The First of an Ongoing Series of Observations about Being a Mom Entrepreneur

There is no doubt that being an entrepreneur is hot these days. There are thousands of small business start ups a year in Canada alone. And in 2005, SavvyMom was one of those.
“What’s it like”, everyone I went to business school with wants to know? And the number one comment: “It must be great not having a boss.” “Some days it is, and some days it isn’t”, I reply.

With the archetypal ‘bad boss’ so common in business culture, for many people my response is a surprise—how could it EVER be bad to not have a boss? Not having someone looking over your shoulder checking on what you’re doing? Not having someone tell you what to do? Not having someone making decisions that involve your job and your future without consulting you? Most importantly, having control of your own time.

But on the days when the going gets tough, when the decisions that have to be made get too complicated or too many, when you’re wishing the buck could stop somewhere else and not on the founders’ desks again, when the strategic vision needs refining, communicating and resourcing … I kind of miss having a boss. Those things are in the boss’ job description. And sometimes it’s just easier to have someone tell you what to do (or at least point you in the right direction) instead of figuring it all out on your own.

Researchers have shown that entrepreneurs are supposed to have certain traits – a desire to achieve, hard-working and an ability to accept responsibility are some of the important ones, and these are all traits I know are in good supply at Savvy HQ. But you know what – they’re all traits a good boss possesses too (that I know from good experiences on that front, fortunately).

To all you mom entrepreneurs out there – do you ever miss having a boss?