Entrepreneurship is hard work. Quite often it’s a marathon of 60-hour weeks spent in the weeds of policy reviews, strategy sessions, and the constant recalibration of business models. While it’s often packaged as the ultimate path to freedom, we must be honest about what that freedom actually looks like. You may find freedom from a difficult boss or a stagnant salary, but that space is immediately filled by the heavy responsibility of self-stewardship.
When you are the engine, no one pays you for the days you need to switch off. As a mum of two, I know that switching off is rarely a luxury parents have; it’s a constant dance of prioritising where our limited energy goes. In fact, you often pay out of your pocket, on many occasions, to attend festivals and networking events that act as fuel for the business. I was lucky to have been part of the Queensland Innovation Delegation at Forward Fest, and every little helps, yet I dug into my personal finances to pay for staying a few nights in the Sunshine Coast. The Queensland Government provides heaps of support for female founders, but the truth is that you also need to support yourself. I think it’s fair game.
Yet, there is a shiny side to this grit. If you persist, you have the potential to become a leader the world hasn’t quite seen yet. Because entrepreneurial journeys are so deeply personal, they shape our character in ways no other career can. There is a quiet, sacred period where you are putting in the work without much recognition or reward, forging a different kind of value. The photo below is a selfie I took of work no one other than customers who came through from the Found Loop poster on the community board know about. There was no standing ovation, no awards, no applause. Just a lot of belief in providing the city I call home, Brisbane, what I think the city needs. A way of reuniting people with their cherished lost items so they can be loved for longer, and they don’t end up in landfill. The hours spent pinning posters are heavy, but the thought of a cherished item finding its way home makes the load lighter.
I do my experience design consulting and manage Found Loop, while raising two teenagers. My daughter is the older one, who always had a huge love for reading. Just yesterday she scored a 100% on an English Literature assignment. How she achieved this blows my mind (because it’s bloody incredible) but there are times when I wonder if the path I chose was the right one for my young family. Right now, I am not wondering at all. Kids are doing great and they get to see a mum working for her dreams.
Ultimately, this path isn’t for everyone, and that is okay. Choose carefully. But if you do choose it, own every mile of the journey. Keep your sense of humour when the wheels fall off, and be gentle with yourself when an opportunity slips by. Dust yourself off, stand up, and remember: you chose this path because you believed you had something unique to offer. Now, show that strength to yourself, especially when no one is watching.
If you’re at the choosing stage of your own journey, what is the one thing holding you back? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
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