Some Women Nest When They are Pregnant
I launch companies. And now that I’m pregnant with my third child, I am embarking on my biggest endeavor yet; Metro Moms Network, LLC.
I have learned two major life lessons since becoming a mom. The first is to come to terms with the idea that I do not know everything. I do, however, learn from my mistakes, and in my five years as a mom, I’ve made countless mistakes. From not hiring child care to struggling alone with breastfeeding, I felt overwhelmed in a sea of options without any familiar landmarks.
The key is figuring out who are the experts and tapping into their expertise. After all, it’s impossible for parents to be an expert in everything. The experts that I typically turn to are other parents.
Whenever I have a question about schools, all I have to do is pick up the phone and call the three people in my network who live and breathe education. Informed, candid, up-to-the-minute answers. You know how you always worry that people are holding back inside information because they are being “politically correct”? That never happens when I make these calls because my contacts know I’m not going to say or do anything to embarrass them.
The second major life lesson I’ve learned since becoming a mom is that I am pretty good at this startup thing. In the last six months I have raised over $1 million in capital from angel investors for two of my companies. And the best part? Two of those investors approached me privately asking to invest because they believe so strongly in what I am doing. That’s trust.
But it goes both ways, because I would never take their money unless I knew I could work with them and that they were getting excellent value. I have been known to recuse myself from marketing work because I am not the best person for the job. This has the effect of multiplying the trust between the client and me a thousandfold.
Parents need a support system. If I have a trusted contact who consistently delivers expert advice to me at a great value, I want to share that information with other moms. It’s all about networking, after all, and taking advantage of the “hive mind,” as they say.
When moms help me, I help them back. In the past year, I have mentored multiple moms as they launched urban businesses uniquely suited to their skill sets. From screened babysitting payable via credit card to special needs parenting, these moms are making their careers work around their personal situations.
None of us ever knows what the future holds, but by preparing for the future by building relationships with a knowledgeable, trustworthy circle of experts, we can access the information and advice we need right when we need it in a courteous, respectful environment.
Metro Moms Network is built to help parents do just that. Of all the companies I have launched, I am proudest of the Metro Moms Network because it helps parents be the very best they can be.
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