Raising an Entrepreneur , livre ebook

“Our world desperately needs entrepreneurs—people who turn their passion into projects to create a better world. This wonderful book is written by a mom to help other moms (and dads) nurture their children’s entrepreneurial potential. Each page is filled with the inspirational stories of parents and their children. For the sake of our children and our world, this is a must-read.”
—Melanne Verveer , former US Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, and author of Fast Forward
“If you’re a mom who ever wondered if your children could be entrepreneurs, and, if so, how you can help, you must read Margot’s book—a collection of inspiring stories which inspired me to look at ways we can support our children as future entrepreneurs. This is a must-own and a must-read !”
—Alissa Circle , cofounder and CEO of Pollinate Media Group, and author of the blog Diary of an Addict
“Entrepreneurs can change the world by innovating key aspects of our lives, such as health, energy, food, and education. Your child could become the next visionary entrepreneur. Margot guides parents on how to foster their entrepreneurial spark.”
—Steve Case , chairman of Revolution and The Case Foundation, and author of The Third Wave
“Raising kids with the courage to follow their dreams is what all parents should strive for. Margot offers moms, dads, and grandparents the perfect textbook for learning that important lesson.”
—Barbara Harrison , NBC4 News anchor, and founder of NBC’s Wednesday’s Child
“Margot’s book resonated deeply with me as a female founder and mother. She maps the steps to help parents raise their children with the skills they’ll need to start companies or nonprofits.”
—Danielle Tate , author of Elegant Entrepreneur , and founder and CEO of www.missnowmrs.com
“ Raising an Entrepreneur is a must-read for anyone who wants to raise children to have the courage to be passionate self-starters. Her advice and stories from a diverse cross section of thriving entrepreneurs can help parents champion their children’s desires for success—and show how these values are later imparted into the entrepreneurs’ own organizations.”
—Keith Ferrazzi , author of the New York Times bestsellers Who’s Got Your Back and Never Eat Alone , and founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight
“It’s what all parents are after—raising our children to be caring and concerned, but also fearless and resilient. To learn early how to harness their passions confidently and grow into fulfilled adults. When it happens, it’s not luck or genetics, it turns out. Through dozens of insightful interviews with today’s top entrepreneurs and change makers, and, critically, their mothers, Margot has uncovered a recipe we can all use.”
—Claire Shipman , senior national correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America , and coauthor of Womenomics
“Entrepreneurs don’t just spring up as adults; their childhood helps shape them. Margot shows how parents can guide their development.”
—Tony Hsieh , New York Times bestselling author of Delivering Happiness , and CEO of zappos.com


Publisher’s Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books
Copyright © 2016 by Margot Machol Bisnow
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
Cover design by Amy Shoup
Acquired by Tesilya Hanauer
Edited by Xavier Callahan and Clancy Drake
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Bisnow, Margot Machol, author.
Title: Raising an entrepreneur : 10 rules for nurturing risk takers, problem solvers, and change makers / Margot Machol Bisnow.
Description: Oakland, CA : New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2016. | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016015124 (print) | LCCN 2016024781 (ebook) | ISBN 9781626253902 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781626253919 (pdf e-book) | ISBN 9781626253926 (epub) | ISBN 9781626253919 (PDF e-book) | ISBN 9781626253926 (ePub)
Subjects: LCSH: Success in business--Case studies. | Risk-taking (Psychology) in children. | Problem solving in children. | Creative thinking in children. | Entrepreneurship, | Parenting.
Classification: LCC HF5386 .B467 2016 (print) | LCC HF5386 (ebook) | DDC 338/.04--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016015124
Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
What About Money?
Spotting a Future Entrepreneur
The Rule of All Rules: Believe In Your Child
The Secret of All Secrets: Mom Power
Rule 1: Support a Passion
Trust Your Child’s Passion
Encourage Exploration
The Power of Stepping Aside
My Family
Rule 2: Let Your Child Learn to Win—and Lose
The Importance of Grit
Learning to Fail
Rule 3: Don’t Worry About Straight A’s
Schools Don’t Always Nurture Entrepreneurs
What Parents Can Do
What Schools Can Do
Rule 4: Mentors Can Be Great
Fanning the Flame
Encouraging Bold Choices
The Gift of Inspiration
Where You Come In
Rule 5: Instill Confidence
The Power of Belief
The Power of Trust
Standing Up for Your Child
Rule 6: Embrace Adversity
Obstacles as Opportunities
No Time for Self-Pity
Resilient for Life
Rule 7: Nurture Compassion
A Caring Vision
A Wider Window
Rule 8: Be a Great Family
From Great Families to Great Companies
Incubating Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs Raising Entrepreneurs
Rule 9: Show Them There’s Something Bigger
Faith and Values
Finding Their Own Compass
Inspiration in Action
Rule 10: Lead by Following
Do What You Love, Love What You Do
Let Them Find Their Way
Give Unconditional Support
Help Them Find Their Strengths
Conclusion: Believe in Your Child
What Doesn’t Matter
What Matters
What Matters Most
Believe in Your Child
Beyond Entrepreneurship
Bonus Track: Stumbling Into (Some of) the Rules
References
Books
Articles and Videos
Acknowledgments
It’s been a long road, and I want to thank the many people who inspired me to persevere. The first would be my wonderful husband Mark, who always said, “Take your time, do it right.” And our incredible sons, Elliott and Austin, who first encouraged me to write a book when I expressed surprise that, when asked, every entrepreneur told me, “I turned out this way because my mom believed in me.” They introduced me to many of their friends who, along with their moms, agreed to be interviewed.
Thanks to Adam Braun, who introduced me to his agent, who introduced me to mine, Ryan Harbage, who believed in the book from the start. To Susan Leon, who did the first edit, and to David Hayward, who did the next edit. To Shauna Shapiro for introducing me to Tesilya Hanauer at New Harbinger, who immediately understood what the book was about. To all the wonderful folks at New Harbinger who put so much effort into this book. To James Marshall Reilly for showing me how to write a book proposal. And especially to the sixty-plus entrepreneurs and their moms who shared their experiences so that others may learn how to raise an entrepreneur. I couldn’t have done it without every single person, and so, to all of them, I am grateful.
Margot Machol Bisnow is a writer, wife, and mom from Washington, DC. She spent twenty years in government, including as an FTC Commissioner and Chief of Staff of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, and eight years writing a popular daily online social newsletter. Her son Austin has written successful pop songs and started the popular band Magic Giant. Her son Elliott founded Summit Series, a noted international conference series for millennial entrepreneurs, and led the purchase and development of Powder Mountain ski resort in Utah as a permanent home for their community. Her husband, Mark Bisnow, founded a national newsletter company, Bisnow Media, which was acquired in 2016. Their dog is the only one in the family who gets enough sleep.
Elliott Bisnow founded Summit Series, which has hosted thousands of young entrepreneurs at frequent events, and whose philosophy is that good business should be good for the world; Forbes called it “The Davos of Generation Y.” Summit is an investor in Uber, Warby Parker, and change.org, and has spearheaded philanthropic efforts that include building a seventy-one-square-mile marine-protected area in the Bahamas. Elliott cofounded Bisnow Media, which was acquired in 2016, and served on the United Nations Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council.
Austin Bisnow is the lead singer of Magic Giant, the Los Angeles-based folk revival band known for anthem-like sing-alongs and euphoric live experiences, whose single “Set On Fire” charted #4 on Spotify’s US Viral 50. He is also an accomplished songwriter and producer who has worked with artists, including John Legend, will.i.am, David Guetta, and Steve Aoki. Austin and his brother Elliott teamed with Grammy-winning producer Benny Blanco to cofound the Get Well Soon Tour, a nonprofit that raises the spirits of hospitalized children across America.
This book is dedicated to my family: my wonderful husband Mark, our extraordinary sons Elliott and Austin, and my own inspirational parents.
Foreword
As teenagers, we must have given our parents fits. We wanted to take big risks for big dreams. We embraced being ourselves rather than conforming. One of us wanted to start a company; the other, a band. We were the only people we knew committed to doing either. We wanted a life of adventure and a chance to do things that hadn’t been done before.
Our parents could easily have suffocated our aspirations. Instead, they believed in us. The only career rule in our family was to make sure we did what we lov