I started writing this post from my daughter’s bedside at UCSF Benioff Children Hospitals, California. By the time we returned home a day later, I had made over seven hundred dollars doing almost nothing. I could do that because I adopt the time freedom model in running my business. Before having my daughter, I traded time for money working as a brand designer, and I loved it.

However, trading time for money becomes difficult when you have a newborn that requires many doctor appointments and hospitalizations. Shortly before my daughter’s first open-heart surgery, the social worker at the hospital told me point-blank: “You need to quit working if you want to give your daughter a good chance at survival.” She explained that while my baby will get the best care from her medical team, a fully present parent usually makes the difference between life and death. And, was she right! I needed time and freedom to keep up with the special dynamics of caring for a medically fragile baby.

Work as I knew it was incompatible with my new situation. However, I could not remain a homemaker forever. Engaging in meaningful work has always been very important to me. Work has always been a part of my identity. I need to be more than someone’s daughter, mom, or wife. Moreover, the financial freedom that comes with working is essential to me.

When trading your time for money is impossible.

I tried my hand at starting an e-commerce business, but an unplanned extended hospital stay ended that. It is challenging to communicate with suppliers, shipping partners, and manufacturers when you are mostly bedside in a full ICU. So, I decided to focus on learning new skills online during that very stressful time of my life. I enrolled in an interior decorating program with the New York Institute of Art & Design and binged on many photography courses on Creativelive.

Months later, I had a fully functioning photography studio in my home but couldn’t commit to offering my services to the public. My schedule was too unpredictable because of my daughter’s needs. I needed a business model that gave me time and freedom.

Discovering an opportunity in an unlikely place

One day, the dishwasher overflowed and damaged the flooring in the house while we were out. We decided we wanted something more durable than wood flooring for replacement. So, we moved out of the house with our three kids for the renovation. Staying in a hotel suite with three kids was a painful experience. So, my husband suggested renting a single-family home on Airbnb. My knowledge of Airbnb was limited to the case studies we did in graduate school. At that time, Airbnb was still a relatively new platform where people rented out spare bedrooms in their homes. So, I was a little bit apprehensive.

However, I was blown away by the house we eventually booked four cities away from where we live. It felt just like home with enough space for the kids to play outside. I realized we needed something similar in our home city and discussed purchasing an investment property with my husband.

A few months later, I started my own short-term rental business serving families who needed temporary housing just like we did. The real work is finding the right property. All that photography and interior decorating education plus past advertising experience came in handy for marketing. 

Putting systems in place for time freedom

I knew I had to be as hands-off as possible to allow time and freedom for our family’s needs. So, I put systems in place to make automation integral to the business. I outsourced almost every aspect of the company: marketing, housekeeping, purchasing supplies, maintenance, communication, and access. The only thing I chose not to outsource is the regular property inspection aspect of the business. Nonetheless, that is no big deal because I make it a family outing that the kids love.

Benefits of owning a business that allows time freedom

1. Financial freedom that comes from business ownership
2. More control over scheduling and family life
3. Work on my schedule, from home or anywhere else.
4. Take as many vacations and sick days as I want
5. Pass on the business to others without loss of money
6. Scale business beyond my geographic location without sacrificing freedom

I have gone on to expand to Texas using the same model that worked in California. The business gives me joy because I know I am making a difference in the lives of my guests and my contract team. Most importantly, I get to be a fully present mom to my three beautiful kids while making an income that benefits the entire family.

Now and then, I miss the rush of trading time for money. So, I have learned to incorporate a few trading time for money projects into my life to feed this need. One time, I photographed a friend’s wedding because she was fine getting only a few edited photographs days after the wedding and the rest in a wedding album months later. Another time, I designed a new brand identity for a client who is okay with working with me on a flexible project timeline. Also, I do a bit of business coaching weekly to help a struggling a business owner stay in business.

I can do these different things because of the time flexibility my particular circumstances demand. I am grateful that I can be a haven for the kids during this season of their lives while doing meaningful work that feeds my soul. Seeing how far my daughter has come, I am glad I listened to that social worker and quit working my old way.