Life is crazy. And busy (not that I’m “glorifying busy” because according to a number of blogs and articles out there I’m not allowed to do that any longer). And hectic. And wonderful. And tiring. And did I mention crazy? I’m a Mom to two amazing kiddos (4 and 6 years old) and I also have another baby, my Hot Mama business.
It occurred to me at 4:30 one morning that there are many, many, MANY similarities between being a Mom to your kids and being an entrepreneur. As I started to write them out, it became funnier and funnier to me that when we call our business “our baby”…it is absolutely, 100% true. All the things we do as a mother for our ACTUAL children, we also do for our business. (ps…I realize that it was hilarious to me because I am 6 years sleep deprived, but just go with me…it was hilarious).
So, here’s my list of how Motherhood and being an Entrepreneur are ridiculously similar:
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Little to no sleep and/or interrupted sleep.
Motherhood – crying baby, nightmares, growing pains, thinking of ideas on how to be a better mother, doubts about what you’re doing, etc, etc, etc.
Entrepreneur – crying entrepreneur, nightmares, growing pains, ideas on how to have a better business, doubts about what you’re doing, etc, etc, etc.
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No money.
Motherhood – self-explanatory. All money goes to the kids as an upfront cost to growing healthy, happy children.
Entrepreneur – building a business takes time and money…and for the first few years, all money goes to the upfront costs of a growing business
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Failures.
Motherhood – you’re going to make mistakes, no matter what. You’re in the trenches, doing the best you can, but mistakes and failures are bound to happen.
Entrepreneur – ditto.
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Your time is no longer yours.
Motherhood – you’re constantly waiting on your kids: to finish breakfast, to tie their shoes, to pick out the 8th perfect outfit for the day, to get their hat on perfectly (because heaven forbid if it’s just slightly off-centre), moving forward is impossible because your kids always move at a slower pace than you do. (ps…don’t even get me started on the inability to go to the bathroom and shower alone).
Entrepreneur – you’re constantly waiting on answers, responses, work to be done by others not in your control. Accountants, lawyers, clients…no one moves at the pace you want to move and you must slow your pace so others can catch up (it’s okay to do this while tapping your foot and checking your watch repeatedly).
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Advice.
Motherhood – everyone has advice and everyone thinks you want to hear it. Some is good, some is just plain terrible. Listen only to the advice that feels right to you.
Entrepreneur – ditto.
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Listen to your gut.
Motherhood – Mom always knows best. Trust that.
Entrepreneur – Trust your gut. If you don’t have a good gut/radar for bull****, don’t become an entrepreneur.
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You work 24/7.
Motherhood – absolutely.
Entrepreneur – absolutely (apparently this changes…I’m not there yet).
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Quitting isn’t an option.
Motherhood – Once you’re a Mom, you’re a Mom for life…ain’t no stopping that train.
Entrepreneur – If you truly believe in your business, all the failures in the world won’t make you quit. It’s not an option. Ever.
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Friendships.
Motherhood – you really do find out who your friends are after you’re a Mother…if they can put up with your messy house, you being sleep deprived, unclean, doubtful, weepy, terrified, excited…they’re true friends. They’re okay with you squeezing them in when you can…knowing that someday, life may actually slow down. (Oh…and if they celebrate your child’s bathroom accomplishments…they’re absolutely with you for life!)
Entrepreneur – If your friends stick with you and bolster you up when you’re standing in the middle of your messy home office, when you’re sleep deprived, unclean, doubtful, weepy, terrified, excited…they’re true friends. They’ll have no expectations on your time…they realize that you do, absolutely, have to “pencil them in” and they don’t make you feel bad about it.
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You honestly believe that your “baby” is the best and can do no wrong.
Motherhood – yours kids are the cutest, most beautiful and wonderful kids in the entire world. No one can compete with their amazingness.
Entrepreneur – your business is the best, most important and wonderful business in the entire world. No one compete with its amazingness.
I have, my dear friends, found one major difference between motherhood and entrepreneurship. And that is…there is no exit strategy for Motherhood. Once you’re in, you’re in.
Good luck to all you Mothers and Entrepreneurs out there…you know you wouldn’t change a thing, now would you?
