I grew up in an entrepreneurial family. My dad started his own successful business at a young age and has been working on a million projects at once ever since. I don’t discard any credit to my mom; her support and help behind the scenes always amazed me as a child and I still see her as one of the strongest women I know. It isn’t easy by any means to be an entrepreneur; not for you, your family or those you surround yourself with. But boy is it rewarding! Watching my parents as I grew up, it was instilled in me that I would do something on my own. Honestly, it was something I never put much thought into, as it was just normal in my mind. One of my favorite quotes is, “'Entrepreneurs are the only people who will work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week,” and that couldn’t ring more true. I have learned a lot from my parents growing up so I want to share some wisdom from my ever so great father!

My family cannot go anywhere without my dad knowing somebody. Seriously, we could be in the middle of nowhere and he is having several conversations with “friends.” Anyone my dad meets instantly loves him and thus they always leave feeling like they are BFFs. Could there be a better trait? In high school my friends would ask to come to my house because they wanted to hang out with my dad and luckily I thought he was pretty cool too. It doesn’t matter who the person is, what their circumstances are, or what their life looks like - my dad always has and still makes time for people and makes them feel important. You never know when you might see that person again or how their life might pan out, so it never hurts to be kind.

My dad is a sucker for shoes… and people wonder where I get my addiction from. He has a strong belief that if you don’t let a pair of shoes rest for three days after wearing them that your feet get stinky. Thus his profound words of wisdom, “always have three pairs of shoes you can rotate between. No one wants to hang out with a stinky person.” So this is me, or should I say my dad, giving you permission to own at least three pairs of shoes at a time. Your feet and your friends will thank you!

3. Work hard, play hard

Starting and running your own business is FREAKING HARD. Yes it is rewarding, yes I wouldn’t have it any other way, but you have got to be willing to work your butt off. Although you will most likely be working long days and into the nights - when you find yourself a moment to play, take full advantage! My dad is the smartest, most committed, hard working guy out there, truth. But he always, a l w a y s, ALWAYS made time for family and FUN. Because weekends could get overly busy even after a full work week, my dad would MAKE the time to spend as a family. Whether that would be taking us out of school to go ski in the middle of the week or a night in making homemade pizza and dancing to oldies, he made it happen. He took the time to make those memories when he could. We often get caught up in the conventional ways of life or feeling guilty to not be working, but remind yourself what is really important in life and prioritize. You’ll never have “enough” time so make the time!

Whether you are an entrepreneur, stay at home parent, student, working a job or still just trying to figure life out, take these words of wisdom from my dad and don’t forget to LIVE your life. Stop letting it pass you by and find joy in the journey! It doesn’t matter what stage of life you are in, we all deserve to live a little.

xoxo,

Kortni