I am the mother of two. They live in the same house but aren’t very close. They’re jealous of one another though. They vie for my attention. I only feed and bathe one of them.

Let me explain.

I have one son, Max, who’s 4. I also have my company, Egg Marketing & Public Relations, who is almost 3. You’ve heard people compare starting a business to having a baby. It’s completely true. What I never accounted for was that my business became my son’s sibling in a sense.

Max is always trying to divert me from my work. Just like kids do when you’re giving your attention to their sibling. If I’m in front of the computer, he knows I’m working (well, sometimes I’m not but I let him believe it so I don’t have to get off so he can play Arthur). Thank goodness he doesn’t stay home with me or I’d never get anything done.

He wants to help. (Envision the big brother wanting to change the baby’s diaper.) He sits on my lap while I’m working and asks if he can type. Uh, sure, honey, you can type this proposal. Ask if you need help spelling something.

Max assumes he’s always #1. It’s hard to say, but sometimes Egg comes first. I mean, making a little money vs. playing Hungry Hippo for the 40^th time…sometimes you have to choose. And sometimes I’d rather be working. Sucks to admit, but when your business is like a child, you love it and nurture it like one.

Being an entrepreneur is hard to explain to a kid. He knows Egg from the little egg logo on my notepads. He knows it’s my work. But he doesn’t really understand the sacrifice, dedication and hardship it has required (not that I’d trade it for the world). I hope that one day when he’s older he can understand the joy of running his own business. Maybe when he becomes a parent.

Susan Payton blogs as a mommyblogger at Sometimes Parenting Sucks and as an entrepreneur who loves marketing at The Marketing Eggspert Blog. She raises an internet marketing firm in Orlando called Egg Marketing & Public Relations as well as a boy named Max who is 4.

I posted the following question on twitter, plurk, and a few other social networks today.

Here are the responses I received.

Twitter

Plurk

And a good friend of mine responded via Facebook.

1. Study the trade
2. Research the market
3. Find out all the legal stuff
4. Building a website
5. Write a business plan
6. Get investors
7. Get to work

These are all great responses and ideas. But, I’m still looking for more.

I think I also need to clarify my question a little bit.

I already have my own domain and I plan to revamp the look of this blog very soon. I’m already working on the design and my husband is working on my logo, business cards, and overall corporate identity.

What I need is the next step.

What should I focus on first?

In other words, if I were to have a full month to dedicate to this blog/business, what is the best use of my time?

Writing content? Marketing/networking? Something else I’m completely not thinking of?

So again, here’s my question:

I look forward to reading your answer in the comments.