Most moms don’t realize it but they already have the characteristics of practicing entrepreneurs. If they so wanted, they can very well start a business of their own. At Mommy Mundo’s first Mompreneur Meet Up for the year, “Start Up Mompreneurship,” Janice Villanueva, the founder of Mommy Mundo and Mompreneur Manila, says that moms are natural entrepreneurs. Not only are moms natural problem solvers, they are also market experts. Mothers, who do most of the family’s purchasing decisions, are familiar with what’s good, what’s not good, what’s out there, and what’s not.

Janice adds that moms have solid human resource experience. They not only manage the tasks of their house helpers, they also coordinate with teachers, doctors, and coaches, among others, to make sure that everything runs smoothly.

But most importantly, Janice says that mothers have momtuition. She says, “Moms have the innate ability to know what’s best for their kids. You just have to tune into that. Use it to think of what you want to do.”

Janice herself has used her mom skills and momtuition to forge ahead and start new businesses. She came up with Mommy Pages, a directory of family-oriented products and services; Mommy Matters, a line of nursing wear; and Mommy Mundo, a community of moms who wish to make motherhood a fun and fulfilling journey for every mom.

The meet up, which took place at Aracama in Bonifacio Global City, attracted both practicing mompreneurs and aspiring ones.

More than giving moms encouragement, Janice also steered the mommy participants towards finding their mompreneur persona. Through a thoughtful worksheet developed by Janice, moms were able to take stock of their talents, skills, and passions and list down their dreams and ideals. The worksheet also coaxed moms to look at their present realities, taking into consideration their life stage, as well as the opportunities, resources, and support system available to them.

By the end of the meet up, moms were not only filled with ideas and inspiration, they were also fueled by the success stories of mompreneurs which Janice presented before them.

“Think big!” Janice encouraged the moms. “Don’t say that your business is just a hobby. You limit yourself by thinking that way. Strive to be world class.”

Mommy Mundo’s first Mompreneur Meet Up for the year, “Start Up Mompreneurship,” was sponsored by PLDT Home and Sun Life.