Creative hacks for success: How women entrepreneurs are balancing business and motherhood

There are no playbooks for entrepreneurship or motherhood. One learns along the journey.

Being a mother is a full-time job, and so is being an entrepreneur. Every day, women juggle both—often at the same time. For them, motherhood and entrepreneurship are not separate paths, and they intertwine practical strategies with daily jugaad and creative hacks as they hustle. 

It may be difficult and exhausting and seem never-ending, but they try with determination, love, and bravado—and that makes all the difference.

On the occasion of Mother’s Day, we shine the spotlight on women entrepreneurs who are also mothers—and how they are ‘hacking’ life, motherhood, and the next big business idea with resourcefulness and confidence.

Time is of the essence

Between school runs, investor meetings, hobby classes, and networking, nearly all mothers emphasise that managing time is an important part of their daily struggle.

Artist-entrepreneur Alicia Souza, mother to a four-year-old son, started her business a decade before becoming a mother and believes structure makes things easier.

"I try to keep my schedule structured as much as possible, before motherhood and now, because it's the most time-efficient and practical way to work,” she says. 

She starts her day very early, giving herself quiet time "before the world awakens, phones buzz, and day-life happens."

Sonika Khurana Sethi, an influencer and founder of Coloraza Designs, who has a four-year-old son, says school hours provide critical work windows: "My day starts early, since my son leaves for school by 8 am. His school hours are till 3 pm, and I treat that time as my power window. I finish up content shoots, meetings, and most work tasks within that period."

Sreepriya NS, Co-founder and Director of Entrust Family Office, has a 20-year-old daughter and has always banked on an early start to the day. “It gives me time to catch up on the news and stay updated on topics that matter. Back when my daughter was in school, I made it a point to personally pack her meals and ensure she left on time every day."

The power of prioritisation

Radhika Gupta, MD and CEO of Edelweiss Asset Management Limited, uses "mental prioritisation" that's "almost like an Excel spreadsheet” in her head.

Gupta, who became a mother in her late 30s, while already leading a large organisation, explains: "I’ve learned to say no more often and to operate with a very clear sense of priorities." 

Swagatika Das, Co-founder of beauty brand Nat Habit, practises "meticulous” weekly planning and prioritising tasks in alignment with her child's routine and business needs. 

She structures her workday to tackle high-focus tasks when she has uninterrupted time and reserves collaborative or creative discussions for flexible windows.

Malini Adapureddy, Co-founder of skincare brand Deconstruct, emphasises blocking time and allocating specific time slots for work and family. 

“Focusing on high-impact tasks helps in maximising productivity, while trusting my team with responsibilities allows me to balance roles effectively,” she says.

For Aashka Goradia, Co-founder of Renee Cosmetics and mother to an 18-month-old son, planning ahead and time-blocking are key. “They help me prioritise and stay focused throughout the day.”

Equal parenting saves the day

Parenting works best as a shared journey, and syncing schedules with partners makes lives easier.

"My husband and I share a calendar to keep everything streamlined—from school PTMs and birthday parties to work deadlines. We plan our weeks together and treat our personal responsibilities with as much priority as our professional ones,” says Sethi. 

Das credits the balancing act to a strong support system at home. 

"I’m incredibly fortunate to have my husband and in-laws, who are always there to step in and help, allowing me to show up fully in my professional role while balancing the demands of motherhood."

All in a day’s work

Many of these mothers have developed ingenious ways to keep children engaged while they work.

Sethi’s son has been coming to the office with her since he was just three months old. “We even created a small room for him there so I could continue working. Over time, we realised he needed more structure and space, and so we invested in a home studio,” she says.

Das gets creative with her three-year-old son. "During crunch moments while working from home, I rely on simple tools like a 'quiet time' activity box for my child. I usually keep him engrossed with curated sensory kits like rainbow rice boxes, colouring books, puzzles, storycards that not only allow me quiet time for my work but also amplify cognitive development for my child.”

Souza shares a similar approach. “If there’s a way to rope my child in chores, I make it an activity or a game so it's almost like doing two things at once … unless it's baking—then it's three things, i.e., the extra cleaning up, haha!”

The importance of me-time

Sreepriya emphasises how her morning routine sets the tone for her day.

"Once she [my daughter] was off, I would begin my own morning routine—exercise, yoga, and meditation. This practice has always been my way of staying energised and focused, essential for running a business and juggling multiple responsibilities."

Gupta, mother to a son who will turn three soon, also highlights the importance of self-care. ”I prioritise self-care, especially on weekends. If I'm not working, I try to use that time to recharge—whether that means going to a beauty salon, painting, cooking, or just doing something I enjoy. I need that space to come back to work feeling strong and energised on Monday.”

Mental clarity and focus hacks

Sethi reveals her most powerful strategy is having mental clarity: focusing only on what matters the most: her child and her work. 

“I've learned to shut out outside noise and unnecessary comparisons, which helps reduce procrastination and being overwhelmed," she shares. 

She also applies the 80-20 rule: "80% of my results come from 20% of the right actions. So I focus on high-impact work like content creation, strategy, and brand partnerships, while delegating or dropping tasks that don't add value."

Heena Patel, Founder of Magic Needles, a knitting and crochet brand, and mother to twins, doesn’t believe in using tricks or hacks for parenting. “Parenting is a ‘present only’ job. You can’t parent remotely. You have to be there—physically and emotionally.

“For work, though, I do have some hacks. I schedule all my calls in advance, I send voice notes, I send explanatory videos when needed, and I’m quick to act on anything that's on my mind. I don’t let things linger.”

Integrating work with life

Patel admits that, when she’s at work, she’s thinking about home, and vice versa. “That’s how I hustle. It’s a constant juggle but that’s also what makes it beautiful.” 

Adapureddy has found a balance by blending different roles. 

"I try to spend time with my baby whenever there is time in between—either my baby visits me at the office or I sneak in a lunch visit home."

Dream hacks for the future

When asked about their ‘dream hack', which doesn't exist yet, the mumpreneurs combine practicality with whimsical wishes.

Souza desires a “silent, invisible clone” of herself that can finish edits, reply to emails, and do chores, while she focuses on creating or “cuddling” her child.

Patel wishes for clones with a collective memory. “One version of me at work, one at home with the kids, one planning new designs... all synced up," she says. 

Das dreams of a teleporting tool between work and home—”so I could seamlessly shift roles without losing energy or momentum in between."

Sreepriya wants a voice note-to-plan tool that captures fleeting ideas in their full intensity and transforms them into actionable frameworks.

Sethi imagines a tech-enabled 'life assistant' that helps schedule both school events and shoot days, and comes with built-in emotional intelligence. 

Gupta admits she’d love to get eight hours of sleep, have time to work out, be productive at work, spend quality time with her son, and manage a very angry two-year-old with grace.  

“That would be perfect. I'm still learning, but I’m doing my best,” she says.

Learning from two full-time jobs

Goradia believes motherhood has shaped her into a more empathetic, patient, and efficient leader, and has taught her the art of prioritisation, the ability to remain calm under pressure, and the power of intuitive decision-making—all invaluable traits in entrepreneurship.

“Motherhood has enhanced my patience and empathy, qualities that benefit my leadership. At the same time, entrepreneurship has taught me problem-solving and adaptability, which I apply in parenting,” says Adapureddy.

Das asserts that motherhood and entrepreneurship complement each other. “Motherhood has grounded me as an entrepreneur, teaching me to lead with empathy, patience, and heart. Entrepreneurship has made me a more resilient and intentional mother,” she says. 

To every mum wanting to start something on her own but is worried about meal preps, toddler tantrums, and investor calls, and overwhelmed by guilt, one message stands tall—be gentle on yourself.

“Don’t let anyone make you feel overwhelmed or scared. Often, the fear comes from not having a plan. It’s okay not to know everything from the start. Just have the confidence to begin. If you’re feeling stretched or anxious, talk about it and ask for help. But don’t let that stop you from starting,” says Gupta.

(The story has been updated to correct a typo.)