Summer is chaotic, fun, energizing, exhausting…everything but predictable when you’re balancing a business and your kids. For mompreneurs, it’s the season of contradictions: magical memories at the pool one moment, late-night emails and stress-eating Goldfish crackers the next. The truth is, those of us unwilling to give up either one, being a kickass entrepreneur or a present mom, often view the summer months as the toughest ones of the year.
Victoria practically earned her Uber license carting her five kids to basketball, swim team, playdates, and everything in between, all while trying to carve out moments to finish our book and navigate our latest pivot at Female Mavericks. Maybe your summer looked the same: a blur of sunscreen, carpools, and trying to find an hour or two a day to push your latest business idea forward. But now, as those backpacks get zipped and school doors swing open, it’s time to get back in the routine of blowing up your business.
That’s why we created the Back-to-School Checklist for Mompreneurs because this isn’t just about packing lunches and labeling folders. It’s about reclaiming your time, refreshing your energy, and reigniting your business momentum for the final sprint of the year.
Step 1: Organize
When school starts, the logistics shift dramatically. No more lazy mornings or “we’ll figure it out later” afternoons – structure is your new best friend.
1. Ensure Childcare is Set.
Many of us juggle different needs in the school year versus summer. Make sure you’ve lined up after-school care, carpools, or sitters for the inevitable half-days and teacher in-service breaks. Peace of mind here frees up brain space for your business.
2. Map Out the Fall Activity Calendar.
If your family looks anything like Victoria’s, the calendar is a color-coded masterpiece. Each kid has their own color in Outlook, shared with her husband, detailing every practice, game, and appointment. You don’t need to be that extra (though we kind of admire it), but you do need a system. The fewer surprises, the more energy you can save for client calls and launches.
3. Block Time for the Business.
Here’s the game-changer: don’t just schedule kid activities. Schedule your business priorities in the same calendar. If the kids’ swim practice is locked in, then your strategy session or content creation block deserves equal priority. Stay away from business dinners on heavy carpool nights, but make time for a quick coffee to level set with employees and contractors, or a quick client check-in. Treat your time like the asset it is, because if you don’t, everything else will creep in and steal it.
Step 2: Refresh
Summer often means your personal needs get shoved to the bottom of the list. Now is the moment to hit reset.
1. Prioritize Your Health.
Did your exercise routine take a backseat to road trips, popsicles, and kid chaos? Same. Now’s the time to reclaim it. Maybe it’s signing up for a class, dusting off that Couch-to-5K plan, or simply recommitting 10,000 steps a day with a morning walk. Prioritizing your health sharpens your mental game and builds the kind of daily organization that helps you accomplish more.
2. Take a Day Off – For You.
Yes, we said it. Pick a random weekday, drop the kids at school, and then just don’t work. Don’t clean. Don’t run errands. Instead, do something indulgent that fills you up. Maybe a massage, a solo matinee, or a glorious nap. The world won’t end if you take one day, but you might just remember what it feels like to breathe.
Step 3: Launch
Now for the fun part. Getting your business back into gear. This isn’t just about picking up where you left off in May. It’s about taking the momentum of a fresh season and using it to launch forward.
1. Review Your Goals.
Look at your 30-, 60-, and 90-day milestones. What do you want to accomplish before the end of the year? What got derailed during the summer chaos? Be honest about where you stand, and ruthless about what deserves your focus now.
2. Align Your Resources.
Big goals mean nothing without the right support. Do you have the childcare (see #1 on this list!), team members, or systems in place to execute? If not, it’s time to make adjustments, whether that’s outsourcing a task, hiring help, or simply renegotiating responsibilities at home. Scaling a business while raising kids requires alignment on all fronts.
3. Take It Step by Step.
The temptation to sprint into September with a mile-long to-do list is real. Resist it. Momentum builds from consistent, focused action, not from burning yourself out in week one. Start with the top priorities, celebrate small wins, and stack your progress.
The Bigger Picture
Back-to-school isn’t just a change in season. It’s a mindset shift. It’s the reminder that we, as mompreneurs, don’t need perfect balance to succeed. What we need is structure, intentionality, and a willingness to both show up for our families and bet on ourselves in business.
So as you sharpen pencils and pack those first lunches, don’t forget to sharpen your vision and pack some confidence, too. Your business deserves it. And so do you.
