What you should know about Raising a Family while Starting a Company 🐣

A recap of last week's Tech Thursday

Last Thursday, we had 3 incredible Calgary-based founders talk about their experience starting a company while raising a family.

Addy Graves, Co-Founder and CEO at Cashew

Kelsey Hahn, Co-Founder and CEO at Monark

Christa Hill, Co-Founder and CEO at Tacit Edge

Moderated by Taylor Armfield, VP of Legal and Compliance at Neo Financial

This is my recap of the event’s top ideas and insights. These are the insights of a non-parent, though I do have plenty of plants at home.

What does it mean to have it “all”?

Not dropping the glass balls.

As a parent and an entrepreneur, there are always going to be balls in the air – some of them will drop – just make sure it’s the rubber balls, not the glass balls.

It’s important to understand what is important in life, what gives you energy, and when your family needs you to be there. Make time for those things, it’s okay to let the other things drop for a while. Finding true balance is difficult, but you have to learn to be there for your company and your family at the right time.

From left, Taylor Armfield (VP of Legal and Compliance at Neo Financial), Kelsey Hahn (Co-Founder and CEO at Monark), Addy Graves (Co-Founder and CEO at Cashew), and Christa Hill (Co-Founder and CEO at Tacit Edge).

What is different when you’re a parent and an Individual Contributor vs. a Founder?

As an entrepreneur there’s a lot of freedom. The work you put into your company earns you the flexibility to deal with your family life. You’ll want to work harder to ensure that when the school calls, you can go.

As a leader, it’s also up to you to set the standard of your company. Tech is one of the most male dominated industries, and disincentives childrearing – possibly more than any other industry. Being a founder, you can set the culture of your company to go against the grain of Tech standards. You do have to balance this with setting the tone for the company, sometimes it feels like you can never be off. You have to balance creating flexibility with ensuring everyone feels connected to the mission and the company.

As an IC, you don’t have the weight of supporting other peoples families, but that’s often at the expense of your flexibility. Your company has almost bought a block of your time and it can feel like you owe that to them. As a founder you can set your own schedule.

How does Tech differ than other industries?

Raising a funding round in Tech is quite unique from other industries, and there’s bias against new parents. You feel like you have to conceal that you’re pregnant or have small kids at home to not give the impression that you won’t be available for your company. It’s a double standard that men don’t experience.

Managing the “Second Shift”

Handling the second shift, or the work that has to be done once you get home, can be trying. It’s important to know when you’re most productive (i.e. before the kids get up, or after they go to be) and when you need to be there for your kids (right before bed).

There will always be something else to do at work, but it’s up to you to create balance in your life. Put your phone down and be present with your kids, pay attention to what they have to say. Right before bed is often when your kids spill all of their feelings, be there for that. You can multitask when you’re watching Netflix.

TL;DR

• Know the difference between glass balls and rubber balls, don’t let them drop

• Entrepreneurship gives you the freedom to set culture of your company, freedom is balanced with creating a sustainable company that allows for flexibility

• Put your phone down at the right time, pro tip: this is likely right before bed