Nurturing the Entrepreneurial Spirit in My Children

by Danielle Bileski

Ask any child what he or she wants to be when he grows up and, chances are, the response is not going to be “Entrepreneur!” In fact, it’s not likely that many kids even know that such a word, much less occupation, exists. I am, however, doing my best to change that in my household. Don’t get me wrong. I wholeheartedly support the rotating aspirations of my three young sons, but I believe nurturing a spirit of entrepreneurialism will empower them to think creatively, take risks, and pursue their dreams, regardless of whether any of them become start-up marvels.

Having observed their mother (yep, me) endure some of the hurdles inherent in starting and running her own business, my sons have already come to appreciate the joys and challenges of this line of work. They’ve watched me take risks, fail, succeed, change tactics, and fight passionately for what I believe in. From sharing fun personal anecdotes to admitting moments of crushing embarrassment, one thing my boys know for certain: there is hardly a dull moment in the life of a business owner.

Their exposure to entrepreneurialism does not start and end with their mother’s ongoing saga. I’ve made it a personal goal to encourage each of them think like one, too. From listening to their concepts for wild new inventions to sharing colourful commentary during our weekly viewing of Dragon’s Den (we all agree Kevin O’Leary is a meanie), my boys are slowly coming to recognize that the power to succeed is inside each of them.

Last night, I made them gather round as I discussed an article published in the National Post on Canadian inventor and entrepreneur, Kevin O’Connor. “This is what you need to know,” I’d announced excitedly as I read through the piece. About entrepreneurialism, O’Connor said: “you must believe in your convictions so strongly that you would stand behind your opinions no matter who tries to discourage you.” And, don’t be afraid of failing, he explained, you need to come up with a lot of bad ideas before you find the great idea. While not exactly the kind of discussion topic that has my kids jumping with excitement, they did listen intently, and appreciated my call for more great invention ideas.

I won’t know, for a long while, whether my small business lessons are resonating in my boys’ minds. Will I be disappointed if not even one of them joins the ranks of entrepreneurs? No way. But I will be very disappointed if they go through their adult lives never taking a risk and forever doubting their convictions.

Danielle Bileski blogs about the challenges of raising kids in the digital age at Porridgereport.com and her chapter book for kids, Danny in a Newfangled World - a thrilling adventure and cautionary tale about the internet - is available at Chapters Indigo and Amazon. Learn more about it at Dannyinanewfangledworld.com