In a conversation last week with a fellow parent who is also a business owner, I approached the topic of blogging. Since his business is in the field of interior "green" spaces, there is no end to the topics he can blog about to help draw attention to his expertise in the field. He told me that he didn't have time, mainly because he didn't want to take time away from "what is really important," his 5-year old son.
Time with our children while they are young is indeed precious. Who among us would not snap up a 25-hour day if we knew that the extra hour could be spent one-on-on and uninterrupted with our children. Having said that, if you own a business, your business is one of your children. And not only that, it's the only child you have that can actually provide for the others.
A website is great. Spreading the word by word of mouth is great. Traditional advertising is great. Home parties are great. But the reality is that, if you are a parent of young children and a business owner, you simply must maximize technology if you really want your business to be successful. That means it's vital for you to participate in the conversations that concern your field of expertise. Being a parent in business is hard, very hard. But if you decide to have a business, what's the point if you don't make the hard choices that have to be made in order to make it successful? I want all of my children to be successful, and that includes my business. This means that I have to take just about as much time with my business as I do with my children. But that's just me.
Questions: What do you think? If your goal is to create a viable business that is profitable over the long term, and which provides the kind of income that allows you to save for your and your family's future, how much time do you spend with your business versus your children? Have you put off embracing technology and all the things it can do for your business because you're a parent? I'd love to know what it's like for you. Share your ideas and experiences in the comments section below.
