Owning a business and announcing pregnancy to clients

[PrincessWinnie]

Hey ladies, I have a unique dilemma. I own a home-based business, a dog walking and pet sitting company. For the most part I don't see my clients often but a few times a week I either bump into one at the grocery store/Target or if they're working from home we'll occasionally see them. I'm 16 weeks now and I'm wondering what the right time would be to tell them that I'm pregnant? More for the fact of knowing that within a few months I'll have to lessen my workload (and maybe sooner, you never know what could happen).

I'm thinking the clients I'm "closer to", that I see from time to time, that I communicate with on a more friendly level I could tell them by 20 weeks, and the ones I rarely see or talk to to wait maybe until 25ish weeks (would be early-mid October).

Let me know if anyone has any thoughts or experience with this. I'm starting to show a little bit and it would certainly be obvious soon enough to anyone what's going on.

[kythryne]

I announced the pregnancy as soon as we had a heartbeat and had told relatives, at 7 weeks. I had a pretty rough first trimester and couldn't keep up anything close to my normal workload, so it was becoming obvious that SOMETHING was going on. People have been quite understanding, and I'm really glad I don't have to try to hide the fact that I feel awful most of the time.

I also do a ton of business right around the holidays, and I'm due in early January, so I wanted to get the word out early that my deadline for custom work will be a month earlier than usual this year. So I would probably have announced it when I hit the second trimester or thereabouts, if I hadn't had to scale back right away.

[wholebreath]

I am a self-employed massage therapist and I announced formally to my clients at 18 weeks. It was getting hard to hide and I also wanted to let them know what my plans were for how long I was going to work. I will be working until 26 weeks with this one, so it was about 2 months notice.

I think people appreciate the info so they can make plans for any leave you might take or any reduction in work you might need to do.

[amo4piano]

Same Situation

Hi--I have almost the exact same situation. I am a private music instructor. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag too early in case (God forbid) something would happen with the pregnancy.

However, after many discussions with my husband, I have concluded that lessening my work load NOW (I am 6 weeks and will be 9 weeks when school and lessons start back up) and allowing both my clients and myself that time to plan ahead for any unexpecteds is the best way to go.

I know how you feel...I have had some clients for more than 5 years! I am planning to start cutting people out of my schedule based on seniority and I think the best way to keep a professional relationship (and the prospect of their return business in the future) is to be honest and open about the situation with everyone all at once. Some clients may find out from ones that you've told and wonder why you didn't tell them. They may feel like you're trying to put one over on them or just be hurt about it...those people won't come back to you in the future.

Also, just food for thought...maybe you could look into hiring someone to work for you and take on the business you have to cut out of your own schedule. Then you don't lose any clients, you work less, and you don't lose as much money. It's actually the perfect time (and the perfect reason) to expand your business

GOOD LUCK!

[Tresa]

My dermatologist didn't tell anyone, including her own staff, until she was so largely pregnant she couldn't hide it anymore...7months, I'm guessing.

Your job seems a little more physically taxxing, though, and I would think giving your clients fair notice that you will be cutting down your workload as your body needs it, would be a professional, kind thing to do.

[Twinklefae]

I am a home daycare provider, and I told all the parents as soon as it was obvious - around 7 weeks when I was permanently green in the face.

I also wanted to give them a long lag time on knowing that changes are coming.

[gemasita]

I'm 16 weeks and I'm a doula so I own my own business and I haven't told any clients yet. I always want to make my clients feel special and like I am all about them and their special time so I am really struggling with whether or not or how to tell them without taking the focus off of them. So far, I have not told because I haven't really NEEDED to. If I feel like my work is affected, then I feel like I would tell them and they would certainly understand my special circumstance. I do have several backup doulas to rely on.

[StarMama]

I run a home daycare, and when pregnant with our little girl we lost full term I waited until 20 weeks to tell them (and I'm a plus sized mama, so it wasn't an issue of showing yet). This time around I've had the same families through the last pregnancy and so I decided to tell them sooner. I did wait until after we had a good ultrasound with heartbeat first, as I had spilled the beans with the wee one I miscarried last year and that was rough.