Stuff Every Entrepreneur Can Learn From a School Talent Show

(Or why life lessons can come from anywhere)

5 PM on a Friday evening. My second grader took on her dad’s love for Bollywood (not dancing!) and was super excited about performing a little dance number with her friend at the school talent show. I never realized I could have attended this event the past two years even if my kid didn’t participate. Snack bags full (for me), phone charged (for me) and with my kid strangely calm, we arrived at the talent show.

I am what you would call a supremely cynical mom. Blame it on my Indian childhood aimed at grades and perfect academics, or my puzzlement at how much we run around for our kids but 3 hours at a talent show on a Friday night was well, not my ideal. However, the next three hours blew my mind away. Why?

Dive right in

I expected my kid to be nervous. I had prepared to talk her down from the side of the stage, deal with tears, hiccups and a host of other issues. But she dove right in. Why? Because “I forgot I was supposed to be nervous”.

Learning #1: Most times, its actually about having fun. Not impressing people.

Support one another. Seriously.

The older kids have kinda been there and seen it all. Nervousness, flat jokes, you name it. They were up there, with encouraging signs to ‘laugh’, ‘clap’ and ‘cheer’ for each contestant. They know how it feels.

Learning #2: Your experience means you get to teach someone something. That’s pretty much it.

It takes a village, really.

You hear it all the time in school communities. It’s actually true. When you have found your community, you have really found your home. Value it. Support it.

Learning #3: It doesn’t matter if your village is from your school, your country or newly formed hopeful entrepreneurs. Its your community. Nurture it and cherish it.

What have you learnt as an entrepreneur from your kids?

Finding my talents as I go along,

Sapna