With March being Women’s History Month, I’ve been thinking a lot about the women who have shaped me – past and present. One of the most influential of those women is my maternal grandmother who, fittingly, was born this month back in 1920.
My granny has had a profound impact on my life ever since I was a baby. We always shared a special connection, and I credit her for being the main catalyst for pursuing my doctorate. I really don’t know if there would be a Dr. Nadia without her influence.
This Women’s History Month, I wanted to take some time to honor this incredible woman and share just a few of the many invaluable lessons she taught me in hopes they’ll inspire you as well.
Three Key Takeaways
1. Anything worth having is worth fighting for. There’s no denying that starting and running your own business is hard. If you’re like me, I’m sure there are points where you’ve become so overwhelmed you’ve considered throwing in the towel. But the things that are the most difficult are also often the most fulfilling, not just in business but in life in general. When the going gets tough, I like to remember what my granny always told me: anything worth having is worth fighting for. It works on the flip side, too, reminding us that sometimes we don’t need to fight a certain fight if the outcome isn’t worth the effort.
2. Get your education because no one can take it away from you. My granny was a huge proponent of education, not just formal but also being open to learning, growing, and evolving more generally. Your knowledge is one asset that can never be taken away from you. Being a lifelong learner is especially important as an entrepreneur. With the market changing so quickly, staying adaptive and open to new approaches is the only way to continue scaling and improving.
3. Understand the power of family & legacy. When you really get your sales down and begin generating consistent revenue, it opens up the time freedom to begin creating a legacy. Your legacy goes beyond your family or your business, also speaking to your larger values – the impact, influence, and knowledge that live on even when you’re long gone. As you’re thinking about growth and scale in your business, I encourage you to identify what it is you really want to leave behind. That’s ultimately what you should be working for.
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