Mum's the word in this office

Businesses started from home by new mums are a growth sector. Ellen Irvine speaks to Tauranga "mumpreneurs" and finds out why home-based businesses are an increasingly popular option.

There's no such thing as a typical day at the office for Nicola van Huenen.
For a start, her "office" is actually a computer nook shared by her husband and four children. Her bedroom doubles as a storage room, and office hours are dictated by her children's schedules - just the way she likes it.
A former graphic designer with marketing experience, Nicola was a stay-at-home mum to Holly, 8, Gemma, 6, Ezra, 5, and Toby, 2, before she was inspired to start her own home-based business.
And it was her experiences as a mum which led her to create LuvFit, a website selling mid-priced quality workout gear, and join the new wave of "mumpreneurs".
"I started it because I was working out and trying to find clothes I could afford. I realised there wasn't really anything in New Zealand that suits."
A gap in the market

Vanessa Davey, of women's networking group,Venus Club, says mumpreneurs like Nicola who have set up home businesses are part of a growing trend.
Mums wanting to return to work on their own terms are becoming their own bosses, avoiding hassles with childcare and employers.
And it turns out that a mum's everyday routine of multitasking and problem solving can help make them a savvy business operator.
"A lot of the skills transfer from being a mum to a business owner," says Vanessa. "As a mum you have to do many things at once, be very organised, quite structured."
In Tauranga, more than half of Venus Club members are mums working from home.
"I think what happens is mums want the flexibility to work around their children, and having your own home-based business is perfect for that," she says. Most mumpreneurs' businesses relate to their passion or children. "They have seen a gap in the market. There's some really innovative businesses popping up," says Vanessa.
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Max Mason says although no figures are kept, there has been a "steady increase" in home-based start-ups.
Being away from the workplace often gives mums a fresh perspective, which often translates into a cracking business idea.
Max says: "[I] see it as an extension of the growth in communications mobility. Also, with the contraction in the economy, some two-income families have lost one job, and Mum is the one that cuts costs by looking after the kids, and running a part-time business in the spare time she manages to create."
The cost of childcare is another factor pushing women to create their own income. With four children, Nicola says daycare is not an option for most mums.
"If I've got four kids in daycare, the pay package would have to be pretty impressive just to cover daycare costs, even with subsidies. It's just not worth it."
Nicola juggles her workday around her children's needs, which works for everyone in the family.
"I've got three kids at school and one at home so during the school days I tend to do a couple of hours in the morning and a couple at night, and I do have to frequently work long evenings, just because it's the only break period where I can get uninterrupted head space.
And although it is challenging, Nicola is confident starting LuvFit has been the right decision. "I think I have hit the jackpot for myself in terms of finding something that occupies my mind apart from being a mother, because you can get really bogged down in motherhood and forget who you are."
Our "can do" attitude

Pursuing your dreams is something Belinda Tuki wants to instil in her 22-month-old daughter, Layla.
"I want to teach Layla you can be whatever you want to be and do whatever you want to do. You just have to make the right choices," says the Papamoa mum.
She is leading by example, running her business Eggcel from home. Eggcel sells 100 per cent pure egg white protein, used in protein shakes, smoothies, omelettes and other recipes.
Belinda believes the number of mumpreneurs in New Zealand is because of our "can do" attitude.
"We know what we want, and that being in the workforce traditionally isn't going to work for us. You want to be with your child, but still create a living [so you] do something you want to do, and be passionate about it."
She started the business after deciding a corporate career in finance wasn't for her. During a stint living in Texas, she trained to become a personal trainer. On their return to New Zealand, she and husband John ran a supplement company.
When Layla came along, the family decided to relocate from Auckland to Papamoa for a more relaxed lifestyle.
With careful time management and John's support, Belinda is able to juggle her roles as mum and businesswoman.
"[For] most of my main work I wait until she's sleeping. My customers receive emails from me late at night, and a lot of my research is done late at night.
"During the day John will have Layla while I have my meetings."
Like most mums, she admits she often feels guilty about not spending enough time with her daughter.
But Layla has grown up with Mum working. "We take her to meetings a lot. We rock on up with her. It's a family business, she's part of us. She has her blazer on, she sits there and nods her head and shakes hands."
The internet helps Belinda stay connected to customers, she uses Facebook and Twitter as a business tool and she enjoys getting together with other mumpreneurs at networking groups to discuss successes and challenges.
Flirted with getting a job
Business consultant Angela Beatson meets plenty of women just like her. She believes Tauranga women are creating their own incomes because of a lack of jobs and creative industry in the city.
"There's not enough businesses helping these women. I think there's probably a lot of women like myself, who are mums with a couple of kids. They probably had very successful jobs before they moved here, so they have gone 'let's try it'.
"People think, what have I got to lose? I can't get a job, I don't want to work in retail or at the bank or at the port or council, so what do I really want to do?"
Angela had always been an entrepreneur, and owned a recruitment agency in Auckland.
After moving to Tauranga and selling up, she briefly flirted with getting a job, but lasted just four weeks before deciding she was better off on her own.
As mum to Taylor, 7, and Kaia, 5, there are huge advantages to being her own boss.
"If they have something on and I want to be there, I can.
"If they are sick, I can just stop and look after my babies. I don't leave my clients in the lurch, but I work out what is there that needs to be done today."
Sick leave is a big issue for working mums in conventional jobs, says Angela. "I watch the stress that comes on my friends who are employed, and get five sick days a year and four weeks' annual leave."
Angela is also a director of RPMs, a business she runs with husband Nelson. The couple juggle childcare between them, with Angela packing as much as she can into the time the girls are at school. She also works weekends and nights.
There are other challenges: money can be an issue, and the couple recently sold their house to get rid of the high overhead of a mortgage.
"There's a huge amount of freedom, but there's no security and consistency with your finances. You never know what you are going to bring in and how or when. That can be really hard."
Working from home also means it's difficult to escape your work. But all things considered, being a mumpreneur is the best thing for this businesswoman.
"Owning your own business feels like you are living, you are making your own choices."