From supermoms to mompreneurs: work struggles, guilt and entrepreneurship

Purpose Workplace challenges, societal expectations and caregiving responsibilities create profound stress in women, as they play a dual role and balance their professional and maternal obligations. This study aimed to explore the factors leading to maternal guilt in working mothers, how they navigate it, and the role of entrepreneurship in alleviating this guilt. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a sequential mixed-method approach. In-depth interviews with 10 working mothers were conducted (study 1 - qualitative) followed by a survey with 456 working mothers (study 2 - quantitative). Findings Qualitative analysis (Study 1) using Gioia’s methodology revealed six key dimensions: motherhood penalty, supermom syndrome, parental altruism, maternal guilt, societal norms and mompreneurship intentions, from which a conceptual model was developed. This model was empirically tested using quantitative data in AMOS and PROCESS macro. Findings revealed that workplace challenges (motherhood penalty) and family responsibilities (parental altruism and supermom syndrome) significantly contributed to mompreneurial intentions mediated by maternal guilt. Furthermore, this indirect relationship was significantly moderated by high levels of societal support. Practical implications Study findings imply that the transition from traditional employment to mompreneurship is not just a career shift, but it serves as a coping mechanism for women to regain control over work-family balance. Originality/value This study offers a nuanced perspective on maternal career transitions by highlighting why working women pursue mompreneurship.