When I started calling myself a business owner, everything changed

For the longest time, I’d mumble it.

“Oh, I’m self employed…”

“I run some baby and toddler classes – nothing major.”

Sound familiar?

I was working every nap time and late night, juggling messy play kits and admin, answering DMs while cooking dinner and doing my absolute best to build something for me — but still, I wouldn’t dare call it a business. And I definitely wouldn’t call myself a business owner.

I was just a mum, trying to make a bit of money around the kids. Or at least, that’s what I told myself.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned — how you talk about your business matters. It changes how others see you, and more importantly, how you see yourself.

👶 From “Just a Mum” to Running a Business

When I first started out, I didn’t feel like a business owner. I was winging it. I had no formal plan, no big marketing strategy, just a passion for creating fun experiences for little ones — and a need to bring in some extra income for my family.

I had just given up a full time corporate job with a vision to create a better work life balance and spend more time with my children while they were young.

But because I didn’t see myself as a business owner, I wasn’t showing up like one.

I undervalued my classes.

I said yes to everything.

I worked for free.

I felt guilty for taking time away from the kids.

And I never celebrated the wins — because I thought they weren’t “big enough.”

I cringe a little now thinking about how small I made myself. But I know why I did it — because so many mums do. We’re taught to shrink ourselves, to not take up space, to treat our business as “just a little thing we do.”

💡 The Moment Everything Shifted

The real change happened when I started taking myself seriously — before anyone else did.

I was ready to give it all up I had put my heart and sole into it and it still didn’t feel like enough, but something stopped me. I thought, “No. You run a business. You have systems. You take bookings. This isn’t just a hobby.”

So I decided to invest in myself.

Marketing in particular

This was not my strong point, I had lots of business experience from you years in Corporate positions but I had never really had to market anything before I started my business.

That’s when I signed up for some marketing training and everything changed. I learnt to stand out from the crowd, create a personal brand, be myself and own my business.

That tiny change gave me permission to step into the role I was already doing, just without the credit. I started showing up with confidence. I began setting boundaries. I invested in tools and more training. And do you know what happened?

People started seeing me differently too. I got more enquiries. I filled up classes. I made more money. Not because the business changed overnight — but because I did.

💪 You’re Already a Business Owner (Even If You Don’t Feel Like It Yet)

If you’ve ever said,

“It’s just a side hustle…”

or

“I’m just trying to make a bit of money from home…”

I want to stop you right there.

You are doing amazing things. You are balancing so much. You are showing your kids that it’s possible to chase a dream, to be creative, to make something from nothing. That is no small thing. That is the work of a business owner.

And it’s time you started calling yourself one.

💬 Try This:

✅ Change the wording in your Instagram or Facebook bio to reflect your business with confidence.

✅ Say out loud: “I am a business owner. My work matters.”

✅ Write it down. Stick it on your fridge. Make it your phone screensaver. Whatever works!

💛 Final Thoughts

I know it’s hard to step into a new identity when you’ve spent so long playing it down. But I promise you — the minute you start treating your business like a business, it starts behaving like one.

You’ve already got the skill, the drive, and the vision. Now all that’s left is to own it.

And if you’re ready to stop doing it all alone and start building systems that work for you, I’d love to support you. Head over to https://kellyreynoldssocials.com › contact-us to see how we can work together.

You’ve got this, business owner 💛