Late Night Ramblings - Post Shark Tank
Posted on May 03 2012
We were ecstatic when we got our first online order, we felt a glimmer of hope when we opened our first retail account, we literally hurt when we got our first customer complaint, and smiled for days when we received our first glowing review. I say all this, because running a business is such a roller-coaster. Being on Shark Tank was like that signature, breathtaking drop - we are laughing, screaming, and just holding on tight. I remember pulling all-nighters in college, feeling like I couldn't type one more letter, but looking back, that must've been training for this very moment. Sleep is an afterthought and that's okay. The one thing that pains me is not being there for my girls as much as I had hoped.
A snapshot of our living room right now.
I came across an article in entreprenuer.com that said the following, "If you're going to be successful, you've got to love your business more than anything else--even your family." WOW. When I read this, I felt like someone punched me in the gut. I'm determined to be successful, but I refuse to believe this. I have a company and product, because of my family. I have the most amazing partner who is my family, and family is helping us survive this ride.
I don't even know where I'm going with this blog post, but I just had to take a minute away from work and think big picture. Thanks for listening. Anyone agree/disagree? How do you all juggle work and family?
27 comments
I am so happy for your success! You took a problem and turned it into a great solution. I am amazed by your creativity. So happy to have seen you on Shark Tank and can’t wait for my lollacup to arrive. Family is always most important but all the hard work you are doing right now is just leading to secure a happy, healthy future for them. Happiness is always more important than money, but I think a lot of both are in your future!
WOW Great comment by John! I am also a mompreneur, i set our to create my business when my husband deployed to Afghanistan it was the hardest 8 months of my life, With a 8 week old baby and 8 yr old daughter it really puts everything into perspective. Family 1st and foremost IS your success. Then your passion for what you do comes next. Your family is an inspiration i wish you all the success!
The fun, exciting (an maybe weird?) thing about seeing y’all on Shark Tank is that we feel like we know you! I love your candidness in all of your posts and I appreciate you being so honest about your experiences. I bet this time is crazy… I am still waiting on my cups!! I am very patient, though, and remain a proud soon-to-be lollacup owner! All the best to you!
India
IndiaRows.com
I love your heart in not forgetting why you hav your business in the first place. It would be terrible to have a successful business and a family that is falling apart at the seams because you are too preoccupied with packing boxes to invest in your children.
Family should come first of course. I recently experienced the birth of my first kid and never fully understood how much love there was until it happened to me. I, myself am a business owner and can understand what the article is trying to convey. You need to have passion in your business in order for it to truly succeed. If you don’t have the same passion you have in your business as you do in your family, it will be hard.
Remember, sometimes these articles have to sensationalize a bit and it did its job by making you think about whether to put family or the business first.
I can’t disagree with that article more, what nonsense. I would gladly give up some success for more time with my loved ones. Then again my company name (Datsusara) is based on not being a slave to your work and I’m a “Four Hour Work Week”/Tim Ferriss fan so I’m more concerned with leveraging time to get more done with less effort and hence have time left for myself or family.
After all who cares if you have mega bucks when you are retired, and have 10 stress related diseases from working too hard. I forget who said this first but ..no one ever says “I wish I would have put in more hours at the office” on their death bed. I think that goes even if you love your work.
As for myself I work only about 4 hours a day and the company is still growing 30%+ per year while I enjoy my time gardening or being with my dog and GF. If I never get rich that’s ok because I feel rich in the here and now.
I’m thankful to read this! I’ve met = lots of “business” people who have “gained the world, but lost their soul” so to speak. I agree with you in that putting your family before your business is the true epic win. Not to mention no matter how “rich” one becomes, you can never go back and change the values you instilled into your children when they were growing up….those values are taught not just by words, but by actions as well. Keep doing the right thing guys. I’m proud of you! :)