I’ve been an entrepreneur for nearly 4 years and a mama for 1 year now.
Both roles come with a steep learning curve, deep-rooted identities, and LOTS of ups and downs.
And I’ve come to find that raising a kid is a lot like building a business. Here are a few things I’ve learned about entrepreneurship on my motherhood journey.
[***DISCLAIMERS: No, you don’t need to have or want kids to apply this insight. And for those of you struggling with fertility or loss, I hope this message isn’t triggering in any way.]
1️⃣ CREATE STRUCTURE, PRACTICE FLEXIBILITY
Just like caring for a tiny human, building a business with care requires creating structure, but practicing flexibility.
Systems and SOPs make everything easier, but you also need to discern when to adapt to changing industries, try new tech, listen to audience feedback, and seize opportunities.
2️⃣ GO FOR INTENTIONALITY OVER CONTROL
It’s worth setting expectations for yourself and others, but so much depends on other people and situational factors.
I can WANT my baby to nap at a certain time. I can encourage it. But I can’t ever know how quickly she’ll fall asleep and how long she’ll stay asleep.
I see this parallel in creating and launching offers, and sales in general. We can address hesitations, write beautiful copy, design intuitive pages, create meaningful content, and STILL can’t guarantee someone will be ready to buy when we want them to.
It’s about intentionality rather than control.
3️⃣ PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES
Prioritization is everything.
We only have so much time, energy, and money. And we need to preserve our resources where they matter most so that we can keep showing up—ideally as our best selves—each and every day.
Priorities become especially important with outsourcing.
What can ONLY we do (breastfeeding, 1:1 consulting), what do we WANT to do (walks with baby girl, content creation), and what are we willing to give up in exchange for more bandwidth (time away from baby girl to be able to take client calls, scheduling to be able to write substantive emails)?
4️⃣ HEALTH IS WEALTH
It’s amazing how we care for someone else but don’t put the same effort into ourselves.
When I had gestational diabetes and was protecting the tiny human growing inside me, I was the MOST diligent, dedicated patient. And it paid off.
But when gestational diabetes spiraled into uncontrolled blood sugars postpartum and eventually a Type 1 diabetes (aka uncurable and only semi-treatable condition), I wanted to give up because there was no direct impact on baby girl. But there was tangential impact: my energy levels, my ability to show up as the mom she needs long-term, and setting an example. So while I was WAY less motivated, I am [almost] as diligent in managing this new diagnosis.
The tie-in to business? Yes, craft a thoughtful, or dare I say exceptional, experience for your clients. But not at the cost of your own business’ ability to thrive. If you neglect your messaging, systems, financials, website, etc now, your business might not be around to serve your clients later.
5️⃣ YOUR JOURNEY IS YOUR OWN
Just like each kiddo and family is unique, so is every brand and business owner.
Benchmarks and milestones (and social media highlight reels…) only tell you so much. What matters in the end is how much love and attention you give to the task at hand and the vision you’re working toward.
It’s also really fun to see how your baby–whether the human, the business, or both–evolve. Sometimes well-beyond what you could have imagined.
6️⃣ DIG IN, OR PIVOT
With parenthood, as with entrepreneurship, some people find their strength and hit their stride amongst the challenges, while others are tested beyond their abilities.
You make it—whatever “it” is to you and the vision you have for your life—work because you’ve committed to the journey, the lifestyle, the path forward.
And if the scales tip beyond your capacity, you adjust. You send your kid to daycare, you stop at 1 kid instead of the 3 you imagined, you bring on a team, you do a 9-5 job for a while (or forever if that’s the right choice for you).
7️⃣ OTHER PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES CAN ONLY GET YOU SO FAR
Everyone has opinions, but what worked for them might not work for you.
Do your research, seek advice from people you trust, then follow your instincts when it’s time to take action.
8️⃣ ACT ON INSTINCT
Along those same lines, get in touch with your inner knowing. I’m continually amazed at how babies are so in tune with themselves: This bite is too big—spit it out. This step is too far—plop down. I’m tired—slow down. I’m hungry—make it known.
As adults and business owners (and especially as women), we could save ourselves so much headache and heartache if we listened to our intuition more often.
I saw a meme recently [ughhh, should have saved it to link here!] about how everyone has the thought “what would happen if I do this” and toddlers actually act on it! That sense of exploration and play would do most us some good. [Looking at you, fellow perfectionists, control freaks, researchers, and Enneagram 1s!]
9️⃣ REMEMBER: THIS IS JUST A PHASE
In parenthood, in entrepreneurship, in tough or slow seasons, in the more joyous moments.
Did I feel like I would be nap-trapped on the couch unable to do anything but hold my baby for the rest of my life? Yes. Did it only last a couple months? Also yes.
Did I feel like I’d be drowning in retainer work forever? Yes. Did I shift my offers to work via intensives so that my clients have a burst of momentum and I have more time freedom? Yes again.
And I do believe we can have it all. We just can’t be 100% to everything we care about 100% of the time. The math doesn’t work that way.
When we’re clear on why we’re doing what we’re doing, what we’re working toward, and how we want to show up, each phase is easier to not only “get through,” but also to appreciate while it’s here.
⤵️ FINAL THOUGHTS ON BUSINESS AS A MOM
Being a mother has made me a better business owner.
And if you’re anything like me (I know you are…), you take your roles very seriously. You view them as both a responsibility and privilege. Especially the roles we actively choose: partner, parent, entrepreneur, board member, etc.
In a lot of ways, we only get one shot to get things right, so it’s good we’re so dedicated to being and doing our best.
But it’s important to find the joy too. To take a step back and soak in what you’ve created. What you’ve accomplished. The awesome legacy in the making.
This is a reminder for me as much as for you! I’m rooting for us to have more ease in our lives and enjoy the journey along the way.
This is an excerpt from Toward Purpose & Progress, my newsletter where I share business tips, good news, shoutouts to Founder Friends, and other juicy snippets. Subscribe here for more rants, reflections, and resources.
