How to Start a Consulting Business (or Coaching Practice) While Raising Young Kids

Starting a consulting business—or a coaching practice—while raising young kids is no small feat, but it can be done—and done well. I know because I did it. When I decided to leave my high-profile job and strike out on my own, my kids were still in preschool. Balancing client calls with soccer practice and late-night project work with bedtime stories was my reality for many years. If you're wondering how to start a consulting business or coaching practice while being a fully present parent, let me show you how it’s not only possible but deeply rewarding.

Can You Really Start a Consulting Business (or Coaching Practice) While Raising Young Kids?

You might be wondering, “Can I really start a consulting business or coaching practice while managing the chaos of raising young children?” The answer is yes. I know because I’ve done it.

When I left my high-profile job as an Organization Development Consultant at Walt Disney World to start my own consulting business, my kids were just 4 and 6 years old. Today, they’re 21 and 23, and I can proudly say I didn’t miss a single school play, sports event, or bedtime story. I organized my career around my children, and while it was a balancing act, it was absolutely worth it.

But I’m not going to sugarcoat it—there are things I wish I had done differently. Reflecting now as an empty nester, I realize there were many moments when I was physically present with my kids but mentally distracted by work. While I’m proud of how I managed both worlds, I also know that had I been more intentional, I could have been more fully present for my children, not just there in body but in mind and spirit.

Can You Really “Have It All” While Starting a Consulting Business (or Coaching Practice)?

Let me just say it upfront: You can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t try. But what you can do is create a consulting business or coaching practice that aligns with your values, your parenting priorities, and your life. I’ll share the lessons I’ve learned about balancing entrepreneurship and parenthood, from setting clear intentions for your business to making sure your systems and strategies work for you, not against you.

We’ll talk about how to build a consulting business (or coaching practice) that brings you joy and financial security, while also allowing you to be fully present for your children. By the end of this post, you’ll have a clearer sense of how to get started, how to set boundaries that protect your time, and how to structure your business in a way that supports your life as a parent.

Why Balancing Business with Parenting Matters (Whether It’s Consulting or Coaching)

Why does it matter how to start a consulting business with intentional balance? The same goes for starting a coaching practice. If you don’t design your business around your parenting priorities, your business will take over. The demands of running a business—whether it’s consulting or coaching—will slowly encroach on the time you want to spend with your kids.

Here’s what’s at stake:

• Your presence: You don’t want to look back in 10 years and realize you were always there for your kids but rarely present. There’s a big difference between being with them physically and being truly engaged.
• Your joy: If your business doesn’t bring you joy, it will drain the energy you need to be fully present with your kids. When you’re not enjoying the work you’re doing, you’ll spend your free time recovering from the stress of it, instead of being fully present with your family.
• Your boundaries: Without clear boundaries, your business will slowly creep into your personal life. It’s easy to let work bleed into family time when you’re the one in charge of your schedule. But if you don’t set and stick to boundaries, you’ll end up missing out on the moments that matter most—school pickups, family dinners, weekend adventures.

The bottom line is that you have the power to create a business that works for you, not one that you end up working for. Whether you’re a consultant or a coach, it’s all too easy for the very thing you started for more flexibility and freedom to become the thing that takes you away from what’s most important to you.

The Truth About Being There vs. Truly Being Present

To help illustrate what I mean, let me share a bit more from my own journey about the difference between being there for your kids and being truly present.

The Physically Present Parent

In the early years of my business, I made sure I was always there for my kids’ important moments. I showed up for every soccer game, every school play, and every parent-teacher meeting. From the outside, I was a model of work-life balance. But here’s the truth: while I was there physically, I wasn’t always there mentally. My mind was often racing with thoughts of upcoming deadlines, client demands, and business challenges.

And while I don’t regret being there for all those moments, I wish I had built more systems and boundaries into my business early on, so I could have been more present. I wish I could have fully engaged with my kids in those moments instead of letting work concerns steal my attention.

The Fully Present Parent

When I look back at the moments when I was truly present, they’re the ones I cherish the most. One of my favorite memories is when I brought my kids along with me on a work trip to Williamsburg, VA. I had a series of focus groups to run for a client, but we turned it into a family trip. During the day, I handled my work, but in the evenings, we explored the city together, made memories, and had a blast.

Those are the moments that stand out because I was able to integrate my work and family life in a way that didn’t feel like a compromise. Instead of choosing between being a good parent or a good business owner, I found a way to do both.

RealLife Lessons on Starting a Consulting Business While Raising Young Kids

So, how can you launch a successful consulting business or coaching practice while balancing parenthood? Here’s what I’ve learned, and what I wish I had done differently. These steps will help you balance building your business with being a fully present parent.

1. Be Clear About Your Intentions for Your Business and Life

The very first step in this process is getting clear about what you want your business to create for your life. You need to know what your nonnegotiables are before you dive into building your business. Are you starting a business for financial freedom? For flexibility? To be there for every school event? Whatever it is, get clear on that now.

Your intentions will change over time as your kids grow and their needs change. The flexibility you need when they’re toddlers will look different when they’re in middle school. And when they’re teenagers, your focus might shift again as they become more independent but need your emotional support.

• Preschoolers: At this stage, you’ll need to be prepared for unpredictability. Daycare is great, but you’ll still have days where your child gets sick and your plans go out the window.
• Elementary School: The school day offers more predictability, but you’ll still need to factor in things like after-school activities and homework help. Try to align your business hours with their school hours as much as possible.
• Middle School: Your kids may be more independent by this stage, but they’ll need your support in navigating social dynamics, peer pressure, and after-school activities.
• High School: Don’t be surprised if your teenagers need more emotional support than you expect. Even if they’re more self-sufficient, they still need you to be there as they navigate the transition to adulthood.

Bottom Line: Set your business intentions now and revisit them regularly. Whether you’re starting a consulting business or coaching practice, your business should serve your life, not the other way around.

2. Choose Work That Brings You Joy

This one’s non-negotiable. Whether you’re building a consulting business or coaching practice, make sure it’s built around work that you love. If your work doesn’t bring you joy, it will drain your energy, and that energy drain will spill over into your personal life. You’ll find yourself dreading client meetings or projects, and that will make it harder to be present and engaged with your kids.

You might be tempted to chase whatever brings in the most money or whatever seems easiest to sell, but trust me—if you’re not passionate about the work you’re doing, it won’t be sustainable. Instead, focus on building a business around work that lights you up, energizes you, and aligns with your passions.

Bottom Line: Don’t just chase revenue. Build a business around work that excites you, so you can show up fully for your clients and your family.

3. Set Up Marketing, Sales, and Client Delivery for Efficiency

Time is your most valuable asset, especially when you’re a parent. That’s why it’s so important to set up your marketing, sales, and client delivery systems to work for you, not against you. Efficiency is the name of the game here.

You don’t have time to waste on reinventing the wheel or manually handling tasks that can be automated or outsourced. Here’s what you can do:

• Outsource: Hire help for things like website design, social media management, and client onboarding. You don’t have to do everything yourself.
• Automate: Use systems that streamline your business processes. For example, Kajabi allows you to manage your website, courses, and emails all in one place, which reduces the amount of time you spend on administrative tasks.
• Create Systems: Set up repeatable systems for everything in your business, from client onboarding to project management. This will save you time and help you scale more efficiently.
  Bottom Line: Work smarter, not harder. Set up your systems for efficiency so you can spend more time with your kids and less time on busy work.

4. Choose Mentors Who Get Your Priorities

When I first started my business, I grew it from $0 to $300K in the first 18 months. And while that sounds impressive, I’ll be the first to admit that I was working too much during that time. I had mentors who pushed me to grow faster and double my revenue, but that didn’t align with my priority of being present for my kids.

Make sure you choose mentors who understand your priorities and won’t pressure you to follow a model of success that doesn’t align with your life. Not everyone defines success the same way, and that’s okay. Choose mentors who respect your need for balance and who will support you in building a business that works for you, whether it’s consulting or coaching.

Bottom Line: Choose mentors who support your definition of success and respect your parenting priorities.

5. Set and Own Your Boundaries Without Apology

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you have to set and own your boundaries, especially when it comes to your time with your kids. Your time is priceless—protect it fiercely. That means setting clear boundaries around when you’re available for work and when you’re not—and sticking to those boundaries.

Here are a few examples:

• Work hours: If your workday ends at 3 p.m. when you pick up your kids, make sure your clients know that you’re unavailable after that time. Don’t feel guilty about protecting that time.
• Travel: If you need to travel for work, try to schedule it when your kids are out of school, or bring them along if possible.
• Saying no: If a client requests something that doesn’t align with your schedule or boundaries, don’t be afraid to say no or to charge a premium for that service.
• Bottom Line: Your time with your kids is as valuable as your work with clients. Don’t apologize for setting boundaries around it.

Actionable Steps for How to Start a Consulting Business (or Coaching Practice) Today

So, where do you go from here? Whether you’re starting a consulting business or a coaching practice while raising young kids, here are some concrete steps you can take right now to set yourself up for success:

1. Get clear on your intentions: What do you want your business to create for your life? Let that guide your decisions about your business structure, clients, and services.

2. Streamline your systems: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it might be time to invest in systems and tools that can simplify your marketing, client delivery, and operations. Platforms like Kajabi can be a game-changer for managing everything in one place.

3. Set boundaries and stick to them: Decide now what your work hours will be, when you’ll be available for client calls, and how you’ll protect your family time. Communicate these boundaries clearly to your clients and don’t feel guilty about enforcing them.

4. Invest in support: Whether it’s hiring a VA to handle admin tasks, a social media manager to keep your online presence active, or a mentor who can guide you, don’t hesitate to invest in the support you need.

5. Focus on joy: Build a business around work that energizes and excites you. When your business lights you up, it’ll be easier to balance it with your parenting responsibilities.

Create a Business That Works for You—and Your Family

As a parent, you need a mentor who understands your priorities and helps you balance business with family. With 30 years of consulting and coaching experience—and 15 years of successfully running my own business while raising kids—I get it. I know how important it is to build a business that fits into your life, not the other way around.

Through my VIP brand messaging programs, I help professionals like you find clarity, define your unique brand, and build a business that supports both your family and financial goals.

Ready to make it happen? Let’s chat. Book a free brand strategy call to discuss how we can create a consulting business (or coaching practice) that aligns with your life, gives you flexibility, and supports your family’s needs.