Why Toddlers Make Great Entrepreneurs
You might not think toddlers who are still learning to pull up their own pants would be a good source of insight into running your own business, but they do have a few key qualities down pat. Find out how my (mostly) adorable two-year-old is giving me some sage wisdom with these four day-to-day antics.
Toddlers Aren’t Afraid to Ask for Help
My son’s favourite phrase these days is, “Help please!” squeaked out in his adorable two-year old voice. He never stops asking for help all day, even though at times I wish he would so I can just sit down for a minute. I am always encouraging him to try again, or do things on his own, but at the end of the day, two-year-olds do need a lot of help.
As an entrepreneur, it can sometimes be difficult to ask for the help we need. When we are learning the ropes, there is a lot of pressure to figure things out on your own. Sink or swim as the saying goes.
This is why finding support groups, going to networking events and signing up for affordable online learning options like Skillshare are so important when you’re starting your own business.
“Right before Jayden was born, I joined a mastermind group. This is one of the best decisions I have made,” said Marie Hunter of her experience as an entrepreneur.
“Having this group of women has really given me the motivation to continue, even when things got difficult after I became a mom. I have taken on things I never would have dreamed of before. It has made me feel less isolated and fully supported because I have a group of women who know exactly what I’m going through as a mompreneur.”
Toddlers Don’t Let One Fall Keep Them Down
When your toddler is first learning to walk, and then run, they fall down — a lot. And even though there are sometimes tears, they never let it stop them from trying again. I have seen my son take a full face plant on the floor, and a quick kiss and a few moments later he’s back to running full speed ahead.
As an entrepreneur, there are going to be times that we are going to hit a wall. Our proposals will get rejected. No one will like our content, our clients won’t pay our bills and we will never hear back from that editor we were hoping to land a story with. This is life when you are running your own business or side hustle. Getting used to rejection and even failure is something I am still struggling with, but learning to not take personally. Dusting myself off and trying again is all part of the game.
Carol who founded Asha Blooms with her husband knows this first hand. “Be prepared to fail, as this is one of the best ways to learn. When we started out we spent money on ads that did not perform, but now it’s a data point that we have learned from.”
Toddlers Are Extremely Curious
Hand any random object to a toddler and watch how they examine it with total amazement and curiosity. Toddlers find new “uses” for everyday random household objects that we as adults are long past thinking about. My toddler loves pulling everything out of drawers to find something new and exciting. He loves to fit things in new places, press all the buttons and then see how durable it is if we run it over with his firetruck. While I sometimes wish our place looked less like a war zone at times, I do admire his passion for discovering so many new ways to play with things at home.
Curiosity is one of the most important skillsets you need to succeed at running your own business. Why do all the current product solutions work this why? Is there a better, more efficient, or more cost-effective way to solve this problem? As a small-business owner, you might not have the marketing budget that your competitors do, or the ability to compete on cost, so you have to be open to thinking and looking for new strategic ways to set your product or service apart. Spending a day or two with a toddler who is looking at the world with fresh eyes may just be the curiosity kick start you need.
Toddlers Love to Show Off Their Success
As an adult, I can’t remember the last time I shouted, “I did it!” from the top of my lungs to my husband or friends. My toddler however makes this proclamation daily. From celebrating pees on the potty to getting his boots on to finding a lost toy, he loves to celebrate his successes. And why not? There is a lot to be proud of when you’re learning the ropes of becoming a big boy.
There’s also a lot to be proud of for anyone who is working on their own business, full-time, part-time or in between. Got a working website up finally? That’s a win. Sent out your first pitch or proposal (even if you didn’t hear back). That’s success. Crossed off another thing on your to-do list on a Friday night instead of going out to the bar? You’re already ahead of where you were last week.
“Instead of just staring at my to-do list every day, I look back at my done list,” shares mompreneur Patrice Mousseau, of Satya Skin Care. It helps to give me perspective on what I’ve already accomplished.”
It’s easy to get caught up on the disappointments, or the bigger tasks still looming in our inbox, and forget to celebrate how far we’ve already come. Take a minute each day and tell yourself, “I did it!” for whatever small step you made towards making your dream job come true.
If you’re thinking of starting your own business in 2019 or just looking to spend a little more time on your side hustle, don’t forget these toddler strategies as you plan out your year. And if anyone would like to have a hands-on experience in the day of a life of a two-year old, I’d be happy to let you “borrow” mine anytime!
