Katharina Rauschmeier is a single parent and entrepreneur. How she gets her upbringing, household and her company under one roof.
Corona turned the strictly planned weeks of Katharina Rauschmeier on their head. As with so many, the lockdown made itself felt with the closure of the kindergarten and thus confused a painstakingly built model of fixed work and family time. Because one of the highest goods for the single mother of twins is time. Time she needs to earn money, shop for food, do the housework, drive the car to the workshop and, as in her case, run a multi-employee company through an economic crisis.
“When I asked the magistrate where I can get the preschool exercises for my children because I have to do an educational job, it was only succinctly: that the children will now be released into the home education, but that was not my question”, tells Rauschmeier. So, as so often, she resolved the matter herself. She googled the Internet, looked for swing exercises, coloring pictures and series of numbers and prepared her children for school herself in lockdown.
To make all decisions alone, to take full responsibility – Katharina Rauschmeier does not only have this situation in her private life. At the age of 23, she started her own business, and the 40-year-old now runs a building cleaning company with 26 employees. Here, too, success and failure depend on her, and nobody can relieve her of her existential fears. “But as a self-employed entrepreneur I can at least work flexibly and don't necessarily have to go to the office. As a single parent, many things would be impossible if the boss wasn't behind it. “
“Psst, mom has to work”
The lockdown required an even closer cycle than before, the kindergarten as a buffer between work and education was eliminated. From March to May Rauschmeier's alarm clock rang between half past four and five in the morning, a quick coffee and then breakfast was prepared, the children were woken up and later the exercises were done. She also took calls from her customers.
“My children are used to this from an early age. When I say 'psst, be quiet for a moment, because mom has to work', then they understand that too. ”Ms. Rauschmeier saves everything that cannot be done during the day for the late evening and night. “I can write my emails in peace.”
She has been a single mother since 2016. For four years she has been making all the decisions herself, juggling professional and maternal duties, educating, scolding, reconciling, comforting, and bringing the money home. “I can't just say, today I'm lazy or today is not my day. Because everything sticks to me, there is no choice for me. “
A piece of freedom
Both children have been at school until 4 p.m. since September, which means that Rauschmeier has some free time. “When I take her to school, I like to go running. I need that to switch off and at the same time it gives me energy. ”The entrepreneur is proud to say that her company got through the year well despite the economic crisis. She brought all her employees through the crisis without short-time work.
“Here I was lucky enough to work in an industry where everything went on. My customers continued to use our services. Of course, there were also small companies and customers that had to close. But I was able to work and that was good. “
Corona was a tough year for the mother of two. Everything that was causing difficulties before became even more difficult. Nevertheless, she also clearly sees her successes. “I think I've mastered the balancing act between running a company and raising children quite well. My children are healthy, my company is doing well and I have decided to donate my entire marketing budget to the Austrian Breast Cancer Aid. Even as a single parent, I feel a great need to give a little back to society. “
