We all know that mums are fearless when they have a kids-related objective to reach. They will try every option at their disposal and will never stop until they succeed. Does that sound familiar to some of you? Are startup founders just like moms or parents for that matter, fearless creatures who would go where no one has gone before in order to grow their ideas aka offsprings?
If you ask me, a woman and a mother, working with founders and their teams for many years I would say “Oh yes, ladies and gents. This is your founder persona right here, no need to look any further.”
But what makes these mums or parents in general successful in the startup scene? It is their drive and their increased endurance? As some of you might know, kids have a way of challenging their parents everyday, so endurance comes with the territory 🙂
With no further ado, here are five reasons Mums are unstoppable in the business realm. For sure there are many more, so feel free to add some more to the list as it will only make the case even stronger. These individuals are unstoppable in startup set-up, no matter their roles.
#1 They have seen it all
To tell you the truth, parents are not that easily impressed, as they have seen (almost) all. This makes them better leaders, easily adaptable and able to withstand stressful situations such as long funding processes. Moreover, they deal better with crises. As their survival mode is already active and they just need to act accordingly when needed. Most of them will do with no hesitation. Perfect roles for these types of individuals: CEOs, PR Lead, Crisis Comms Lead, Recruitment Coordinator.
#2 Masters of prioritization
They can deal with a lot, and know when and how to focus. These are crucial strengths in a startup and I’m sure you’ll not question it. As there is so much work to be done and few resources, you’ll need these types of individuals next to you. Best roles: CTOs, CFOs, Product Managers.
#3 They trust their instincts and they’ll tell you all about it
With no doubt in mind at the end of an important meeting, such as an investor pitching, they will tell you what that room was “feeling” and what should be the approach moving forward. Some might have had these instincts before but when becoming parents they are more accurate and more reliable. So do trust that feedback when is given to you, it might bring you that round. Great roles for these types of individuals: Founders, Chief Fundraising Officers, Negotiators, Strategy Directors.
#4 Balance work and personal life
After years of mixing the two, parents will come up with limitations and focus on productivity and performance. As time to work is somewhat reduced, that means it needs to be completed before the deadline, and with no endless discussions. This brings up a very important point: the time we make for our personal life is actually time well spent, invested in our wellbeing, allows us to see the broader picture and therefore make better decisions. Best roles: HR Lead, Marcom Lead, CEOs.
#5 Caring is unleashed
They are supporting their teams no matter what and understand the importance of guidance, time off, mindfulness etc. They will go where no one has gone before literally to get the product out or get that tracktion we are looking for. You’ll need to keep them close as they will be very loyal in the long run. Best roles: Co-founders, Chief Fundraising Officers, Marcom Leads.
Are you a parent? I’m sure you have a lot to add to this list, but that might be besides the points. It’s high time we brought parenthood to the workplace, in the sense that we should give credit to all the parents out there for the brilliant work they are doing not only at work, but also home, as they raise the next generation of change-makers, founders, CEOs or CTOs. With home-working this year having been the norm, it’s been great to see that in many cases, kids could pop up in a call without creating a total crisis. We are on the right path, but still have a long way to go.
