Wednesday Wisdom: The Balancing Act

Inspiration and Wednesday Wisdom for women entrepreneurs, female business owners, home based businesses

As the bright yellow school bus drove past my house this morning on its way to pick up the boy next door, I reminisced about waiting in the driveway with my two sons years ago. My oldest son was timid riding the bus until his younger brother joined him three years later. Being an at-home-business woman back in the early nineties was a pioneering experience since technology was just being developed allowing women to conduct business from home. It was taboo to tell your clients you worked from home back then so I never told them unless they asked.

One day I was visiting a potential event planning client to present a proposal and the client point blank asked me how he could be assured I would have enough time to work for him. I was puzzled and said, “Why do you think I wouldn’t have time to do work?” He responded, “I just interviewed one of your competitors who told me that you work from home and spend a lot of time with your children.” I was stunned and angry. I said to him, “If you want to know how well I perform services for clients, ask my customers not a competitor.” I pushed back my chair from the table, stood up, thanked him for the interview and left.

As I walked down the street, I knew I would not accept the contract based on the conversation. The next morning the man called me and offered me the job, I turned him down even though the money was good and the event was very interesting. He was shocked. I gave him a plausible reason but knew I didn’t need the pressure of performing to perfection and accounting for my time. It was, and still is, the best decision I ever made.

Sometimes it takes years to figure out as a woman entrepreneur what your priorities are and where to place restrictions on your time. I knew my worth as an event planner and how well I juggled motherhood and entrepreneurship. I didn’t need a man or customer to question my work ethic. I knew I was an exceptional vendor.

The day I dropped my oldest son off at Boston College, where he was still nervous, I gave him a hug and told him I loved spending every moment I could with him because I knew this day would come. I smiled as we left knowing I had accomplished being a great mother and working woman entrepreneur. Today my oldest son is an Orthopedic Surgical Physician Assistant at the best Orthopedic Hospital in the country and my youngest son is a Civil Engineer and I am still a working woman entrepreneur with 23 years of happiness.

Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is meant to inspire you to consider what’s most important in your life right now and to make those things a priority. Figure out how to balance personal time with your loved ones and your business obligations. Women can have and do it all if they prioritize and plan for both important parts of their lives. The priorities may change over time but the need to be balanced does not.