Requirements to being a mom inventor

So, I should fill you in on some of the requirements to being a mom inventor.  For starters, you have to keep really odd hours.  In general, you work when the kids are asleep.  For some moms, this means staying up late.  I am a morning person, so for me this means getting up really early.  I am usually up by 4:00 am.  I have been up as early as 3:00 am.  It is a nice, quiet, peaceful time of the day.  I would probably be up then even if I didn’t have work to do, and I would get a lot more done on my household maintenance.  As it is, household maintenance is often at the bottom of the to do list.  Most people think that working from home would be great, and give them time at home.  That is not always the case.  I have found that often I work much longer and get less done around the house than I had hoped.  The days when the kids are home with me I have to force myself to stop working and pay attention to them.

Another requirement is that you learn a lot of different trades.  I have been learning to be a seamstress, graphic designer, web designer, writer, photographer, accountant, office manager, marketing executive, patent lawyer, and a few others I can’t remember right now.  It definitely is good for your mind and keeps you stimulated.

Another big requirement is money.  It costs a lot of money to bring a product to market, and subsequently most mom inventors start their business with a lot of debt.  I am hoping that soon we will cross over from the incurring debt side to the making money side.  I repeat, it is expensive.  If you don’t want a lot of debt, don’t do it.  I have even gone the cheaper route by writing the patent myself and not getting a lawyer.

Another requirement is space and organization.  All of the stuff slowly accumulates and takes over the space.  My husband complains that I have taken over his office.  Yes I have.  You also have to designate time for organizing because it can get out of hand.  I have sewing stuff, 6 large boxes of product, 3 large boxes of packaging supplies (vinyl bags and inserts), 3 large boxes of other packaging supplies, a box of packaged product, a large box of buckles, bolts of fabric, rolls of velcro, more buckles, and much much more.  It has potential for taking over the whole house, but I try to limit it to one room.