Parents often protect their children from struggles. It’s a natural impulse. But exposing children to real problems and showing them they can overcome them can help their children learn to embrace the world rather than fear it. It is an affirmation of reality and possibility. The lesson children learn is not to be driven by the fear that they won’t succeed. In this article, we’ll look at how to build successful entrepreneurs in more detail.
Developing successful entrepreneurs
Alexis Jones is the creator of I AM THAT GIRL, an online empowerment community for girls, who grew up with her mother, Claudia, in There is an understanding that improving one’s life requires a lot of hard work. Claudia taught extension courses in auto repair at the University of Texas, worked as a bartender at night, and went back to school at age 43 to earn her bachelor’s degree. She sets an example of how to be independent and how to make things happen on your own.
Claudia always let Alexis choose her own path, make her own decisions, and supported Alexis in everything she wanted to do – from sports to modeling, from acting to public speaking, to pursuing a graduate degree .
When Alexis was accepted into graduate school at the University of Southern California but had no money to go, she found a garage in Beverly Hills, rented it for $135 a month, and used scholarships and student loans to pay for her tuition. Alexis completed the two-year program in one year, making it even more affordable. Now, through “I’m That Girl,” Alexis is empowering girls everywhere in the way she was taught to do for herself.
close and supportive relationship
Alexis and her mother were among 70 today’s successful entrepreneurs and their parents I interviewed about what it takes to raise successful entrepreneurs. A close and supportive relationship between parent and child is definitely a factor. Whether an entrepreneur grows up in a large or small family, rich or poor, traditional or non-traditional, with one or two working parents, the effect seems to be the same – a lasting feeling, if need be , the safety net will be there.
Of course, many close-knit families don’t produce entrepreneurs, but supportive, close-knit families are often the ideal environment to raise confident children; and confident children often grow up to be risk-taking, risk-taking entrepreneurs. What appears to be responsible for this difference is parental attitudes of encouragement, trust, and support.
Among the 70 entrepreneurs I interviewed, I took a closer look at the family structure to see if there was a single family type that created these outstanding entrepreneurs. No. Some come from typical nuclear families—mom, dad, a few kids. Many had divorced parents or were raised by single mothers. Some people’s mothers stay at home to raise their children, some people’s mothers work, and some people’s mothers have busy careers and are working all the time. Some are the eldest, some are the middle, and some are the youngest. Others are just kids. Some people have blended families, with step-siblings and half-siblings. Some grew up with adopted siblings.
Some of these entrepreneurs come from wealthy families, some from middle-class families, and some from families that are barely making ends meet. Some come from families that have lived in the United States for generations, some have immigrant parents, and some were born in other countries.
Looking at all these families, I had to conclude that what matters most is not how your family is formed, or whether your parents are married, or even whether you have two parents. The most important thing is your parents’ attitude.
It’s not just about having your family—whatever your family is—love you. it’s about owning them believe in you. They encourage you to follow your passion, trust you to make the right choices, and believe you can do anything you put your mind to.
This is one of the most important lessons I took away from the interviews: All parents love their children, but all of these entrepreneurial parents also believe in them, support their passions, encourage their dreams, and tell them not to worry Inevitable setbacks.
When a child has a strong, secure family foundation and is trusted and held accountable, the results can be amazing.
About the author
Margot Maher Bisnow
Twenty years in government, including serving as a member of the Federal Trade Commission and director of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. For the past ten years, she has been talking to parent groups about how to raise creative, confident, resilient children who can achieve their dreams.
She has served as a consultant for EQ Generation, an after-school program in New York City that equips children with the skills to succeed; on the advisory board of MUSE School in Malibu, which helps young people live intentionally through passion-based learning; and in Washington, D.C. Member of the District’s Spark the Journey committee, which mentors low-income high school students for college and career success. Her new book is Raising Entrepreneurs: How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dreams – 99 Stories from Families Who Achieve Their Dreams. For more information, visit raiseanentrepreneur.com.
