3 Entrepreneurs Share their Secret to Launching a Business While Raising Kids
If you’re dreaming of starting a big project, take note. The co-founders of a cult classic skincare line share how they got started—with little ones in tow.
Karité is a skincare line that has garnered praise from top notch publications like Goop, Cosmopolitan, and Oprah Magazine. Praised by beauty editors as a “holy grail” product, Karité’s rich and luxurious shea butter cream is the result of three sisters—Akua, Abena, and Naana—inspired by their West African childhood.
“We were fortunate enough to spend time in Ghana throughout our childhood and always had the idea that we’d bring a piece of our culture to the U.S.,” the sisters shared. “We used raw shea butter from Ghana as a daily moisturizer. If you know shea butter in its most raw form, it’s incredibly difficult to spread on the skin. So we would mix the shea with drugstore brand lotions to make it easy to spread.” Then one day, the siblings came to a shared conclusion: they’d use this at-home formula for the basis of a brand new company that offered clean and luxe skincare items as effective as the ones they’d been making themselves. From those humble beginnings, Karité was born.
While the sisters admit launching a company alongside raising young families wasn’t easy, they took some time to share what helped them bring Karité from a small seed of an idea to a full-fledged business.
How to Launch a Business While Raising Children
Put Pen to Paper
Just start. It is so easy to make all the excuses as to why it’s not the right time. It’s never easy but so rewarding when you just start putting pen to paper and seeing things progress. In terms of managing my time, we make sure to schedule a longer weekly call usually on a Saturday or Sunday morning (in addition to doing quick check-ins throughout the week) to get organized and plan for everything upcoming. My husband knows that this is baked-in time for Karité and takes on childcare so that I can focus. — Akua Okunseinde, chief creative officer
Manage Your Time
It is definitely not easy because the business is like another child that requires a lot of attention and nurturing. Be flexible with time management—what time management looks like for you may look different for someone else. What works best for me is waking up super early or staying up later after the kids have gone to bed to catch up on work. I always keep a list going so that helps me stay organized on my daily/weekly tasks. I am able to do so much on my phone so I don’t need to be tethered to my computer which is helpful.
Just start. It is so easy to make all the excuses as to why it’s not the right time. It’s never easy but so rewarding when you just start putting pen to paper and seeing things progress.
And it’s also wonderful for the kids to grow up and see how hard we work and to celebrate our success (and also see our frustrations), and know that they can also start a business while raising a family. The two are not mutually exclusive. — Abena Slowe, chief operating officer
Go at Your Own Pace
The key is to understand that this is a marathon and not a sprint. It is important to look at your competitors while you are running, but remember to go at your own pace and focus on your values. Regarding family, I think it is important for my kids to understand that in order to be successful, you need to put in the time and effort. There are always ups and downs, but overall it is so much fun. — Naana Boakye, M.D, chief executive officer
Read More:
How I Launched My Own Company After a Major Career Shift
Editor’s note: A version of this story first appeared in 2021.
