Mumpreneurship in New Zealand: an exploratory investigation

The purpose of this paper is to understand the challenges facing Mumpreneurs in New Zealand, a sub-group of female entrepreneurs. Research in this area will help to alleviate the challenges these individuals face on a daily basis, providing insights into the support systems, resources and policy initiatives these women may require to overcome various barriers.

A phenomenological qualitative approach guided the collection and analysis of the data. Eight semi-structured interviews were carried out with Mumpreneurs from New Zealand. An interpretivist approach was adopted to understand the challenges facing Mumpreneurs, creating an insightful understanding of the participants’ experiences.

Findings reveal that the key challenges facing Mumpreneurs are time, growth, finance, stigma and achieving a family balance.

Mumpreneurs in this study had all been in business for less than four years, so the results may not reflect the challenges facing Mumpreneurs at different stages of business ownership.

This study provides valuable insights into the nature of being a Mumpreneur, information that is often difficult to obtain, assisting mothers who are contemplating business ownership as well as existing Mumpreneurs, who may feel alone in their struggles for success.