I am self-employed and the mother of a newborn. What does this mean? I am at Starbucks every single day. Multiple times each day. Sometimes for hours each day.

Anti-consumerism aficionados beware: Starbucks, that beacon of light in an otherwise mind-blowing, mind-boggling, or mind-numbing day (all pertinent to being an entrepreneur and mother), has made my life better.

Take a look at the clientele next time you enter its warm, welcoming, rust-toned environment midday. Yes, there are those who run in and out, rushing back to their European-made cars parked illegally across the street. But who are the ones lounging happily in the plush chairs, sipping their grande, half-caf, no foam, extra hot, soy cinnamon dolce lattes? Mothers. Most often breastfeeding with $1000 strollers in tow. And the self-employed: realtors, entrepreneurs, a certain loud-mouth rental property owner (who happens to be my uncle). Who else can sit for 3 hours at a time, reading trashy magazines, flipping the newspaper to the bikini girl at back, and blackberrying the office admin staff?

Now, I am not one of the above. For one thing, I wanted one of those $1000 strollers, but my husband is too cheap. And two, my cell phone is 6 years old. But I do love trashy magazines...

Seriously though, I recently moved back to my hometown from a much more metropolitan city, and it actually occurred to me that I would not have been able to make that move if Starbucks hadn't infiltrated the city since I left a few years ago. Never mind the great lure of grandparents for my children, it was simply unfathomable to consider returning to a place void of the forest green circle.

There is nothing I love more than whiling away the afternoon at my computer hard at work, playing with child, or trekking around town, with that cream-colored cardboard cup of love at my side. I don't even order a fancy drink. Tall Bold, thank you very much.

In fact, I think my newfound biceps are not due to lugging my baby around, but rather to holding that caffeine-filled cup in my hand for the duration of my 5-mile walk every morning. It just isn't exercise if Cafe Verona doesn't cross my lips every half-minute, while I discuss with my sister the merits of low-fat versus no-fat.

Sometimes, I even save said coffee cup after the walk, once emptied. I'll actually refill it with my bland grocery store blend at home, so I can have some degree of imitation until my next fix. Honestly, just getting through a conference call requires my caffeine friend on most days.

Really though, at the end of the day, it's whatever makes you happy. And if that little cup of joe - and perhaps a butter-filled treat - gets me through it, so be it.

Now if only my toddler would stop screaming 'num num' every time we drive by said establishment...

About the Author

Laura Jayne McDonald is a young mompreneur and franchisor. Just shy of 30 years old, she is the proud mom of two beautiful girls and the co-founder and co-CEO of Two Blonds & a Brunette Gift Co., a celebrity-endorsed corporate gift and gift basket franchise.