More Than WE Know

If you’re a parent and you’ve ever wondered whether you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur

or

If you’re an entrepreneur and you’ve ever wondered whether you have what it takes to be a parent

reading Julie Lenzer Kirk’s book The ParentPreneur Edge: What Parenting Teaches About Building a Successful Business will reassure you that if you have done one, you probably have a lot of the necessary skills to do the other.

I’ve long thought that parents make great business owners because they are calm in a crisis, are experienced negotiators and are used to functioning well on very little sleep.

Julie takes these analogies further by paralleling the stages and skills of parenting with those of running a business - from conception through learning to growing pains and exit.  

Julie started her own business shortly after the birth of her two children. Soon, her husband joined her company and they simultaneously built a happy family and a successful business.  Eventually, Julie cashed out of her multi-million dollar business.  Her book is based on first-hand experience with being a successful business owner and mother.

Julie’s book is chock full of amusing anecdotes and wise advice about both parenting and business mishaps, challenges and successes. She draws upon her own experiences as well as the experiences of other parentpreneurs to illustrate her points.

What I liked best about Julie’s premise is that in business, as in parenting, you can read all the books you want, take all the courses you can, and do all the planning you are able, and still you find that life happens and much of your learning will be on-the-job and just-in-time.

Julie says that parenthood and entrepreneurship are both the hardest jobs you’ll ever love. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll make mistakes, and you will grow along the way.

This implies to me that a lot of success in parenting and business comes down to trusting ourselves and our intuition. As I’ve said before, Women Entrepreneurs know more than WE believe WE know. In many cases, WE simply need to learn to trust ourselves and that small, still, voice within.

So, read Julie’s book. If you’re a parent, the tales of diapers, tantrums and homework will seem all too familiar. Their relevance to entrepreneurship will be enlightening.

Conversely, if you’re an entrepreneur, the tales of pulling all-nighters, negotiating with clients, and meeting challenging deadlines will ring a bell. Their relevance to parenting will be surprising.

And if you are already both - a parent and an entrepreneur - first, take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back for how hard you work every day and night.

Then read Julie’s book to remind yourself how powerful and amazing you already are.

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