Starting my own business felt like a daunting challenge, especially while managing the chaos of family life. But as I looked around, I saw a growing wave of moms who were not just surviving doing it—they were thriving. Inspired by these trailblazing women, I’ve uncovered five essential skills that are transforming more and more moms into entrepreneurial powerhouses. Here’s how they’re doing it—and how you can, too.
Mom Entrepreneur Toolkit: 5 Skills for Success in Business and Parenting
Looking at the stats, female-run businesses are on the rise, with women owning about 39% of small businesses in the United States. According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, businesses owned by women contribute $1.9 trillion in revenue annually. SoFi ran a survey in March 2024 of 1,000 mothers who owned businesses in what qualities they felt were their strongest skills, and it showed that improved problem-solving (60%), enhanced multitasking (51%), increased empathy (46%), and greater resilience (46%) were at the top of the list.
I dove into these superpowers firsthand with inspiring women, and I discovered so many of these qualities that make us successful moms can be leveraged to achieve entrepreneurial success. Each interview gave me fresh motivation to dig deeper, tap into hidden strengths, and embrace these powers in my life. Here are the five superpowers that stood out the most.
- Perseverance: Building Million-Dollar Brands
- Intuition: Making Smart Business Decisions
- Imagination: Unlocking Your Creativity
- Empathy: Leading with Purpose
- Resilience: Scaling with the Right Priorities
#1 Perseverance: Building a Multi-Million Dollar Brand with Lily Kanter, Co-Founder of Serena & Lily
I learned so much from my conversation with Lily Kanter, Co-Founder of one of my favorite brands Serena & Lily. One of the most important lessons? It’s okay to ask for help! Lily shared that asking for and prioritizing consistent support at home was the foundation of her success in building the multi-million-dollar brand we know today. And she wasn’t scared to admit and be transparent about that.
Key Lesson: Support System Strategy to Persevere in Business
When assembling her support network, she focused on her needs first, then built additional help around her lead hire as required. Her husband was another key player, actively supporting her every step of the way.
Action Steps for Moms
Lily also emphasized the importance of modeling values for her kids. She taught them that giving back is as essential as pacing yourself at work. She involves her children in global charitable activities in her spare time. Her perseverance and intentionality created a legacy both at home and in business.
Listen to the full interview: The Superpower of Perseverance.
#2 Intuition: From Lawyer to Candle-Making with Founder of Taja Collection, Annabelle DeGrazio
While perseverance laid the foundation for Lily’s success, Annabelle DeGrazio’s journey shows how intuition can drive smart, bold decisions. Annabelle DeGrazio built a million-dollar business rooted in her love for ancient art and a keen sense of intuition. She shared how trusting her gut—even in uncertain moments—allowed her to take risks that paid off.
Key Lesson: Trust Your Gut with Solid Proof Points to Guide You
Annabelle started by giving free products to influencers with similar audiences. That bold strategy quickly paid off. She also didn’t leave her attorney position before she received a sound proof of concept before going all in. She also consistently kept her mission of bringing a personal touch to gift-giving at her company’s core, including employees in brainstorming and feeling invested in the business with her.
Action Steps for Moms
Annabelle’s journey is a masterclass blending instinct with strategy, showing us how to align our passions with purpose to create something extraordinary—personalizing the art of gift-giving again.
Listen to the full episode: From Ancient Art to $1M Business.
#3 Imagination: Unlocking Creativity with Author Melissa Llarena
Once you’ve locked into an unstoppable approach and your intuition, the next step is to picture the success you hope to see. Melissa Llarena is a powerhouse who turned her creative vision into a profitable reality. She now works to coach female entrepreneurs in all walks of life by unlocking their wildest imaginations to succeed.
Key Lesson: Unlock Your Fertile Imagination for Business Success
In our interview, she shared practical advice on nurturing the imagination, brainstorming ideas, and staying committed to seeing them through. She prioritized her goal of getting her book The Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower for Maximum Impact to Amazon’s best-selling list, and she did! She also doesn’t hesitate to sell herself to get time with top entrepreneurs like Gary V.
Action Steps for Moms
Hone in on your network and devise a strategy to connect with other leaders in your space. Come up with a communication plan and creatively brainstorm how best to get their interest. Never forget your MROI by asking yourself: Is the value I’m getting worth the time away from my kids? Her story reminds us that creativity isn’t just for artists—it’s a skill we can all harness to innovate, solve problems, and build meaningful careers.
Listen to the full interview: Mom Superpowers to Profit.
#4 Empathy: Practicing What You Preach with Author Jenna Hermans
As most moms can attest, work-life balance can feel like a myth, but Jenna Hermans showed me it’s achievable when approached with empathy and intention. As a leader in male-dominated industries, Jenna mastered the art of balancing her professional ambitions with her role as a mom of 4.
Key Lesson: More Female Leaders Should Model Empathy
Her ability to prioritize self-care and set healthy boundaries is a blueprint for creating harmony in your home and workplace. She believes more women can model empathy to encourage others to do the same within companies. This will lead to more open and collaborative approaches to business.
Action Steps for Moms
Code words like “I feel banana” resonate for kids at home when anyone feels off or needs space to focus on priorities and prevent burnout. Whiteboarding helps with family planning and encouraging kids to do their part around the home.
Listen to the full episode: Work-Life Balance: A Guide to Conquering Male-Dominated Industries.
#5 Resilience: Being Flexible with Seven-Figure Mom Business Owner Nikki Lindgren
Nikki Lindgren’s journey to launching a seven-figure business as a mom of three is nothing short of inspiring. Balancing the demands of parenting with entrepreneurship, Nikki shows how resilience, thoughtful leadership, and a commitment to core values can pave the way for success. Her story is a powerful reminder that thriving in business is possible while being fully present for your family.
Key Lesson: Have an Employee-first Model
Nikki’s secret to success lies in her employee-first mindset. She has built a team that feels empowered and motivated to deliver their best work by fostering a workplace culture that values and supports employees. Nikki firmly believes that when employees feel appreciated and respected, they become invested in the company’s mission and contribute to its long-term success.
Action Steps for Moms
A few ways to put your employees first are:
- Providing flexibility: Recognizing the needs of her team, Nikki ensures work-life balance through policies like remote work options, flexible hours, and understanding family commitments.
- Investing in professional growth: Nikki prioritizes her team’s development by offering training, mentorship opportunities, and regular check-ins to discuss career goals.
- Prioritizing transparency: Open communication is key to Nikki’s leadership style. She ensures her team understands the “why” behind decisions, fostering trust and alignment with the company’s mission.
Read about her inspiring journey: How Nikki Built a 7-Digit Business.
The Essential Mom Entrepreneur Toolkit
Each of these women unlocked unique superpowers that helped them balance motherhood and business success. What’s your mom superpower, and how will you use it to create your own unstoppable success story?
Action Steps to Start Today
- Identify your dominant superpower: Where are you strong, and where do you need partners to help you grow?
- Create your support blueprint: What help do you need to be successful, and where can you delegate the reins more to achieve business success?
- Set measurable growth goals: Where do you hope to get in the next 3-6 months, and how can you get there faster with limited resources?
Your journey to unstoppable success starts with identifying your unique superpowers. Which of these five skills will you lean into first? Share your thoughts on social media @MomShineCo, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for more actionable insights and inspiring stories.