I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I just became a mom first. But it didn’t deter me from taking the plunge. And so I did – with an 18 month old daughter, a husband working overseas and no family living with me – I made the hardest and best decision of my life – to quit my job and follow my heart.
As I reflect on the past 3 years – as a first-time mum and a first-time entrepreneur, here are 5 things mommyhood taught me well to gear up on my entrepreneurial journey :
Lesson #1 - You’re Never Prepared Enough
Parenting books – check. Doctor consultations – check. Friends experiences – noted. Parents’ advise – noted. Yet, when she arrived that afternoon, we were overwhelmed – we were clueless – we made our own road. The journey was now real. So were our experiences as new parents.
As a mom, when I walked into the maze of the start-up world, I had already embraced the uncertainty it was to bring – I was almost celebrating the ‘what next?!’ Its one of my biggest strengths in sustaining this entrepreneurial journey.
Philosphical Me says : ‘Its Never Real, until it Happens.’
Lesson #2 - 24/7
Noone knows the true meaning of this term except a mom …and a first time entrepreneur. There are no time limits, no working hours and no real holidays. While my daughter would be away at daycare during my work hours, I often found her in my thoughts and suffering from mommy guilt on several occasions. I tried to switch off…to no avail.
Few months into the start-up, I took my first vacation to visit my husband who was living in another part of the globe. I have never felt so ecstatic having a wi-fi connectivity on holiday as I now did – what if there was an enquiry, what is my partner had a situation, what if there was an important mail, what if I found a killer idea while sipping my drink on the beach which I needed to share right then.
Philosphical Me says : ‘Be prepared to be consumed because if not you, then who.’
Lesson #3 -Getting your hands dirty
With a baby I mean it literally. Mommyhood prepared me to ‘do it from scratch’. So when it was time to find those hidden vendors in the bylanes of unknown areas, or simply getting down to the brass tacks of packing orders – I was prepared. It wasn’t hardwork – it was Business As Usual.
Philosophical Me Says : ‘Make friends with the mess, and the mess stops messing with you'
Lesson #4 - Learning on the Job
Each child is unique and so is each parent. We learnt to handle our baby depending on what worked with and for her. She hates dirty hands, so I learnt that muddy puddles weren’t her best friends. She speaks less, so I learnt to ask her more.
Every start-up journey is unique and while I keenly read and re-read stories of my favorite entrepreneurs, I learned to find my own way of handling crisis, handling customers and vendors, handling our brand.
Philosophical Me Says : ‘Learning How to Learn if one of the best skills in Life’
Lesson #5 -Holding onto the Tiny Surprises
Just when you least expect it, that tiny surprise will come your way and make your day. The first time, during a rather harmless game of softball catch n throw, our daughter gave out her first warm,hearty ,gurgling laughter – I have never felt such joy.
The first time we got that ‘Received the package – the stuff is wonderful! Love it!’ message – I felt joy which I had never known. My smiling daughter, my happy customer - The happiness for me lies in these delightful little moments which make all the effort worth the while.
Philosophical Me says : ‘Relish the tiny surprises - their warmth will carry you through those cold,sleepless nights’
While many moms wonder about working at all after their little bundle of joy arrives, I believe, being a mom prepared me extremely well to start my first venture.My daughter helped me take the first step towards following my dreams!
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