Corporate HR Specialist to Mompreneur with Megan Schoenleber

SPEAKERS
Megan Schoenleber, Rita Suzanne

Rita Suzanne
Welcome to the Mom Owned and operated podcast, the podcast about moms and for moms, where we have candid conversations about running a business, raising a family, and remembering ourselves. I’m your host, Rita Suzanne, a single mom of four, digital strategist, and provider of no nonsense business strategies and tactics. Hi, this is Mom Owned and Operated. I am Rita Suzanne. And today we’re talking to my friend Megan. Megan, can you please take a minute and introduce yourself to everyone?

Megan Schoenleber
Absolutely, I’m so excited to be here today. My name is Megan Schoenleber, and I have been in business. And I just have a business called magnitone lever LLC. I’m a digital business manager. And I really like to partner with mompreneurs. Just because I feel like we can really rely on the mom level no matter what they do or what they offer. And I really help them manage and simplify their daily operations just so they can get out of the weeds of their business. And really focus on the big picture focus on growing and new ideas. So that’s a little bit of a snapshot about my business and what I do. I’ve been in business since June of 2020. So So for my first year, I’m just so exciting. And in January of 2020, I had my first little girl, she’s now 13 months and running all over my house. And when she was born, I was just like, you know what, I cannot work this 40 hour week anymore, right and go into an office and doing the daycare drop off and doing all that was just so incredibly hard on me. But I also didn’t know what the other options were, you know, you still want to bring in an income, you still want to have that you peace to yourself and not just be a mom, or at least that’s for me what I wanted. In prior to starting my business, I worked full time for a big financial firm. But I worked in HR. So corporate HR world, I loved helping people love doing much in that role. But it just at the end of the day, like being in a nine to five and all the constraints. And if you left for a doctor’s appointment, or if you had to get pre approved. Nope, yeah, it just, it got to be so much. And so that’s when I found a program that really helped me launch my freelancing business. And since then just taken off, and I did juggle both for I think I did it for four months. And so I would work my nine to five, and then I would pick my kiddo up, play with her get her down for bedtime. And then I would start my other work, working with my clients. So did that for about four months, that was not the easiest time, I definitely would not go back to that at all. But it allowed me to really launch this business and be in this full time and be able to really have the freedom to like make my own schedule, pick who I want to work with and do what I love to do ultimately. So that was a really long intro. But

Rita Suzanne
no, it’s good. So did you start your own business so that you could be home with your daughter and have more freedom while like that? Was that the initial idea, obviously, to create an income as well?

Megan Schoenleber
Yeah, so what really kind of led to that was one I had so much separation anxiety when my maternity leave was done. I hated leaving her hated sending her to daycare, but then I also had two really bad daycare experiences. Um, so that kind of added to it to that it’s like, you know what, I cannot deal with this. Like, I just, it was so much stress on top of everything that I felt like my kid wasn’t being taken care of. Well, um, and so it was actually I wanted to transition when I quit my nine to five, I wanted to transition her to still having part time care, because I never really saw myself and like the stay at home mom role. Um, those women are warriors, like I just knew like for me, right. But with COVID and everything, it just made more sense for her to be home with me full time. So went from her full time daycare to her full time at home with me, also me like still working in my business. So that was definitely a rough transition. And she actually recently like, two weeks ago just started going into like part time. So two days a week, she goes to an actual daycare center, or half days. And that’s been a good balance. That was really my goal was just all those daycare issues. I was like, I just want to take care of myself like right here like I can, I don’t know do it better.

Rita Suzanne
It makes you feel more comfortable, right? Like I struggled with infertility and and having my first son for five years and so when I had him and I was working in corporate, I would drop him off, and I would just be crying all the way to work like you, I was just and so that really was the motivation for me as well. It’s like, I cannot keep dropping my son off. And then I had a second son. And so it was like, Okay, I need to figure out what I’m going to do, so that I can be home with them. And, you know, it took a while just like you it was like, you know, really just getting in there and trying to figure out like, what is the thing that I’m going to offer? And how am I going to do this so that I could be home with them? You know, because I mean, that’s the whole reason why I had kids is so that I could be with them, you know, exactly. Working in corporate, I would be so tired when I would come home and when I would get home, especially with them being so young and sometimes waking up in the middle of the night and being so stressed at work and everything. So I completely, completely understand and share the this anxiety of dropping them off. You know, so what, what would you say has been like the biggest challenge for you in starting a new business with such a young daughter.

Megan Schoenleber
So I would say like, when you’re working full time and your kiddos at daycare full time, you’re able to 100% focus on your work, you know, that’s just there’s the two there’s separation, when you have a kid all under one at home, if their schedule, it’s not your schedule, I just am more productive in the mornings. But she’s up for a while before she goes down for her first nap. So when I first when she was holding me full time, at first, she was on three naps, which was amazing. There’s three times in the day, but sometimes her longer nap would be in the afternoon where I’m not as productive. So it was really hard for me to base my work schedule off of her naps, essentially, because that was were erratic, right?

Rita Suzanne
Like you don’t even really know what they’re gonna happen.

Megan Schoenleber
No, you know, and planning like meetings and interviews and stuff like that around like, Well, here’s open then she’s asleep. Like fingers. Yeah, it just, that was a hardest thing for me to get used to. And now with her Finally, like me, having a set schedule, when I’m working is just like, what is this? Like, I don’t know what to do. So when I have hours in a row to work, and she doesn’t wake up from a nap earlier, does it you know, isn’t sick or have this. Um, so that was like, the hardest thing was like figuring out that schedule, right? I will say I’m very lucky that my husband, his company just decided that everybody was gonna go fully remote. So he’s also home. But he does work full time. But like on those, like, he’s just my pinch hitter that like if there’s, you know, one interviewer or something and she’s not going down, he can watch her for a couple minutes. But then the other big thing that’s been a huge help for me is that my mom lives not too far away. And she works part time. So two days a week on Tuesdays, like her main day where she would come. And I would have like six hours in a row and uninterrupted where I can get some work done. So those things in combination really kind of helped me get through that. But it’s also just kind of a big mindset thing that’s like, Okay, I’m on her schedule. But how can I make that work for me in my business?

Rita Suzanne
Yeah. And I think that you’re doing it right, by even asking other people to help you. Like, that’s always been an issue of mine is like, even my ex husband at the time, I really wouldn’t ask a lot, because I just, you know, I wanted to do all the things and you know, like we can’t because we get burnt out. So, you know, speaking of that, and I don’t want to say balance because there’s no real true balance. But how are you able to run a business or raise your family and also like remember yourself because that yourself is the first thing they go?

Megan Schoenleber
Yep. Oh, yeah. Honestly, my daughter is 13 months old. And I’m just now figuring out like, the adding the self part in there, right? It’s my biggest thing with like, the balance is trying to be very intentional with like time blocking. And so let’s say like I’m up with her in the middle of the day, she just got up from her second nap, it’s before lunch. I’m trying to put the phone down I’m trying to say okay, this is my time with my daughter like work stuff is gonna wait until my next block of time where I’m waiting or like when she gets up from her second nap and then like we’re doing like our evening stuff. That’s time with my family that’s not I’m not gonna sit here and be networking or checking emails and whatnot and it’s hard because you know that stuff is sitting there waiting for you right whereas I get my nine to five most days I was able to knock out my full checklist full my full to do list and be done with it. You know, that was said go socialize.

Rita Suzanne
Right? Right?

Megan Schoenleber
owning your own business. You’re not just doing client work, you’re doing all the things behind the scene in your business to the office, right? Yeah. So this is your list is never done at least mine never.

Rita Suzanne
There’s always something I keep adding to it. I keep on saying, Oh, that’s good, I need to do this, I need to do that. And I think that’s how until I always say to people, like, you know, doing the service is only one aspect of running your own business. I think that a lot of times people assume that when you start your own business, like you’re just focusing on the service, oh, I have a website, people are going to come I’m going to make millions. No, you have to do all the other things as well.

Megan Schoenleber
Exactly. It’s or hire somebody with if you have those funds to do it.

Rita Suzanne
Right. But most, you know, new business owners don’t really have that, you know, that option. I think this is why new businesses fail is because they don’t really see the overall like what you have to do and how important marketing is and consistently marketing yourself is important. And so with that being said, if a new if a mom came to you, and she wanted to start home business, what would be the advice that you would give her?

Megan Schoenleber
So I would say, if you want to start your own business, the biggest thing that helped me was, well, one getting like your support system onboard, because it my husband wouldn’t have bought into this program that I joined, or that I bought. I mean, that just wouldn’t work. I needed that support system or someone else. And that’s just one of the things sorry to get off topic. But oh, no, your damn thing people talk about enough is that your one woman show in your business, most of the time, it can be really lonely, because you have these big decisions with like, when I’d had to let clients go, when I needed to upgrade my prices, when I scaled from a virtual assistant to have the business manager had to let people go and let those decisions be known and how to pick through that and processing all that you’re on your own for the most right.

Rita Suzanne
And it’s probably scary. And you’re thinking like, Am I doing the right thing? So having that support?

Megan Schoenleber
Yeah, exactly. So that I would say is like the first thing to talk through whatever your support system is to, you know, just talk through the pros and cons and make sure it is for you. But then also, I really recommend getting a course. And having that help you figure out all the different behind the scenes, like paying quarterly taxes, which is just like what, what is all of that, how to get yourself out there how to set up just shot version. That was one of the biggest things that I think helped me be successful from the start, is someone’s already gone through this. They know all the time tribulations to go through to kind of give you a roadmap. So those are the two biggest pieces of advice, I would say,

Rita Suzanne
yeah, and unfortunately, a lot of moms or women start out without the support of their spouse, right, like they’re in. And that has to be so hard. Well, I know firsthand, that is hard to do. My first husband, he was super supportive of my business, you know, moved across the country and helped out with, you know, and then I got remarried. And that one was always like, Oh, you should go get a job. He didn’t, he just did not understand what it was like for someone to run their own business. And so if someone doesn’t really fully in this, they can’t truly support you. You know? So I I’m gonna say, Tell us more about, like how another mompreneur? Could I hate that word, Mom, business owner? What? Because it’s just so I don’t know. I’m cliche. But yeah, you know, if someone wanted to hire a business manager, like, what are the things that you offer, like to somebody? Yeah, take off some of that stress and support them so that they’re not so emotionally?

Megan Schoenleber
I don’t know. Absolutely. And I like to say with my corporate rat background, one of the things that I just love to jump in and help people with and they usually see the cleanest or leave, it’s just that team management and like they’re hiring me. They’re really just taking off the load of people always coming to them, and just kind of being that buffer for them so that they don’t have 15 people coming to them with questions. And one, right, and really being that person who can check in with those team members regularly. Make sure everybody’s on board, make sure that side of things is organized, but then also figuring out Okay, we have 10 people, but we have all this other stuff that no one’s doing. Can we reassign that or do we need to hire? And then Okay, if we need to hire, what does that even look like? So that’s where I kind of come in to help them with that process. To go in and actually find the bright people and bringing them on board as well. So those are my two life specialties I would say but then also I love getting into businesses and helping them with their systems. So I’m just really building like a real Source paying for them so that things aren’t just bandaid fix, and it’s actually all streamlined. And you have like a very clear project management tool with like lists of to dues and processes and all those different things in their business. I’m just like a true organizer. So that’s just one of the things I really enjoy. Also, with my clients.

Rita Suzanne
Yeah, I understand, like we were talking about we’re, you know, very similar in these ways. And so, you know, having a system in place or processes in place is so important, especially if you’re scaling up, you know, it just, there’s sometimes the growth happens so quickly, that if you don’t have the systems and processes in place, it really can create a lot of stress. And so having those in place, I think, is super important. And I think that sometimes people don’t realize it till it’s too late. So, you know, hiring someone like you to help them out with that is probably so amazing. And so helpful. And, and how we set you know, and how we talked about is like, really, you know, trying not to do it all on your own? Because that’s what we always try to do, right? So if someone wants to find you online, and hire you and and revamp all of their things, where can they find you?

Megan Schoenleber
So my websites, the best way to find me, and it’s just MeganSchoenleber.com, and I’ll spell show and they were not going to be there. But it’s just sth NLEV. So all one word, Meghan chill, and they were calm. You can find more about like specific services, my pricing, learn more about me, even though you probably learn way more on this podcast. And then like how to get in contact with me. So it’s all housed there for you.

Rita Suzanne
And on social? Are you on any particular platform or not so much? Not? I’m not doing very well. I

Megan Schoenleber
wanted to start out and do social media. I was like, that would be great. And I’m not even running my own channels too. Well, I would say I’m most active on Instagram. So just my first name, my last name, right?

Rita Suzanne
I think that a lot of people are like that when you are when you offer a service, you’re so focused on your clients that you don’t even think about building your own stuff. So don’t be too hard on yourself. This is all of us.

Megan Schoenleber
I definitely think that will be probably my first hire and my business is having someone helped me manage my social just because I didn’t have it. I’m just not good at it. And when I’m not good at something sometimes that’s the last thing on your list. And we just talked about where your list Yeah. Is as you can see, so yeah.

Rita Suzanne
And there you have it. I want to encourage you to remember that being a mom who runs her own business is not easy. we all struggle but just keep moving forward and don’t forget to make time for yourself. As moms we are usually the first thing to go to the bottom of the list. If your business is overwhelming you and you need real solutions, not just some sugar coated suggestions apply to work with me at ritasuzanne.com/apply/