When I had my daughter 3 years ago I was just bringing my business online. I was dipping my toe into the world of having a business coach and what this could do for my business.  I was very happy with where my business was at, I just didn’t know what was possible.

It was a few months after my 7 month maternity leave, when I came back into the online world that my business took a massive leap into a whole new level of visibility, messaging, branding and income.

Fast forward 3 years…Now that my business is fully set up as a significant (when we’re travelling, sometimes sole) source of income for my family it’s a whole different scenario winding down to make space in our lives for baby #2.

I’ve actually been winding down since my first trimester. Something happens to me when I find out I’m pregnant – I go straight into nurturing, semi-hibernation mode. I want to be fully present with the experience of connecting with this new being whilst it’s growing and this is the way for me to do it, not just from birth.

But that’s not what was recommended to me.

Well meaning business owning mamas told me to speed up, to create programs, do a massive launch so that I could then enjoy some maternity leave.

That may well work for some but it’s the total opposite of what I need and want. As an introvert and lover of slow, simple living, I’m giving myself permission to create space. I’ll admit that this did bring up a few mental challenges now that I’ve built my business to where it is today, but I’m also 100% sure of what creating greater freedom in my life as a mother and business owner looks like and taking a step back is where it’s at for me.

My personal intention is to maximize automation, to introduce some leverage through online products, but maintaining my 6 figure income is not the goal at this point in time (otherwise yes, I would have spent a ton of time and energy in creation and promotion).

So I listened to myself. We moved back to Europe from Australia so that I could take time off as a new mum, something which would not have been possible for us in Sydney due to the cost of living; I didn’t do any massive program promotions; no webinars; and still hit the financial targets that I had set myself whilst allowing more space in my week. Gratefully my business is in a place where clients come to me without me constantly having to get myself out there – of course this is according to my version of abundance and success at this particular point in my life (and no, when I was starting out I didn’t believe that would ever happen, that clients would just come to me, you’ll be pleased to hear that at some point, it does).

So how exactly am I getting my business ready for baby #2?

• I decided when exactly by when I wanted to start winding down to finish working with one on one clients.
• As a couple my boyfriend and made a plan according to so that I could honor the experience of being the present mother that I want to be without having to share my time with work. Purely my choice. I know it’s not for everyone.
• Working back from this I calculated exactly how much income, and so how many clients I wanted in the lead up to this period.
• I made an offer to my list inviting them to work with me filling my last few mentoring spots before birth.
• I’m working on an e-course and workbook that will launch just before baby is due and will be evergreen info products. Marketing for these will of course be fully automated.
  A note – there is no deadline on these and so no pressure to deliver and force creation by a certain time. My aim is to create these from the heart, not to imbue them with stress and wishing that I didn’t have to create them. Love growing inside reflected in products created with love for my clients.
• I won’t have any one on one clients in the months after birth but I do have a small group mastermind for my previous clients where I give them laser coaching other week as a group.
• I’ve written and scheduled blog posts about 3 months ahead.
• I’ve reduced the frequency of my newsletters to every other week so that I’m still in contact with my clients.
• My VA has re-posted old blog posts months ahead to re-purpose old content.
• I’m taking part in quite a few telesummits to increase visibility, list building and it’s something that I love to do. I only say yes to those with a topic I truly believe in, people I know and love and say no to any that don’t have a good fit timing wise or don’t cater to my exact audience. I want to give my community value whilst I’m away, not just ‘stuff’.
• I’ve left my business open to me deciding when I’m ready to start up with one on one clients again. Right now I don’t know when that’ll be. I’m letting baby guide me.

So other than some leverage with products such as my ebook, e-course and automation with blog posts, the main preparation was in terms of my expectations and the experience that I want to create. Motherhood dictates my business strategy. This is real freedom. This is the inner piece that it all comes down to.

Are you disappointed that I didn’t share some before-unknown secret of systematizing and automating to bring in a high level of income whilst I changed cloth nappies and bounced my baby to sleep on a fit ball?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

A freedom based business is not about creating money for money’s sake. It’s about earning what you need to live the life you want. There are a myriad ways to do this and for me winding down without massive launches is where it’s at.

For the mamas and future mamas out there, I hope that this post has inspired you to know you can do things your way. It takes forethought and preparation to create the experience you want. You can.