Kids or Startup? The Challenges Are Surprisingly Common

Days normally don’t unfold as they were planned, and you can’t walk away from your responsibilities.

I’m an entrepreneur. I work hard, I play hard, and I post on social media about my success, and about the attractive people I meet in entrepreneurial high society.

I’m a father of three children. My family is my true strength in life, and I get my energy from spending time with my family. Not a single day without a happy family shot on social media. The kids are always nicely dressed, their faces pixelated, of course.

Wait, no.

Commonality 1: The Day Doesn’t Unfold as?Planned

I’m an entrepreneur. I work hard, I struggle over and over again, and you normally don’t hear anything about those struggles outside my founding team, my family, and my inner circle of friends. Priorities can shift at any time, no matter whether we’re on vacation, it’s Christmas time, or the birthday of one of the kids.

I’m a father of three children. I am just coming home from the office, and all hell is breaking loose because the three kids all want that same spoon, and it’s unfair that they can’t have it all.

I’m getting up early one Saturday morning to finish some of that unfinished work, and I hear that distinctive sound of somebody vomiting. The day certainly won’t change for the better now.

Get it, or do you need more examples?

Commonality 2: You Can’t Walk?Away

I’ve been an entrepreneur and at the helm of Yonder for almost 10 years. The best way to describe entrepreneurship is the rollercoaster. Sometimes you feel invincible, and the next moment, you think you will tank your company.

Investors walking away or changing terms at the last possible moment.

New deals are delayed over and again, leaving your cash flow plan look like a clueless bad joke.

Customers are dissatisfied and threaten to terminate your services.

I’m no different from any other entrepreneur. I suffered many setbacks, disappointments, and bad news. But I always found a solution before it was too late. And never did I think to walk away from those difficulties.

Many people might not consider parenting as a leadership role. Being the father of three kids, let me reassure you that it is.

In my view, the true leadership role of parents is to give direction to the lives of their children. This starts with the values that are passed on and continues with how you support your kids during their education. It’s about showing them all the possibilities life can offer while making sure that they understand that you cannot have it all. Just as for entrepreneurs, resources are limited in a family, and I pay a lot of attention that my kids understand this core constraint.

Furthermore, I try to pass on my conviction that very often, it pays off to grit your teeth until the storm has passed and the skies have cleared?—?in the hope that my kids will learn to never walk away from difficulties in their lives.

Conclusion

Being a parent or an entrepreneur is a marathon. It takes tenacity, setbacks, learning, improvement, and therefore lots of time. Be prepared for unfinished to-do lists. Be prepared to change your priorities all the time. Be prepared to be confronted with many new things you’ve never seen before, and to which there isn’t a clear answer.

So you might ask yourselves: “Why on earth would somebody ever start a company and a family if it is such a struggle?”

My honest answer: I don’t know. Either you have that inner desire to build something and accept the hardships that come with it, or you choose a more comfortable life.

I chose to raise children and found a company at the same time.

I didn’t choose the external struggles that came on top during the past years: pandemics, geopolitics, inflation.

Nevertheless, I am still fully convinced that my choice was right, no matter what.

Welcome to my world.

Growing a company ?? in troubled times ???? is a marathon.

As a tech entrepreneur ??, active reserve officer ??, and father of three ??????, I can help you with ?? practical entrepreneurship and resilience advice for all aspects of life. To the point ??, no fluff, because entrepreneurs are busy.

When I’m not busy, I get my rest and inspiration in the beautiful mountains ??? around Zermatt ????.

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