Women taking up momtrepreneur title for flexible schedule

Byby Jessica Castro KGO logo
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Women taking up momtrepreneur title to have more freedom
Thousands of women are taking up the title of momtrepreneur, so they can still work but also have a flexible schedule.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The word momtrepreneur may be unfamiliar to you, but thousands of women are taking up the title so they can still work, but also have flexibility.

The new title is for women who once held tupperware or May Kay cosmetic parties, except they've moved out of the living room and online.

Elizabeth Wadsworth is a momtrepreneur who sells supplements online. "I'll send out a message and say: 'Hi I've been doing this a long time and the products are really great and I would love to share more with you,"' Wadsworth said.

She is one of thousands of women working for similar companies, including many popular cosmetic websites.

Skin care company Rodan and Fields says it has around 150,000 independent consultants and reported a revenue of $626.9 million in 2015.

The typical momtrepreneur is in her 30s or 40s, a woman who wants to work, but also have flexibility. "It allows people to do a lot of work at home or after hours when their kids are sleeping or after they finish their 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. jobs," Georgetown University student Marleme Morris said.

Rodan and Fields reports the average annualized income for one of their sales distributors was around $3,100.

Experts say sellers should be careful to not overdo it and risk alienating friends and family.

However, some women simply love it. "There's a huge social aspect of it. Just communicating with people and their lives and just connecting," Wadsworth said.

When you're on social media, it can feel at times like you can't escape a sales pitch. That's when it's a good idea to remember even if you work from home, home-life balance is still important.