Who’s Your Busines Mama?

Who’s my “Business Mama?” What’s that . . . ?

I had a conversation with an entrepreneur who is the mother of three (2 girls, 1 boy), the last one “finally off to college.” She shared with me how she wanted to be an entrepreneur so she could then be a role model for her daughters. She constantly reminds them they “can be anything in the world they want to be.” She told me, she always cheers for her girls, encourages them, and  provides a shoulder to cry on when needed. I can fully appreciate her unconditional support and motivation for her well-loved daughters.

I was troubled, though, when I asked, “who did that for her?”

I noticed she sounded a bit surprised, when she admitted, “no one.”

Now, this is a woman who has owned her business for two years. She has a business partner, a life partner, and a supportive family. But who is acting as her “business mama?” Who is cheering her on? No one? That seems wrong to me.

As I thought about the many independent, intelligent, hard-working, women entrepreneurs I know whose “other job” is to be the cheerleader for everyone else in their lives, it made me realize how important it is for us women to have great Business Mama’s to keep us moving ahead.

Who is your Business Mama?

At Hatch Network, our Mentors are the Business Mama’s we need.  Sure, they will teach you concrete business strategies. But more than that, they will encourage you, believe in you, cheer for you, comfort you, and push you to be greater than you are today. As I think of the incredible women who are mentoring for us, I feel proud to know that they fit this mold, and then some.

In my observation of thousands of women entrepreneurs, I have seen success come in many forms. Everyone does things a little differently, which makes it hard to say there is one “right” formula to guarantee happiness and riches. However, I’m going out on a limb and going to prescribe what I think every woman entrepreneur should have to get quality feedback and to feel great about what she does. (Sorry to “should” on you, but at some point, I had to take a stand).

Here are the people I believe you need in your business life to enjoy it to the fullest:

1. A partner, your business wingman;
2. A mentor, your business mama;
3. A peer group, your sisters;
4. A hole-poker, your caring Devil’s Advocate.

Maybe I’m biased, or maybe I’m on track because I co-created a business model where a woman entrepreneur can find a partner, work with a business mentor, and can bounce ideas off of her peers. The only thing we’re missing is the Devil’s Advocate. But come on, we all know that’s not hard to find . . .

In a Hatch Emerging Business Pod, there will be days you need to lean on your mentor, days you will share success with your mentor, and days you will mentor someone else. What are you waiting for?