#TheImpactArchitect: What I've learned from working with Mums, including my own: The Original Entrepreneur

Working with mothers for the past ten years, what never ceases to amaze me is just how many entrepreneurial traits they possess. Whether it be loyalty, hard work, or trying to achieve 10x return on investment - they seem to be natural growth hackers. 

I grew up helping and working with my mum and her small business, and through the work at her nursery, starting one myself and then going on to Willow Tree - I have interacted with hundreds, if not thousands of mums. What has become increasingly apparent is just how many traits of successful entrepreneurs have is what you find in an everyday stay at home or small business owner mums:

Resilience

Growing up with my mum, I watched her juggle two full-time jobs - being a mother and trying to grow her own nursery. Despite having experienced all kinds of setbacks, she always bounced back stronger with both her business and her way of raising us. I am sure many people will have different stories of their mothers depicting this same trait. Resilience is a very important quality that every entrepreneur must have because the journey is not always smooth and unexpected challenges that spring up can create obstacles that can have the possibility of putting the company out of business. The ability to solve problems by strategizing, engaging the relevant stakeholders and properly executing the plan to overcome the challenge is a trait I learned working with mothers which I implement when need be in my entrepreneurial journey.

Passion

Mothers show great enthusiasm not only in the affairs of their families but to the cause of society as a whole. Sometimes, I wonder what motivates their dedication. Passion. Yes, mums are passionate about whatever they do and that is one of the traits that keep them going. Every successful entrepreneur is passionate about what they do, and how it affects the environment around them.

Hard work

Mothers understand when to work hard and when to work smart. They are able to balance home, raise children and even have a business or career at the same time. They are able to do a bit of everything and still get it right. Hard work is an important quality I learned working with mums, especially when they finally reap the rewards of their labor. Nothing happens by chance and without putting in some form of hard work and patience, you cannot expect to produce yields out of the blue as a successful entrepreneur.

Fighter instinct

Working with mums, I noticed that they never give up and fight till they get results for every cause they believe in. From keeping their home intact amidst difficulties, watching their children grow and show different attitudes at each stage of their lives and other numerous examples, I noticed that mums typically have a ‘fighter’ mentality. This is exactly what an entrepreneur needs to sustain their business. Sometimes you have to step up and fight publicly, and other times you will have to fight your business battles silently. The wisdom to know when to use each approach is a valuable lesson I learned from mums.

Resourceful

My mum is a ‘walking encyclopedia’. It is little wonder that I will usually turn to her when I need ideas and advice. Whatever concerns them, family and sometimes the society they make every effort to be concerned with. An entrepreneur must be resourceful; up to date with industry information and should be seen as an expert in the field. This does not only help the business but allows people to have confidence in their opinions which is a plus for the brand.

Effective bootstrapping

There are no better examples for entrepreneurs to learn effective bootstrapping lessons than from mothers. As someone who was raised by a mother who was a small business owner and worked with several mums in my line of duty as well, I have watched them build their businesses from scratch most of the time with no personal saving, external support, and relying on luck or favor. It is a big risk that qualifies them to be called the ‘Original Entrepreneurs’, and rightly so!

Recognizes when something is a wonderful opportunity

There is an old saying that “mums always know best”. I couldn’t agree more after observing the same characteristic in several mothers from different backgrounds. Mothers naturally have some special kind of intuition that makes them very similar to entrepreneurs. They are able to spot opportunities even when it does not look feasible initially. In the same way, they are able to sense danger far or near. The ability to recognize that something is a wonderful opportunity and seizing the moment is one of the things that places an entrepreneur ahead of their competitors in the game.

Committed to the cause

Raising a child is no ‘child’s play! It takes a lot of commitment, adaptation, and patience. I realized this working with mums and growing with one as well. They are dedicated and consider their roles as their obligation. Entrepreneurs that have this mindset hold on and never let go when there is no need to. Commitment is a key trait when it comes to running a successful and impactful business.

In it for the long run

Mothers nurture their children from pregnancy till after delivery. They understand that their children will also be part of their responsibilities and so have a long-term view in their approach. This is one of the qualities which drives them and keeps them strong even during hard times because they understand that their work will not be in vain. Running a business is a long-term commitment. Successful entrepreneurs understand this, and so even though they make plans for the short term, their main interest is looking further than their current circumstances.

It is amazing to note from the above that if we pay closer attention, we’ll realize that most of our entrepreneurial instincts and drive are acquired right from home at a very tender age!