The following guest post was written by Julie Frans, Co-owner of Dining Details, the featured gourmet caterer for the upcoming January 21st event, The 4th Annual Making The Most of Your Personal Strategy New Year Kickoff.  Julie also owns Chickpeas, which provides nutritious school lunches for growing children.  You can follow Julie on Twitter.

Julie is a member of Six Figure Moms Club.  I’m proud to know her and to have the opportunity to learn from her as another working mother following her dreams and working through the challenges every day.  Thank you Julie for sharing this wonderful post with us.  May you find everything you always wanted…that’s not already right in front of you.

Warmly, Angie

Just Not Enough Time in The Day

By Julie Frans

Us working moms perform magic tricks day in and day out. Every mom has a few magic tricks up her sleeve, but there’s no denying us entrepenurial, business owning, super-driven moms have to have a bit of magic tricks and crafty spells in mastering the fine art of balancing business, motherhood, wife-hood, self health and happiness.

Balancing, juggling, struggling… however you get through it, however you call it, working moms are a rare breed. And yet… we still have not mastered how in the world to add more hours into our day… or have we?

I was always busy, graduating with honors from UCSB just after turning 21. I started a business from scratch at the age of 26 after traveling the world, with nothing more than a backpack when I arrived San Diego.

After cooking aboard yachts throughout California, Mexico, and Alaska, I figured simply, “I can do this at home- no problem! Everyone needs to dine well!” Little did I know what I was getting myself into.

Website development, networking, sales, tracking, follow-up, risk management, insurance, workman’s comp, booking, staffing, payroll, permits… and the dreaded Q word… Quickbooks! I never knew I would have to be a book keeper to be a chef! I was barely cooking anymore- I was juggling 10 different jobs at all times.

I quickly adapted- I multiplied myself. I didn’t want to work that “hard” forever- I wanted a family! I wanted a business that worked for ME!.. So that I could have a happy family, take my kids to the zoo every week, do yoga, travel! Boy, was that a silly notion.

As I grew my business, my responsibilities grew exponentially. Bills multiplied. As money came rolling in in droves, money went soaring right back out in sealed envelopes. Employee uniforms! Client gifts!

Now there were 5 of us networking, not one; 10 of us putting miles on our cars, not one!

My husband, a wonderful man who jumped along for the ride after a very cush job as a private chef to an ambassador, had no idea what was in store for him, but learned to pull his weight in the business.

Whatever he may lack in entrepenurial fire, he makes up for tenfold with his raw cooking talent and creativity, his personality that sells our business with his genuine smile and compassion, and his capacity as a loving husband and wonderful father.  My Johnny, my amazing, bright and happy 1 year old, is quite possibly the most well adapted kid in San Diego- leave him with anyone friendly and he’s happy… so it seems now. But- the guilt and wonder is always there- as I forge ahead with business, growing it as I chase that ever dangling carrot in front of me, thinking… “someday,” am I leaving my 2 guys in the shadows? Am I fulfilling my duties as wife and mother as I strive for bigger, better, more?

A wise man told me I need to get over my case of the “as soon as…”

syndrome.  ”As soon as” the business is “here” I will have “this.”

This being time, freedom, zoo trips with Johnny any time I want. It’s the entrepenuer in me. It’s the dreamer. It’s the driven, determined, passionate mission of my soul to keep it going until… until what?

Until I am satisfied in every aspect of life? Until I have mastered that fine art of perfect balance? Until I feel like there are enough hours in the day?

The bottom line is that I live this life because I have to… no, not for money… but for love. For the love of the challenge, for the love of the mission, for love of the teamwork that my family has to make this business and this life work harmoniously. It’s definitely not easy running a business as a mother. It’s not easy running a business with your husband. It’s not easy pulling off magic tricks every single day to create more hours so that everyone is getting their due- husband, child, business… me! But I would not trade my life for anyone’s. I am living my passion, pursuing my dream, and making magic every way I can to keep my life in the balance. And we are making magic together, as a company and as a family, Robbie, me, and even Johnny, as we create magic in the homes and lives of the people we feed and help live better lives through food.