This weekend, as we honor our mothers and their influence on our lives, I am reminded once again of two of the most important women in my life — my mother and grandmother. There are many ways our mothers impact our lives, from instilling a firm set of values to sharing those private moments that are special to a daughter and her mother. In my case, both of these women also played a major role in helping me develop a strong work ethic that ultimately led to my becoming an entrepreneur.
I was lucky. My grandparents lived next door, where my grandfather owned a small truck farm and I spent many summer days learning the value of hard work. But when not in the field, I often could be found at my grandmother’s beauty shop. Little did I know, as I watched her laugh and chat with customers, discuss new products with vendors or end the day getting her shop ready for the next, that I was getting a real-world education in customer relations, supply chain management and operational systems and processes.
My mother, meanwhile, worked in a blue collar job until she retired. But retirement really was an excuse to open her own daycare center, which she ran for several more years. Again, I was exposed to the highs — and the lows — of business ownership, and the opportunity for individual independence it creates.
It probably should have come as no surprise then, that after retiring from a career in software development, it would only be a matter of time before my entrepreneurial genes would begin to kick in.
But starting a business, and building it are two different animals. And I can honestly say that if not for the lessons learned from my mother and grandmother, Star Wellness might not have grown to where it is today.
Both of these strong-willed women taught me the value of having my own interests, and, even more importantly, the importance of being fully independent and responsible for myself.
Those are the memories I will celebrate this special weekend.
