Remember when your kids were little and you and your kids got together with all the other moms and their kids? When you had support and community? And then they became middle schoolers, and you found yourself a little bit more on the fringes with less mom community.

Kim Caifano from Middle School Mommer is with us today to talk about being a mom in these middle years as well as starting a business during and for the middle school years.

Meet our Guest Kim:

Kim Caifano is a writer, speaker, and founder of MiddleschoolMommer. The middle school years can be lonely as a mom, but Kim loves to walk with moms through these formative years of parenting. Kim grew up in a small town of 647 people and moved straight to downtown Chicago after college graduation for a marketing job. Talk about culture shock. She currently lives in Geneva, Illinois with her husband and her three kids. 

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - http://www.thismomknows.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG: https://www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• The desire to create a business and make money from writing
• The decision to specialize and find a niche in middle school parenting
• Balancing writing, entrepreneurship, and family life as a mompreneur
• The integration of marketing knowledge and experience in building a business
• The challenges and steps involved in writing and publishing a book
• Establishing a personal brand and expanding it beyond writing
• The importance of recognizing the backstories of admired individuals
• Constant learning
• Recognizing gaps and seeking help or hiring assistance
• The process of starting a business and finding the right people to help
• Kim's business approach and her role as a writer, speaker, and founder of Middle School Mommer.
• Feelings of isolation and the importance of community support for middle school moms
• Market research and struggles experienced by middle school moms
• The difficulties of reaching and engaging middle school moms as an audience
• Balancing the integration of the business with family needs and battling mom guilt
• The all-or-nothing mentality and the importance of not giving up until achieving pride in one's work
• favorite time-saving tool

Resources mentioned:

Brian Dixon  https://www.briandixon.com/ and Hope Writers https://www.hopewriters.com/

WhatWomenWants https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/what-women-want-2000

The Three Amigos https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/three-amigos-1986

Episode 34 with Adriana Cagan on Living Your Priorities

Mom Walks series by Rebecca Prenevost

Kim's favorite time-saving resource is her Roomba

Recipe for a Perfect System: http://www.thismomknows.com/system

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-57 

Connect with Kim:

Website: https://www.middleschoolmommer.com/

(where you can sign up for her conversation starter download)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolmommer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolmommer

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.