How Do You Prepare for Maternity “Leave” as a Business Owner
Hello teachers! I can’t believe it is almost time for baby number 2!! It is really dawning on me that I will be meeting my second son in less than 4 weeks!! 😱💙 And Jordan is excited to step into his new role as “big brother.” 😍💘
While in some ways this pregnancy has flown by, I have definitely felt the weight of missing Matt. The reality of giving birth to our baby boy and nights alone with a newborn and a toddler are starting to really sink in. In all transparency, I can tell I am overloading myself with work so I don’t have to think about the pain of Matt being gone. Luckily, I will soon have another little piece of Matt to have, hold, and love on for the rest of my life 😭💞
In one of my recent blogs, I shared some of my favorite tools for teaching piano online, where I mentioned a book titled The E-Myth that has truly changed how and WHY I put systems into place. I have always felt like I needed to do everything on my own but as my business has grown, I’ve realized that I have to start delegating different tasks.
So for the past 6 months, as I have been preparing for maternity leave, I have been working extra hard on putting systems in place so that my business can be even more successful! 🙌🏼 I’ve changed my policies, outsourced some really incredible people, and have prioritized certain tasks so I can focus all of my attention on being present with my boys 💙💙
How I'm Preparing
Changing My Policy
I recently changed my policies so that, now, tuition starts in September and goes through May. I was finding that a lot of my students would up and leave early June, instead of being able to commit to the schedule. And I usually caved in and and didn’t charge them for the lessons they missed and SHOULD have paid for!!! 🙈
I now offer a la carte teaching for the summer so families can pay per lesson, however they want, and it’s way less pressure!! This also gives me time to recharge, work on new games and Boom Cards, create new things to add value to my Cascade Method program, and prepare everything for the upcoming school year.
I recently held a piano teacher workshop where we discussed the benefits on having a policy in place! You can get the replay of it for only $7!!
Hiring A Team
I know I don’t have the bandwidth to do it all, and that is why I have been working hard to outsource amazing people to help with everything I need when it comes to Cascade Method!
Game designer- I love designing games! It has always been such a fun creative outlet for me. I recently hired someone who shares my same vision and now assists me in creating Boom Cards, physical games, and free games. I of course will continue to make them when I have some down time and need a creative outlet, but getting help to create all the ideas in my head has been crucial! I want to always keep giving value to the teachers who are in my course.
The Collective Source– This incredible digital agency has helped me stay up to date with email campaigns, graphics, and blogs. This team has already helped me prepare my emails and blogs through quarter 3!
Finances– I’ve hired someone to help with finances and get everything in order so I don’t have that weighing on me.
Help with my kiddo– When I am teaching, Monday through Wednesday, I have wonderful help with Jordan so that I can still do what I love and know he will be taken care of. I also hired someone to help with him on Fridays from 9am-3pm and my mom helps on Saturdays. They say it takes a village… 😉
Virtual Assistants – So I actually have two virtual assistants. I have one who is in charge of my music school and handles invoices, scheduling, parent emails, paying teachers, and more. I feel so confident leaving that in her hands while I am on leave.
My second virtual assistant is AH-MAZING – huge shout out to Leslie!! I found her on Upwork and we instantly CLICKED. 😍I mean, this momma just gets me. I don’t even have to say much and she just instantly knows what I am asking. She has gone above and beyond to help me organize everything in my business. Having a virtual assistant has taken so much pressure off of me. Leslie has helped me with things I didn’t even think I could ask for help with. Outsourcing a virtual assistant is something I would highly encourage if you are a business owner!
If I could say one thing to you- please do not worry about losing the integrity of your business when hiring others. My advice would be to take your time, find the people who share your vision and get excited about it, and know that you do not have to have everything perfect at the same time.
Growing a successful business doesn’t happen overnight. Set aside times to set goals and prioritize what you need to help you take your business to the next level.
Prioritizing
One of the last big areas I’ve prioritized over the last 6 months is completing the tasks that only I can do. For instance, filming videos and webinars is something I wanted to make sure I got done before leaving for 2 months. I also launched my Pop Song Mini Course– a self paced course for teachers that teaches you how to pick up anything by ear. I recently just wrote a blog that talks about all the benefits and fun that this method offers!
Growing a business is always a work in progress (even when you aren’t pregnant!) I’ve been preparing for my maternity leave, but I’ve also been making sure that systems are being put in place for future success even after I return.
Find those people who support you and love you in your endeavors. It isn’t always easy, but it’s better when you don’t have to carry it all alone. You’ve got this. As always, I am thankful for this community and I am always overwhelmed by the support you show me. I can’t wait to bring my new son into this world. 
Your fellow momma, teacher, & business owner,
Tara 
