What Five Years of Business Building Taught Me (That I Didn’t Expect)

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I can’t believe 5 years have past since I clicked “buy” on the domain name “TenMintueMomentum.com.” It seems like a lifetime and also like it was yesterday that I decided to just “start” something without seeing the full path ahead.

At the time, it felt reckless—and necessary—at the same time.

Five years ago, I had 9 kids living at home, a 2 year old toddler plus 8 more that were ranging from Kindergarten to College. We were mid year on all my kids being in school except the 2 year old.

I had quit homeschooling for a year and put them all in school…and it was just me and the 2 year old and lots and lots of time listening to audio books. The previous school year, I had stepped down as the Director of our homeschool co-op and suddenly it was just me driving my kids all over the place. Honestly, after 14 years of homeschooling…it was pretty weird to just not have school to do with them…and not have a co-op to lead.

I Quit Homeschooling After 14 years & Sent My Kids To School…(Here is what happened)

It was one of the biggest transitions our family had ever made.

My purpose and value felt a little shakey! Without realizing it, so much of my identity had been tied to those roles.

My husband and I had decided that we would give me that year to figure out what I wanted to do…to have a thought. And I had plenty of thoughts that year!

One of the things that I realized was that I really enjoyed writing. I had tried to start a blog 3 times before but would always quit. But part of me still really wanted to do that.

So in January, 2021, I pull the trigger and signed up for a blogging course and bought a domain name. This time, I decided not to talk myself out of it…and that quitting would not be an option.

Year 1 of My Business Adventure

I bought the domain name TenMinuteMomentum.com because the previous year, I had attended a writing conference. At the conference, I realized that I had believed a lie that I had no time for me to work on a goal for myself.

I would say:

• I have too many kids
• I’m homeschooling
• I have too much to do
• I have to run my kids to all the things
• I don’t have hours of time to work on something…my day is too broken up.

If I said any of those things to people, they would all be like, “Yes…you don’t have any time” and it reinforced the idea that it was impossible or even silly for me to think about starting something with so much on my plate.

Sometimes the people around us unknowingly help cement our limits.

The conference I had attended did writing prompts on repeat for 3 days…and we needed to write non-stop in 10 minute sprints over and over. At the end of three days I realized something…I could accomplish a lot in 10 minute chunks!

Fast forward…I bought the domain name based on the belief that I could use my 10 minutes better to build something to help other people.

Year 1 of my business looked like writing posts around time management, trying to figure out how to structure blog posts, trying to figure out how in the world I could do more with my 10 minute chunks, how to start an email list and what all the blog terminology even meant. It was a year of fundamentals.

Toward the end of 2021, I signed up to work with a business group coaching program.

In a nut shell, 2021 was all about investment. I invested a lot of time and money in learning.

Year 2: Begin to Build and Collaborate

In year 2, I decided that my primary focus would be on homeschooling. Before that I wasn’t sure…after all, I took a year off from homeschooling and at least one person told me that disqualified me from helping people on this topic. That comment stuck with me more than I expected.

But deciding to focus on homeschooling also meant that I began writing about education and homeschooling topics.

I also began to seek out homeschool blogging groups. In these groups, I would begin to collaborate with other bloggers to reach a wider audience. These collaborations would push me to create more content and products and to sign up for my first online speaking opportunity!

I was still learning…but the blog was starting to build and I began to connect with people from all over the world.

Year 3: I Need to Make Money

I year 3, I realized that somehow in all of this, I needed to start making money, because owning a blog and taking classes can be expensive!! The really cool thing was that the first two years I had spent learning like crazy had given me a great toolbelt of helpful skills.

So, when another blogger posted that she would looking for a VA to do certain tasks, I sent her a message. Up until that time, I had never called myself a VA…but she needed some work done that I thought I could do. So I offered to help.

My first VA job ended up being more of a “test project.” She gave me a task and said she wanted to see what I could do in 4 hours. It wasn’t work I had specifically done before but I gave it my best effort…and it paid off. That one time project turned into a part time VA job that continued for years.

This taught me that skills don’t have to be perfect to be valuable.

Once I realized that my skills could be used to help others, I started replying to VA posts in Facebook groups. If would answer questions, offer to help people and sometimes jump on a call.

The VA work gave me more consistent income that let me then continue to build and learn.

Year 4: More Ways to Monetize

Year 4 brought more learning. I took more courses (yeah!), did more collaborations and monetized my blog with ads and sponsorships. Those relationships led me to start working with a business partner to build a new curriculum company focused on building history curriculum that doesn’t shy away from edgy or uncomfortable topics.

In October of Year 4, I started working on PallasCenter.com and would later partner with Simit. We share similar education goals and values, but very different cultural backgrounds which has made it really fun to research and build.

Year 4 taught me that growing often happens through partnerships. We are limited when we try to do everything alone.

Year 5: Narrow The Focus

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Having fingers in too many pies?” Yes…that is me.

By the end of Year 5, I had both TenMinuteMomentum.com and was co-founder of PallasCenter.com. I was working as a VA and consulting with homeschool groups and brands. Add in sponsorship work, promotions and collaborations….and it all began to feel like “too much. ”

Maybe that was the unexpected part. Learning how to do all the things has been so fun. Meeting people and connecting with families is the best. But at the end of the day, its ok to not do everything.

Whether you are starting a business or running a home or starting a new habit, it’s ok to give ourselves permission to not do everything. I ended year 5 with the goal to narrow my focus and do less better!

Starting 2026 With Renewed Vision

One of the best ways to pivot in any season is to look back with gratitude. In my case, I am so grateful that 5 years ago, I decided to bet on myself and disregard the naysayers who agreed that I wasn’t qualified or that I was too busy.

Five years into this journey, I have learned a ton of new skills, met amazing families, helped homeschool groups and companies and learned how advertising works.

I have 2 homeschooled kids, 3 in private high schools and 4 that are graduated adults….with careers, in college or with degrees, dating or getting married.

The balance of starting to build a business has always been in tandem with being present for family. There isn’t a price tag for being able to chase a dream, work toward a goal and BE PRESENT for the ones you love. I’m so blessed.

More Reading:

• Overcoming 10 Obstacles to Achieving Goals
• 5 Most Important Habits for Tired Moms
• 5 Steps: The Power of Micro Goals To Achieve Big Results