The business lessons I learnt as a child

We’re marking Mother’s Day in New Zealand this week. It’s not an occasion that’s wildly celebrated in our household – we’re more inclined to quietly spend time together, without all the faff and consumerism. I’ll be delighted if my big boy cooks me breakfast (I’ve asked for waffles).

This year, I’ve found myself considering the business gifts I’ve inherited from my own mum, Carol. She wasn’t a businesswoman – she was an educator who worked incredibly hard to provide for my sister and I, which she did on her own for much of our lives. My father became ill in his prime, lost his mobility (and therefore ability to farm), and died at 43.

It was entirely up to Mum to show us how to be, how to work, earn, and lead.

I’ve been thinking about what we absorb from our parents a lot lately – whether it’s deliberate or accidental! So, here are the top five things I’ve learned about business from my mum.

1. Girls can do anything! Mum’s a feminist, and she was pretty fired up about women’s rights from a young age. As kids, we were encouraged to stretch ourselves beyond the traditional female roles and look for hobbies, interests and careers that lit us up. If we’d wanted to be welders or pilots or plumbers, that would have been AOK by Mum. Of course, business ownership isn’t just a male domain (although in the 70s and 80s, when I was growing up, it was largely men controlling business in this country). When I went into business for myself, it never once crossed my mind that this was something that would be beyond me. I knew I could do anything I dreamed of and build something that would succeed. Confidence and a belief in myself came easily because I had learned that from Mum.

2. Live within your means. Self-sufficiency is in Mum’s blood – and to her, that’s not a metaphor for growing your own food. It’s about relying on your own innate brilliance to solve problems rather than throwing your hands up in despair and getting someone in. Mum mends, sews, cooks meals in batches, and her favourite store is Mitre 10 – she’s there most weekends so she can fix things herself and save her money for what matters most to her (travel, eating out, and e-biking!). As a business owner, you’ll often find me zero-ing (Xero-ing?) in on my finances to ensure I’m not overspending, or under-investing - that I’m doing most things myself, outsourcing what I really can’t manage, and living within my means.

3. Demand what you’re worth. I’ll never forget the day Mum was made a T3. Her salary was graded based on qualifications and experience, and it had been her goal to move from a T2 (the code for a certain salary band) to a T3, which would allow her a few extra thousand dollars each year in her pay packet. It was something she worked hard towards, and openly discussed with us. Wanting a better income was never seen as something greedy or shameful in our household. We lived paycheck to paycheck in many ways, so money was often a topic at the dinner table. When Mum fought for, and was awarded her pay rise, I learned a lot about setting an expectation of your value to an organisation.

4. Education is never wasted. An educator would say that, right? But it’s so true. I’ve been a terrible student – only half completing many of the courses I’ve started. I’m not really qualified to do anything much, but all those bits of learning throughout my journey have led me to where I am right now – with a thriving business, a tiny team of women I love, and clients I trust and enjoy.

5. Change is inevitable. Across her lifetime, Mum’s been (among plenty of other things) a corsetiere, a waitress, a teacher, a mother, a farmer, a social worker, a budgeting mentor, and a learning advisor. Change happens – as we grow, we don’t stay the same, and we don’t want the same things. Mum taught me that it’s ok to want change, to seek it out, and how to enjoy and celebrate the transformation. My business has ebbed and flowed just as much as Mum’s career did – and I’m sure it will continue to do so! I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Happy Mother’s Day to you, Mum. Thank you for the lessons.