Running a business as a mom is already a juggling act. Add homeschooling into the mix and the balance feels nearly impossible. Yet, more and more women are choosing this path — proving that you can teach your kids at home while growing a business you love.
On the Moms Make Money podcast, I sat down with workflow and automation expert Colie James to talk about what life is really like as a homeschooling entrepreneur. Colie shared the highs, the struggles, and the systems that made it all work.
When Homeschooling Chooses You
For Colie, homeschooling wasn’t part of the plan. But like many moms, the pandemic forced her family to rethink school. Her daughter thrived in a virtual setting during the early years, but by sixth grade, the curriculum no longer met her needs. Reading comprehension became a struggle, and Colie realized something had to change.
That’s when she stepped into the role of homeschooling parent. With her background in education, she had the skills — but what she didn’t have was unlimited time. Running a business and teaching her child required a new approach.
Outsourcing Isn’t Optional
The first lesson Colie shared was this: you can’t do it all. As a homeschooling entrepreneur, you have to get comfortable with outsourcing and support.
Her daughter attended a co-op one day a week for subjects like art, robotics, and theater. She hired a reading specialist to fill in the gaps she couldn’t personally teach and leaned on her husband, a biochemist, for science.
This blend of professional support, community resources, and family involvement gave Colie the space to run her business while still giving her daughter a well-rounded education.
Restructuring the Business Around Family
Colie also restructured her business to make homeschooling sustainable. Instead of trying to fit everything in, she simplified. She shifted her photography work to weekends and dedicated weekdays to homeschooling.
On the systems side of her business, she scheduled VIP days only once a week and worked her client projects around her daughter’s co-op schedule. She also hired her first podcast manager and virtual assistant, which gave her more breathing room.
The result? Not only did homeschooling become manageable, but her business actually grew. The structure and boundaries forced her to be more intentional with her time.
Why Boundaries Are Non-Negotiable
One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation was the importance of boundaries. For homeschooling moms especially, blurred lines between home and work can create overwhelm fast.
Colie recommends:
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Communicating your hours clearly. Put them in your email footer or welcome packet so clients know when to expect a response.
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Protecting your capacity. Don’t book yourself to the limit. Leave room for sick days, unexpected appointments, or simply rest.
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Learning to say no. Every “yes” takes up space. If you fill your schedule with misaligned opportunities, you’ll miss out on the ones that truly matter.
Slow Growth Beats Burnout
Perhaps the most powerful advice Colie shared is this: start small. As a homeschooling entrepreneur, you don’t need to scale your business overnight. Growth will look different depending on your season of life.
Colie built her photography business slowly while her daughter was little, scaling only as her childcare hours increased. When she transitioned into systems and automation work, she applied the same mindset — sustainable growth over hustle.
Final Thoughts
Being a homeschooling entrepreneur doesn’t mean doing everything yourself. It means designing a rhythm that works for both your business and your family. For Colie, that looked like outsourcing what she couldn’t (or didn’t want to) do, restructuring her services, and holding firm boundaries around her time.
Her story is proof that you can homeschool your kids and build a business — but it takes intention, creativity, and a willingness to grow slowly. And maybe most importantly, it takes giving yourself grace along the way.
About Colie James:
Colie James is a Disney-loving family filmmaker, Workflow & Automations Guru, and the host of the Business-First Creatives podcast. Based in Denver Colorado, her heart pumps in helping photographers & creative service providers automate their sh*t, reclaim their time and get back to living!
With 10+ years in the creative space, Colie believes every creative deserves to build a business that is sustainable and profitable, and no one should quit their 9 to 5 only to work 24/7 [in their business].
The truth—automated systems can save us all from being overworked and overwhelmed.
When Colie isn’t building killer workflows and automations, you can find her spending some much needed time with her husband, James, daughter Chloe, or [you guessed it] at Disneyland.
Connect with Colie:
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Related Episodes and Blog Posts:
How I Run a Thriving Business with a 20 Hour Workweek
Running a Business While Raising Babies: The Untold Truth
The Invisible Load of the Mom CEO
