What Being a Father Teaches you About Being an Entrepreneur

As Father’s Day approaches, we’re all taking a moment to celebrate the fathers in our lives. At EduBrite, we’re lucky to have many team members who play both the role of StartUp team member and Dad. They shared a few of the things they’ve learned about entrepreneurship from being a father.

Time Matters. Time is the only completely nonrenewable resource. There are endless tasks to focus on, projects to manage, and meetings to attend. As a founder or team member and a father, you know you have to make every moment count. Say yes to the things that matter and no to the things that don’t.
Invest in Your Team. Your kids grow and change and you have to adjust to their needs. What works one day doesn’t always work the next. As a father you provide your kids with opportunities to learn and, along the way, you give them compassionate feedback. But you know it is just as important to set aside time to just have fun. Keeping in mind that all of us (even grownups) can benefit from a little fun and compassion can help you build a team that feels appreciated and trusted.
Learning Takes Time. Think about how a child learns to walk. It isn’t as if they wake up one day and take off down the sidewalk. They first learn to stand up, then they learn how to steady themselves, and then they slowly begin to put one foot in front of the other. Sure, while they’re learning all of these things they fall- but they get right back up. And before long, they’re trying to run before they’ve really learned how to walk. Building a business is a lot like learning to walk. The key is to take one step at a time, lean on support when you need it, walk before you can run, and get right back up when you fall.
You’re no Longer Number One. Being a dad means you have responsibility not just for yourself but also for your kids and your family. Their needs come first and your decisions start to reflect that. Building a business or being a part of a team is the same way. You have people that are depending on you to show up with 100% each and every day.
Patience. Every parent will tell you that parenting requires loads and loads of patience. From waiting while a young child struggles to put on their shoes when they insist on doing it themselves, to the time it takes a teenager to put down their phone and answer you. Lots and lots of waiting. There’s plenty of opportunities to develop that patience at work, too. Inevitably, your team will take longer to finish a project than you expect, sales won’t close as quickly as you’d like, or your business will reach a plateau. Practice patience…
Different Perspectives are Key. Your child will interact with a lot of different adults throughout their lives: Teachers, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Parents of other kids, etc., etc. Each of these individuals in your kid’s lives helps them see a different perspective, viewpoint, or way of living. As a founder, we nurture an environment that allows team members to share various creative ideas/ suggestions and find solutions to the problems. As a parent, we value the positive influence others will have on our kids and the wider viewpoints they’ll be exposed to. It’s important to make sure you’re giving yourself the same opportunities.

The EduBrite team celebrates all fathers who work hard to raise happy and healthy kids. Happy Father’s Day!