Mothers play one of the most significant, influential roles in our lives. This Mother’s Day, I hope you’ll join me in celebrating your mother and the legacy she created in your life—as you juggle all the responsibility that comes with being both a mom and woman business owner in today’s world.
My mother’s definition of success was very different in the world that she came from. For an Asian mom with four daughters, her intention was to get all of us married before we became “old maids,” and have our husbands take care of us. My life has not turned out exactly that way, as I was able to break away from that stereotype and move into a professional career. Although being a wife and a mom is the most important part of my life, I am just as much committed to my career and the work I do in the business community.
In particular, I am truly proud to lead an organization that impacts and influences so many facets of the women’s business community, and to have been a catalyst for moving NAWBO® to its next level of success. For my daughter, I want to model a life that shows there is no limit to what you can accomplish with hard work and perseverance and that each of us can and should make a difference in building a legacy for the next generation of women.
In honor of mothers everywhere, we reached out to our community of women business owners and leaders to share how their moms have impacted their lives and careers. What’s the most influential piece of advice they gave that these women can pass on to the next generation? Here’s some of what we heard:
“Unconditional love.” —Kimi George, Leverage Dynamics, Founder & Owner
“My mother insisted that I learned to type—this was before computers were everywhere. She said I might need it one day. I thought she was terribly old-fashioned. Of course, now, as a writer, I type for hours each day. My mother would say, ‘I told you so!’” —Cheryl-Anne Millsap, Spokesman-Review Freelance Columnist
“I learned the gift of giving from my mom. She loved entertaining her friends and family and would often host dinner parties for everyone to enjoy.” —Shary Lowry Armstead Niecy, S L Armstead & Company, LLC Owner
“I would like to pass on the advice my mom gave me: ‘Always make the best out of each situation, even if it seems hopeless.’” —Doerte Sennecke, MobyFab Co-Founder
As always, I welcome you to continue the conversation here by sharing your comments. What qualities or knowledge did your mom instill in you that you are most grateful for? What legacy do you hope to leave to your children and the next generation of young Americans and future women business owners?
—Helen Han, NAWBO® President and CEO