple baking sessions in the afternoon wouldn’t hurt.
5. Have Good Tech Partners
The devices you use while working from home can greatly impact your productivity and creativity. As ideas are needed to be churned and decisions are needed to be made, make sure you are well equipped with technology that can make things easier and more efficient.
Liz recently upgraded her work-from-home set-up with a premium standalone monitor from Huawei — the Huawei MateView. This monitor, which sports a 28.2-inch screen with 4K+ resolution, has helped the A-list stylist and entrepreneur in studying trends and looking at clothes better. She also studies reports and updates from staff with ease due to the immersive display.
Sporting a minimalist design and thin build, the premium monitor also complements any aesthetic goals. It also has a Smart Bar that processes intelligent gestures for essential functions. And with its many ports and wireless projection capability, synergizing this display with your other devices will be a breeze — even if you’re a Mac user.
The Huawei MateView retails locally for Php 34,999 and is available on the official HUAWEI Online Store, flagship stores on Lazada and Shopee, and HUAWEI Experience Stores nationwide. Every great business started with an idea — a “what if” to the challenges faced by people, the wants they have, and their regularly changing needs. Liz hopes that with these five tips, you get to step forward with all Filipino mom-preneurs in starting and maintaining successful business ventures that will make you achieve your goals for yourself and your family.
