We are in the middle of a pandemic, life will not return to “normal.” Now is the time to do the things you are afraid to do.
Now is the time to reach out to the people on your wish list of impossible people to contact.
If not now, when?
As my friend, Paul C. Brunson says, go ahead, shoot your shot.
I took my shot a few days ago. I sent a cold email to Mark Cuban to see if he would let me interview him for the ParentPreneur spotlight series on this blog. And you know what?
He said, yes!
Today I have an inspirational treat for you. I was listening to a live video from Chozen Media, Liberty White, and T. Adeola Osinubi in which they talked with Joshua Reid, an entrepreneur who is a new parent. And featuring remarkable ParentPreneurs is kinda what we do here.
Joshua has a wonderful story of authenticity, persistence, resilience, vision, and humility. Here are some of the highlights of the conversation and why you should watch the interview.
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As I work on starting a foundation to provide grants and other resources for ParentPreneurs, I will regularly feature inspirational people who are parents and entrepreneurs.
Like many of you during the Coronavirus lockdown, I am taking the time to meet new people and develop meaningful relationships. A good friend (who will be on the blog soon) recently introduced me to Walter Bond and invited me to join Walter’s now closed LinkedIn group.
Walter is a top keynote speaker, former NBA player, and author of the book,
Swim!: How a Shark, a Suckerfish, and a Parasite Teach You Leadership, Mentoring, and Next Level Success
It’s coronavirus. It’s social distancing. We are home. And our kids are home.
I just wrapped up a virtual workshop with Atlanta Tech Village, Atlanta’s premier tech startup community. The topic was how to effectively run your business and manage your kids and yourself during social distancing.
The tips are helpful for corporate folks at home with the kids, too.
Enjoy!
How To Effectively Be a ParentPreneur During Social Distancing via @jamesoliverjr @ATLTechVillage. #mompreneur #parentpreneur Click To Tweet
I hope you and your family are staying safe during social distancing with the coronavirus.
I am a ParentPreneur. Many of you following my blog know my story, but for those of you who don’t here’s a quick recap.
In 2013 my twins were born three months early & weighed only two pounds, two days before I started a tech startup accelerator to launch my business, WeMontage.
All while living 1,000 miles from family.
Here’s a pic of my son, the first day he was born.
The ensuing journey of being an entrepreneur and a parent came with a unique set of obstacles, many of which I didn’t expect. And unless people are ParentPreneurs themselves, they can’t necessarily relate.
ParentPreneurs have to be both present for their children and their spouse if they are married, and there is unique financial pressure to provide for the family. The financial piece is particularly acute if the business they run is a start-up trying to get traction in the marketplace.
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Hard to believe it was 5 years ago my business WeMontage was featured on the Today Show.
On your entrepreneurial journey, things won’t always go as planned. It probably won’t be a hockey stick growth experience for you.
There were issues with our business model and the biz shut down late 2017. The pricing strategy wasn’t right. The lack of focus on businesses (instead of consumers) wasn’t right. And the marketing focus on smaller sizes was wrong.
Today I’m grateful to say the business is relaunched and the biz model concerns are being addressed.
It’s not that you get knocked down, it’s that you get back up, and do so with as little negative energy affecting your subconscious as possible.
Because that negative energy shit is like an albatross.
Trust me on that one.
What are the big challenges with your business model you need to address? What can you do today to take one step towards doing things better?
Is there anything I can do to help you?
Tallyho!
Sometimes on your entrepreneurial journey shit will go sideways. Whatchu gone do? #startuplife #entrepreneur Click To Tweet
When most people find out I have twins they usually say, “Oh, how adorable!” Listen, adorable isn’t the word I’d use to describe the last five years. The kids were born three months early, only weighed two pounds, we lived in northeast Wisconsin away from family, and I started a business.
The word I’d use to describe the experience is intense.
However, January 2nd my twins, Zoe and Thaddeus, turned five and I’m enjoying them more than at any previous time. Two weeks ago I took the kids to see Mario “The Maker” Magician, and it was easily the most fun I’ve ever had with them. It’s quite hard to find activities do with the twins as having two can be a lot to manage at once. A family friend recommended that I take them to Funtopia – kids entertainment near me that sounds great, so, I will give Funtopia a try.
People always ask how I’m able to get amazing PR for my business or book. The answer is always the same: it’s a combination of luck and hustle; and this was true today when I was fortunate enough to land a wonderful feature in the Huffington Post that did a nice job of telling the story of my entrepreneurial journey.
