I forgot how I discovered Mamacademy PH or met its founder, Kaye Teopiz-Ang, but I am so happy I did. Kaye is a business owner, a wife, and a mom to two pretty daughters. She is one of the many younger moms I admire. Did you read my previous post on Roms of Getsomecola? Better check it out here, too.
Mamacademy PH is a learning community that adheres to biblical principles. They provide workshops, seminars, and training on parenting, business, personal development, and more.
They also provide private training for organizations and communities both online and offline. Mamacademy PH is open to brand partnership, collaboration, and speakership on various topics.
Here’s Kaye’s journey to becoming a mom entrepreneur. May her story inspire you to start your own path toward entrepreneurship.
What made you shift from employment to entrepreneurship?
First, I love my job, and I had no intention of leaving my corporate work. As a young wife, I had my hopes and aspirations for my career, but my husband and I also want to start a family. Our conflicting schedules wouldn’t allow us to start the latter. So I set aside my career goals (for a while), left the corporate world, and stayed at home.
Before Mamacademy PH, I explored different businesses while raising a family. I tried my hand at food selling. I tutored students and taught English to business owners. The insurance business was in, so I tried it out too. I also worked as a virtual assistant to create income for myself.
Mamacademy PH was a passion project and didn’t start as a business. I was a new mom with a lot of questions about breastfeeding and motherhood. And I know other mothers are seeking answers as well. So that motivated me to form a mommy group. I used my background in training and events organization to organize a paid workshop for moms. I could not believe my workshop in 2017 was a success.
We continued to host relevant workshops to support other moms and wives. Realizing that we need to make our business right with God, we registered as an events business. That was when I officially became a mom entrepreneur.
What was the transition like?
Being a mom entrepreneur differs from being an employee. I remember what my former boss used to tell me.
“Even if you are an employee, you should always have an entrepreneurial mindset. If you own this business (company), how would you decide?”
I didn’t understand what she was saying and couldn’t care about a thing about business. Because I was an employee with an employee mindset. I would clock in and out from Monday to Friday and wait for my income twice a month.
But putting up a business was a game-changer. The responsibilities of a mom entrepreneur dawned on me. Now, I am running my show and if I don’t learn the business, seek help, and ask, I am setting myself up for failure. Now I appreciate the entrepreneurial mindset my boss was talking about.
How important is the flexibility of time to you?
It is very important, especially for a mom. We are at the mercy of our schedule. But what I appreciate about being a mom entrepreneur is I have the flexibility of time. My husband has a fixed schedule for work. When his time does not permit him to do things, I step in and do it for the family. I make sure one of us is there for our daughters.
What are the perks of having your own business?
Being a mom entrepreneur opens a lot of opportunities. You know what? I realized that not everything has monetary value. When I invest money in programs to become a better mom entrepreneur, the value it gives outweighs the cost.
Another perk that I put a value on is expanding my network. The more I expose myself and Mamacademy, the more people I meet. And meeting incredible individuals and learning from them is priceless. And I get to build meaningful relationships with them, too.
Do you feel motherhood limits you?
Yes, especially now that I have our second baby. It was a different story when I started Mamacademy and I only had our first daughter. I can manage my time with her and the business. Since that time, Mamacademy grew exponentially and there are more opportunities for us. But I have to decline some invitations or collaborations because for now, my baby is my priority. It is limiting, but I have to accept that this is only temporary. Also, I cannot abdicate my role as a mother to someone else.
That is why I understand the sentiments of other moms who feel they are missing out on life. This may sound cliche, but having my daughters this young is only a season. They will grow up and will learn to be independent. When the time comes, we can get back on track or restart something.
Are there any books that inspired your entrepreneurial journey?
I love the book, “God is my CEO” by Larry Julian. It is a sobering reminder that your success amounts to nothing if it does not align with God’s calling for you. I have to have the right balance. There are a lot of business books that teach us how to grow our income, which is important too. If I am not careful, I can get swayed by those principles and get off the course of God’s plan for me.
Sometimes I whine to my husband about the business, and he reminds me who my Provider is. And that God is in control of everything, even my business.
The other book I am reading is The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman, which is taking me some time to finish and that’s okay.
What is one thing you learned as an entrepreneur that you did not learn in school?
I was never taught the importance of expanding your network. To me, to network is not about making connections. I network because I have something valuable to offer them and vice versa. In employment, we are individualists. You do your job and I do mine and we both get paid. Somehow, we isolate ourselves because we have work to do.
In business, collaboration is important for growth. We help other businesses or organizations by availing of their services or, at the very least, providing referrals.
*Kaye and I also touched on the need for financial literacy lessons in school. I shared from an article that only two percent of Filipinos retire well. What happened to the rest of the population?
It is so surprising. I know people who earn a 6-figure-income a month but still don’t have enough for their retirement. We understand the concept of saving only in theory but have not developed our financial quotient.
One important aspect of business that we need to develop is our financial quotient. Unlike employment, where we expect payment every month, in business, we have seasons of plenty and scarcity. If we are not wise, we splurge when we are in a season of plenty and leave nothing for a season of scarcity.
My Dgroup leader advised me that the abundant season is there to prepare us for the lean seasons. Remember the story of Joseph in the Bible? During the time of plenty, he prepared for the season of famine. That is why when the latter came, they have enough even to share with others.
As an entrepreneur, you don’t know when the next big income is coming. I make it a point to tithe first and be wise to allocate my earnings.
What advice would you give to aspiring mom entrepreneurs?
I understand it is scary to start a business. I was also fearful. For one, I was afraid I won’t give back the money I owed my husband for starting the business. But he asked me, what’s the worst thing that can happen?
In case I could not pay him back, I would think he lost his money. But I learned a lot, met many people, and expanded my network. To me, that’s a win!
Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. But you must also be wise in making calculated decisions.
I hope this article encouraged you to embrace the season you are in today. But look forward to reinventing the woman behind the mom. Who knows? You might be one mom entrepreneur I can feature in the coming years.
In my quest to showcase other mom entrepreneurs, can you suggest other moms I can feature in my blog? Let me know in the comments.
