Parenting and running your own business require a similar skill set: innovation, creativity, empathy, resilience, a can-do attitude no matter what you’re up against and a tireless determination to work hard. These characteristics are necessary to raise a child and grow a business.
Women who opt to do both are navigating two worlds. While the ongoing societal narrative suggests this causes a divide that forces women to choose between work and home, there’s actually a magical fusion taking place.
Mompreneurs are adding the invaluable information they’re learning on the job to their parenting repertoires and incorporating the perspectives they’re gaining in motherhood to bolster the success of their companies. An ongoing, mutually beneficial evolution is occurring in both realms.
It’s estimated that one in three businesses owned by women is owned by a mother—and according to the Wells Fargo 2024 Impact of Women-Owned Businesses Report, “14 million women-owned businesses make up 39.1% of all U.S. businesses.”
This means an impressive 4.7 million businesses in America have moms at the helm.
According to a survey conducted by Vistaprint of 500 American moms who run their own business, “56% feel entrepreneurship is good for parenting,” while 94% believe “running a business leaves a positive impression on their kids, teaching them important qualities such as work ethic, responsibility, leadership, commitment and self-confidence.”
The symbiotic relationship between motherhood and being the founder of a company
Eunice Byun, co-founder and CEO of Material kitchenware, says being a mother helped her become a better business leader in day-to-day business dealings. “The two go hand-in-hand for me. I’m a better founder because I am a mother and a better mother because I am a founder. Both require master prioritization skills and the ability to ask for help,” she explains.
Angel Kho and Eleanor Lee, twin sisters and co-founders of Loulou Lollipop, a lifestyle brand for babies and kids, add, “Growing a business is like raising children. It takes time, nurturing and the ability to handle setbacks gracefully. We’ve also learned the paramount importance of flexibility and adapting to constant change, whether in our business or family lives.”
Katie Echevarria Rosen Kitchens, editor-in-chief and co-founder of FabFitFun says, “Motherhood has made me a better leader. I am much more focused on efficiency, productivity and performance versus how long someone spends in an office.”
Business moms have empathy: A quality every good leader needs to run a successful business
Mothers are hardwired to show empathy, a trait that serves them in dealing with their children and their employees. According to Ernst & Young’s 2023 Empathy in Business report, 87% of U.S. workers studied said empathy leads to better leadership.
Regarding the study’s findings, Kim Billeter, EY Americas People Advisory Services Leader, says, “Time and again we have found through our research that in order for businesses to successfully transform, they must put humans at the center with empathetic leadership to create transparency and provide employees with psychological safety.”
Co-founder of I.C.O.N. beauty brand Chiara Scudieri says, “Becoming a mother has deepened my capacity for empathy, which is invaluable in business. Understanding the needs and perspectives of both my employees and customers allows me to create stronger relationships and provide better service. This empathy also extends to my approach to leadership, as I strive to create a supportive and inclusive work environment.”
Resilience fuels motherhood and business
Aon conducted a report of 2,500 participants and found that “resilience at work increases employees’ enthusiasm by 45%, energy by 39% and concentration by 27%. Resilience also impacts their confidence and satisfaction levels.”
Kho and Lee explain, “Motherhood teaches us resilience, juggling multiple priorities and the value of making quick, decisive pivots when needed. All of these things translate seamlessly into running a business.”
Scudieri echoes Kho’s and Lee’s thoughts on the importance of pivoting when necessary and adds that the response after the pivot is key.
“Motherhood has provided lessons that directly apply to running my own business. Resilience in the face of adversity, raising a child inevitably involves challenges, but it’s the ability to bounce back and keep moving forward that leads to growth and success,” she notes. “In the same way, entrepreneurship requires resilience, especially during tough times or when faced with setbacks.”
What these moms hope their children and others learn from watching them work hard
Children are always watching their parents and learning from their behavior, just as employees look to their boss for leadership. As business leaders and mothers, these mompreneurs know they are an example to their kids and their work teams.
Amy Driscoll, co-founder of sparkling water and kombucha gut health drink company—Bear’s Fruit, wants people to know that running a business and motherhood are “… a marathon, not a sprint. Building a business takes time and dedication, just like raising children. There will be stretches where you feel like you’re constantly putting out fires, but there’s also the potential for immense reward in both aspects of your life.”
Byun advises, “Pick your battles. Building a business is a long game, and you have to keep up the endurance and mental health to do so. This means you don’t have to win every single battle. You have to preserve yourself and your energy for the most important ones and don’t sweat the smaller ones.”
Protecting Mother Earth for future generations
Mothers have the greater good in mind, with the knowledge that their children will inhabit the planet for years to come. Loulou Lollipop recently became a certified B Corporation, further solidifying their commitment for their company to be a “force for good.”
“From the beginning, we wanted Loulou Lollipop’s products to reflect our commitment to safety and respect for the Earth. The B Corp certification formalizes that commitment with rigorous standards that help ensure a better future for everyone’s kids,” Kho and Lee explain.
Additionally, Driscoll shares that Bear’s Fruit drinks are eco-consciously handcrafted using organic fresh fruit and herbs and fair-trade certified, non-GMO ingredients—and the company hopes to “do no harm” as they strive for carbon neutrality.
These mothers weave their paths as parents and business owners together to achieve a benevolent ripple effect. Kho and Lee sum it up perfectly: “We want our kids to understand the value of being kind, collaborative and always striving to do good in the world. Business isn’t just about the bottom line; it’s about leaving a positive impact.”
Photo by LightField Studios/Shutterstock.com
