In the latest issue of WIR KAUFLEUTE you will find an exciting interview with Corinne and Roberta. The mompreneurs talk about how they cope with everyday life and the wonderful experiences they have already had with Stadtlandkind.
By Erika Suter. Moms who set up their own business are on the rise: in 2013, one in four businesses in Switzerland was started by women, many of them by mothers. The "mompreneur" concept - mother and entrepreneur in one - appears to be a good alternative for staying in work after the birth of children when the economy does not offer the right, flexible working model. The two mompreneurs Roberta Zingg and Corinne Müller explain how their own online store for children's fashion has grown.
Roberta Zingg, why did you set up your own business? Roberta Zingg: The idea of having our own web store matured while Corinne and I were pregnant with our first child at the same time. We really wanted to try and combine our dream of running our own business with the dream of having a family.
You were given the opportunity to job share your job after the birth of your child. Why didn't that work out? Is job sharing not a good solution? Roberta Zingg: Yes, after our first maternity leave it was the ideal solution for us and we are glad that we had such progressive employers back then. After the birth of our second, second and third child, we decided to take the plunge - we became self-employed.
How did that happen - how was your "business baby" born? Corinne Müller: We had been brooding over this design for a children's clothes store for years - at first it was just ideas, daydreams, fantasies, with no concrete plan. But little by little our thoughts found a framework and we fleshed it all out in a business plan, with a market and competition analysis, financial planning and everything that goes with it.
What was the biggest hurdle? Roberta Zingg: The financing. We didn't want any outside capital in order to be one hundred percent independent. So we invested our family savings in our business idea - not an easy decision, but the only right one for us.
Why a children's clothing store? Corinne Müller: As far as the quality and style of a children's clothes store was concerned, there was nothing comparable - stadtlandkind.ch was the logical next step.
Without having to present figures now - is it going well? Roberta Zingg: We are very satisfied, the figures are above budget. The fact that we received the "Swiss E-Commerce Newcomer Award" at the beginning of May also confirms our confidence: we are on the right track.
Did you imagine self-employment to be different? Corinne Müller: No. We knew it would be intense ...
That doesn't sound like you're working less than before ... Corinne Müller: We clearly work more than we did as employees. We both work six to eight hours a day for stadtlandkind.ch. However, the hours are spread over off-peak times, evenings and weekends. The luxury is that we can organize our own hours. But that also means less sleep and less free time.
And what has improved thanks to your own business, in terms of work and family? Roberta Zingg: We are flexible and work for ourselves. That's probably the best thing about running your own business: you know what you're doing it for and who you're doing it for.
What has become more difficult? Roberta Zingg: Time management. With stadtlandkind.ch, it's like having a new family member: you have to integrate them into the family and give them a place. It belongs and it takes time. But it also has to learn to wait.
Is there even enough time to look after your children yourself Corinne Müller: We look after our children ourselves, except for a few hours a week. The youngest three are starting kindergarten this summer, the older two are in first grade and are out of the house at least in the mornings. When we have important appointments or a lot of work to do during the day, the grandparents and sister-in-law are happy to step in. They are an indispensable part of stadtlandkind.ch. Just like our husbands, by the way.
And what about time for yourself - is there anything left over? Roberta Zingg: To be honest, not at the moment. But we always consciously take time for ourselves. That's important to recharge our batteries. Although the passion for our project certainly gives us the most energy.
How do you see it: does Switzerland offer enough flexible working models for mothers or parents with children? Roberta Zingg: Of course it would be desirable if more part-time jobs were available - especially for fathers. This would open up completely new opportunities for both parents to devote themselves to family time and develop their careers at the same time.
Do you feel that you are taken seriously as a mother with your own company? Or is it more like: Oh, there are a few more moms who want to realize themselves ... Roberta Zingg: We have chosen an industry that is dominated by mothers. Most of the labels we represent on stadtlandkind.ch were founded by women who started their own business after starting a family. We also consciously support such small companies - in other words, we support each other. So yes: we are taken seriously and we are taken seriously.
