Bring Your Kids to Work: Shaping Future Entrepreneurs

Ever wondered how bringing your children to work could shape their future? Join me, Erin Olson, on this episode of the Quality of Life Podcast as I share personal stories of bringing my son Devin to my various business ventures. You'll discover the profound impact these experiences can have on young minds, teaching them why parents work, the true value of a dollar, the significance of serving others, and whether entrepreneurship is their true calling. These life lessons come alive as we dive into real-life examples and the dedication required to run a business, sparking potential entrepreneurial interests and helping kids clarify their career paths.

Setting a positive example for future generations is crucial, and this episode draws inspiration from Proverbs 22:6 to emphasize the lasting impact of demonstrating and teaching positive behaviors. I encourage every parent, whether self-employed or working for others, to bring their children into the work environment to provide them with invaluable life lessons. Don't miss this chance to influence and inspire the next generation—tune in, share, and rate our podcast!

Resources:
Episode #19 Lessons Learned from Getting a Job
DO Equine (Shameless plug from a proud parent)

Thanks for listening! I'm glad you're here.

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See ya next week!
Erin

Chapters

• 0:07 Bringing Kids to Work Benefits
• 7:01 Influence on Future Generations

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome to the Quality of Life podcast. I'm Erin Olson, a wife, a mother and a serial entrepreneur. After starting three successful businesses, I've learned some hard lessons regarding the ins and the outs of starting and running a small business. My intention is to share my knowledge that I've learned from the School of Hard Knocks so you don't have to learn it the hard way like I did Each week, I hope, to guide you to the next level in your business or in the business that you work in. So let's go. Hey guys, welcome back to the Quality of Life podcast. Erin here to help you get from business idea to big business. So this week, with Father's Day approaching, I wanted to talk a little bit about being a parent and a business owner, or even somebody who works in a business, and why it is so important to bring your kids to work. It is so important to bring your kids to work Now.

Speaker 1: 1:08

When I was growing up as a Gen Xer, the only time that I went to work with my mom was when school had an in-service day or summer vacation and there was no daycare. The day usually involved using all the highlighters, post-it notes and pens that she had, doing my homework, decorating her office or reading a book while she worked, all the while trying to be as quiet as possible. So I didn't distract her from her job. And you know what guys? I did the same to my son, devin, when he was little, but over the years, as my business has changed, I decided to do more than just stick Devin in a corner where he would not be in the way. It all started in my booth at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival with the soap company that we had. Now, if you've never been to a Renaissance Festival, you definitely should go to one. It is set in the 16th century England and all of the food it is set in the 16th century England and all of the food, all of the vendors, all of the characters and costumes needed to be from that period. Now it sure is an experience, and a really fun one at that.

Speaker 1: 2:16

But as a mom and a business owner and my husband was a business owner as well, running his own mechanic shop our son got to come to work with me to the festival on occasion. That meant he had to dress in costume and be part of the shop. So I put him to work handing out samples of soap. He actually really loved giving away samples and got really good at talking with customers. He did the same at our retail shop too. His confidence in the products and himself grew so much over the years and later, when I was out shoeing horses, he would come as my assistant and help as needed, and later at Haychicks he would make product and do the lawn maintenance. But I think one of the most important things that I did as a mompreneur was that I paid him to work, not just be there and get money. He actually had to earn his wages.

Speaker 1: 3:12

The lessons that he has told me that he learned in working in the businesses have really helped him understand just how life really works, and I hope that it can encourage you to bring your kids to work too. So lesson number one why you do what you do. This is the quickest lesson that your kid is going to learn. By coming to work with you, they will see why you're gone all day, what it is that you work on, worry about and how much you care and help out your customers and your employees. They will also learn about how your work helps support your family them. This lesson is an important one, especially when we are taught that you know money doesn't go on trees and you might have to work late sometimes to keep food on the table. This way, they actually get to see it firsthand, not just get told it when they ask for something. Lesson number two that your kid might learn by coming to work with you they might learn the true value of a dollar, my friends, when you bring and put your kid to work and they actually get to earn money outside of an allowance or doing money for chores. They get to see what work goes into making a product or performing a service and how they get compensated for doing that job with money to buy their own toys or snacks. This is a very important lesson that takes a few times of mom and dad just letting them buy their own things that they want with the money that they earned. All right.

Speaker 1: 4:42

Lesson number three that your kids might learn by coming to work with you how to understand serving other people. I know I said it a few episodes ago in my podcast about customer service, but it bears repeating. I think the world would be a much better place if people got paid based upon how good of a job they did and how well they serve their customers, instead of an hourly wage. And when your kid sees what goes into truly serving not only your customers but your team, they get to really see what service is. It's not something you do just to get paid, it's also who you are. And when a customer tells a story of how you solved their problem and made their life easier, things begin to click in their mind, even though they might not show it. Now they are learning All right.

Speaker 1: 5:34

The fourth lesson that your kid just might learn by coming to work with you is that they might learn how to be an entrepreneur or how not to be one. One of my proudest parenting moments was when our son Devin decided that he was starting his own business. While he was in college to become an engineer, he was open to other opportunities in business. He followed that nudge to work on the side and found a new passion as an equine dentist. Recognizing that there was a need that needed to be filled, he started his own business called DO Equine and is thriving using all of the lessons that he learned from his dad and myself. Now your kid might learn that they don't want to run a business too. Seeing the work that you no doubt put into growing your business might show them that their calling is to work for someone else, and you know what. That is a valuable lesson as well. Not everybody is cracked up to be an entrepreneur. While I could go on and on about all the lessons learned from having an entrepreneurial parent, you know that they are not limited to these four lessons. There are hundreds, if not thousands. Heck, I'm still learning them myself, all right.

Speaker 1: 6:49

Well, guys, I hope that this episode helps you to not dread the days when there's no school or daycare and, with summer break coming, I hope that you are encouraged to bring your kids to work.

Speaker 1: 7:01

As Proverbs 22, verse 6 says, train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old, he will not depart from it. Friends, they are watching what you do and how you do it, and when they see this side of you, they learn how to be a better human. I hope that this episode helps you and the future generations. If you liked it, please share it on your social and take the Quality of Life podcast and the Erin Olson as well. Please rate this podcast also, as it helps us to grow and reach more people.

Speaker 1: 7:35

Please rate this podcast also, as it helps us to grow and reach more people. And guys, bring your kids to work, whether you work for yourself or somebody else. Thank you, guys, so much for listening and I will see you next week on the Quality of Life podcast. See ya, thanks for listening to today's episode. Be sure to check us out on the Quality of Life podcast Facebook and Instagram pages and our website, thearenolsoncom, for downloads and more information. That is T-H-E-E-R-I-N-O-L-S-O-Ncom. Stay up to date by joining our email newsletter. Together, we can improve all of our quality of life.