I asked three women entrepreneurs from the Arlington, Virginia ecosystem to share their advice about how to deal with the mental long game of entrepreneurship, managing the on-going surprise plot twists of running a company, promoting work-life balance as a mompreneur, and building a strong team.
It’s Just Chaos
Startup life is very much like running the 100 meter sprint, everyday. So expect a little bit of madness.
Compartmentalize Your Day
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the chaos. But for your sanity, it’s important to focus on the things you can do right now to move your company forward.
There’s No Perfect Work-Life Formula
Striving for work-life balance is good, but for most founders it isn’t realistic, especially for mompreneurs. “Compartmentalization allows me to do lots of different projects in parallel and not necessarily in sequence and not feel stressed out.”
You Need to Say No
If you try to do everything for everyone, including your family, you’ll find yourself burnt out before too long. Just remember, you’re going to have to say no sometimes. “I track my time against the 5Fs to hold myself accountable. I encourage all women to find their right system. If you find one month you dedicated a ton of time to work, find ways the following month to spend more time focused on the other areas.” To maintain your peace of mind, there needs to be things that are non-negotiable with your time and family.
Choose Your Clients Wisely
Founders may feel like they have to say yes to every client that walks through the door to gain traction, but saying “no” can be a positive weapon as you build your company.
Hire Talented, Diverse People
In a diversity report by McKinsey and Company, within “the United States, there is a linear relationship between racial and ethnic diversity and better financial performance.” For these founders, having a team with different cultures, experiences, and backgrounds made a positive impact on their growth.
Surround Yourself With a Supportive Startup Ecosystem
Having a strong support system within your ecosystem can provide the help you need to push through the tough times in the startup race. “People who have different points of view arrive sometimes at different solutions of a problem. You always want the best solution so the more diverse your team, the wider the range of solutions you will have. After you have a diverse workforce, the rest is easy because your own employees bring their friends and help recruit others.” Your ecosystem also needs to work together to attract quality talent and fuel companies.
Final Thoughts
There’s nothing more valuable than a little help from your peers. These three entrepreneurs have some advice for women founders.
“Surround yourself with people that will support you, but are also willing to give constructive feedback. Whether it’s friends, family or a significant other, make sure you’re with people who understand and respect your career aspirations,” said Payton.“Sales leadership is critical at any stage of a startup,” said Hartsock.“Try not to take yourself too seriously. At the end of the line, no one will give you an award for being the best “blah.” Live, learn and embrace the chaos. When you stop enjoying the frenzy, find something else to do. It’s just not worth it,” said Lovejoy.“Being an entrepreneur does not have to be lonely. Just like you make business decisions about what is best for your company, take your personal happiness as seriously and fix the areas that stop you from being content and happy,” said Hartsock“The best advice I ever received was from a teacher who told me that if I was happy my kids would be happy. There is a lot to unpack in that sentiment – and over the years I discovered she was right,” said Lovejoy.
Read more entrepreneurial advice on TechCo The article was brought to you in partnership with Arlington Economic Development. Learn more about the Startup Arlington program.
