• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home Business & Finance Entrepreneurship

What Building an App Taught Me About Parenting — And Successful Startups todayheadline

March 26, 2025
in Entrepreneurship
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
0
5
SHARES
10
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

I never thought parenting and startups had much in common until I found myself navigating both at the same time. As a mom and a person in the tech space who has built products at PayPal and Ford, my job has always been hyper-focused on solving problems.

However, launching an app designed to help families streamline household management showed me something I did not expect: running a startup and raising a child are really similar.

Both require patience, adaptability and the ability to function under extreme uncertainty. Both demand that you make decisions with incomplete data, trust your instincts and learn from constant failures. And just like parenting, building a startup forces you to think beyond yourself because, ultimately, it’s not about what you want; it’s about creating something that helps others solve problems.

Related: 5 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Glean From Their Kids’ K-12 Teachers

Lesson 1: Structure creates freedom

When I became a single mom, I had to figure out how to juggle work, my daughter’s schedule and the emotional new reality of having less support. I needed a system to replace the mental load of managing everything alone. This is a problem many parents — and moms in particular — are faced with: this hidden mental load. That’s what led me to build my smart family management app that helps parents organize chores, schedules and household responsibilities.

In parenting, structure gives kids the predictability they need to feel secure. The same is true in a startup. Without structure, chaos is a given. At my startup, we had to create a system where our small team could move fast without stepping on each other’s toes. We set up clear communication protocols, consistent sprint cycles and defined success metrics. This didn’t limit creativity but actually encouraged it.

I’ve come to see structure not as a constraint but as a tool for empowerment. The more predictable the foundation, the more room there is for flexibility where it counts.

Lesson 2: Iteration is the way

When my daughter was little, I worried a lot about getting parenting “right.” I read the books, sought advice and agonized over decisions. But the truth is, parenting isn’t a linear path, instead it’s a series of constant adjustments. What works one year might not work the next. Kids evolve, and you have to evolve with them. A lot like software!

Startups are no different. When we first launched our app, I had a clear vision of how it would function. But once real parents started using it, I realized we had built the wrong thing in several ways. We had assumed too much. Our first chore management system was rigid and didn’t account for how different families operate. Parents wanted more customization, and kids wanted more gamification. We had to tear it apart and rebuild it based on actual user behavior.

The lesson? Perfection is a myth. You have to build, release, test and refine — over and over again. Whether it’s an app or a child, the goal isn’t to get it “right” from the start but to keep improving as you go.

Related: This Overlooked Principle Is the Key to Startup Success

Lesson 3: You always need a village

I used to believe I had to handle everything myself, both at home and at work. That’s a lie too many of us, especially women, tell ourselves.

As a parent, I learned the hard way that trying to do everything alone is a fast track to burnout. I had to learn to delegate, to trust my daughter to take on more and more responsibilities, and to lean on my support network.

That mindset shift carried over into my startup. At first, I tried to be everywhere at the same time: handling product, marketing, fundraising and user support. It wasn’t sustainable. Learning to trust my team, delegate responsibilities and bring in experts where needed didn’t just make the company run better; it made me a better leader.

I also think this applies to your co-founder. It’s important to find a co-founder whose vision and company values meet your own because they will also be part of your village.

Startups and families both thrive when responsibility is shared. No one person can, or should, carry the full weight.

Lesson 4: Emotional resilience for the win

Startups are an emotional rollercoaster, and so is parenting (especially during the teen years!). You can have a great week where everything clicks, only to be thrown into chaos by something unexpected.

The solution in both cases? Resilience and sticktoitiveness.

I’ve had moments as a founder where I thought, I am not good at this! How do I solve this problem I know nothing about? I’ve had moments as a mom where I thought, I have no idea what I’m doing. But I’ve learned that tough moments pass. The way forward is to keep going, even when you don’t have all the answers.

Resilience isn’t about never failing; it’s about adapting to failure without losing your sense of purpose.

Related: How Can a Working Mother Be Successful These Days? 6 Strategies for Success as an Entrepreneur and Parent

Lesson 5: The mission matters a lot

At some point, both in parenting and in startups, you have to let go of your ego. It’s not about you; it’s about the people you’re serving, the users or customers.

As a parent, my job isn’t to raise a child who reflects me — it’s to raise a child who becomes their own person. With my startup, my goal isn’t to build the app I want; it’s to build something that genuinely helps families. The best ideas often come not from what I think should exist but from what users tell me they need.

A founder’s job, like a parent’s, is to create something that outlives them. To set something in motion, nurture it, and eventually, let it grow beyond them.

Building a new tool has made me a better parent. Parenting has made me a better founder. Both roles have forced me to be adaptable, embrace imperfection and put mission above ego.

If you’re a founder, take a lesson from parenting: structure creates freedom, iteration is key and resilience is your greatest asset. And if you’re a parent, take a lesson from startups: let go of perfection, build systems that work for you and don’t be afraid to pivot when needed.

Whether you’re raising a child or a company, the real goal is the same: to create something meaningful, something that lasts, and something that makes the world a little better than you found it.

Tags: AppBuildingCultureEntrepreneursHealth & WellnessParentingSide HustleStartupsSuccess StrategiesSuccessfulTaughttodayheadline
Previous Post

Can’t even solve basic ‘average’ math problem: Bengaluru CEO shares pain of interviewing over 50 business, IT graduates todayheadline

Next Post

Morgan Stanley raises Chinese stock targets again on earnings optimism todayheadline

Related Posts

3 AI Tools to Help You Start a Profitable Solo Business todayheadline

May 10, 2025
5
Pinterest CEO Says AI Helped Revenue Grow By 16%

Pinterest CEO Says AI Helped Revenue Grow By 16% todayheadline

May 9, 2025
11
Next Post
Morgan Stanley raises Chinese stock targets again on earnings optimism

Morgan Stanley raises Chinese stock targets again on earnings optimism todayheadline

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Blake Lively; Justin Baldoni.

Taylor Swift’s camp slams subpoena in Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni case as ‘tabloid clickbait’

May 10, 2025
Bold spending needed to halt prison crisis, union says

Bold spending needed to halt prison crisis, union says

May 10, 2025
The Straits Times logo

Teen arrested over death of grandparents in central Japan

May 10, 2025
Isabel Schnabel

ECB’s Schnabel says higher prices from tariffs could limit rate cuts

May 10, 2025

Recent News

Blake Lively; Justin Baldoni.

Taylor Swift’s camp slams subpoena in Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni case as ‘tabloid clickbait’

May 10, 2025
2
Bold spending needed to halt prison crisis, union says

Bold spending needed to halt prison crisis, union says

May 10, 2025
2
The Straits Times logo

Teen arrested over death of grandparents in central Japan

May 10, 2025
2
Isabel Schnabel

ECB’s Schnabel says higher prices from tariffs could limit rate cuts

May 10, 2025
1

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Blake Lively; Justin Baldoni.

Taylor Swift’s camp slams subpoena in Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni case as ‘tabloid clickbait’

May 10, 2025
Bold spending needed to halt prison crisis, union says

Bold spending needed to halt prison crisis, union says

May 10, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co