My goal in life is to teach my daughters everything I know. As I’m raising strong, smart, and confident girls, I’m committed to giving them tools that help them grow. So, I’m transparent about my shortcomings so that they can avoid the mistakes that I’ve made. And I am also open about my successes so they can identify path they may want to pursue. One way that I do that is by teaching them about entrepreneurship.
As a speaker, author, and workshop facilitator, I give my girls a front row seat to my ventures so that they see possibilities. As a working mom with a full-time job and an outside enterprise, I regularly drop nuggets about negotiating, marketing, and speaking up for yourself. So, when I delivered a keynote on “Mastering the PIVOT” at Washington University in St. Louis recently, guess who I hired to assist me onsite? Yep, my babies. Here’s how it went:
- We NEGOTIATED terms of their contract and agreed that they would handle photography, videos, and my merch table at the event.
- We settled on an HOURLY RATE and an anticipated number of hours of the time (and they drive a hard bargain!).
- We had a PREP MEETING to outline success markers. I told them the angles and types of shots that I was looking for and I provided them with use of a DSLR camera and a Google Pixel camera.
- And after they satisfactorily completed the job (there was some coaching involved), I PAID THEM (because who works for free)? Plus I wanted to model the relationship between work and reward to help them see how they can enjoy the fruits of their labor.
The speaking event was held at a prestigious university, so they interacted with some amazing student leaders during the Olin School of Business Diversity and Women’s weekend. It was great exposure for them as they consider future careers. But, the best part for me was that they got to see me in my element, cheer me on, and gain a deeper understanding of my passion outside of work. Plus, when I say, I love the photos, I love them! Take a look below. Do you teach your kiddos about entrepreneurship?
