Being an entrepreneur is hard; being a mom is hard. Being both is incredibly hard, but not impossible … and so worth it. That’s the message these CEO moms shared at “Mompreneurs–Mother Knows Business” at the 2016 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit. But I’ll let them tell it in their own words:
Let go of perfection. “How do you balance it all? How do you put 18 hours into your business and still make sure your family is OK? It’s about checking in and making sure you schedule. Certain things are going to fall by the wayside. Understand that that’s going to happen. Being an entrepreneur is tough. Being a mom entrepreneur is tough. But don’t beat yourself up. Just don’t miss the big things.” ËœJilea Hemmings, CEO, Eshe ConsultingÂ
Give yourself permission: “God didn’t give me these brains to clean up. It’s OK that I’m independent. I’m more than [just] pretty. I can throw down in the kitchen. It’s OK to have it all and do it all.” ˜Charity Washington, Co-Owner, Urban Skin Rx
Make me time. “Once a quarter I check in to a hotel and check out of the world. I don’t do any social media. I order room service, I work out, I read magazines, I watch movies. The only person who knows where I am is my husband, and he can only find me on the hotel phone IF the house is burning down.” ËœNicole Friday, Founder, FridayTalksFood.com
Put yourself in control. “The reason I started working for myself is so I could choose what business I take. I never wanted to give a person or a company the opportunity to fire me again. You want to have security. Women in business who aspire to own their own, be their own, manifest their own destiny face a choice.” ËœEgypt Sherrod, TV Host, Realtor, and AuthorÂ