My mum turned 70 recently. And so, as the eldest daughter, of course I trawled through photos to prepare a slideshow.
And when I hit the flat-ironed hair of the 70s, I started to realise something big…
A lot of the way I run my business didn’t come from my two fancy degrees or a coaching session.
It came from her.
So please enjoy my reflections of the seven things (one for each decade) that Mum has taught me, that make me a better business owner.
1. Resilience.
Mum has severe eczema. The kind that can be debilitating. But most people have not idea. Because she just gets on with what needs doing.
Business is the same. There are weeks that itch, that sting. That feel unfair.
But you get up and show up.
2. Loyalty.
When the Lockyer Valley GD started gunning for our GA in netball, Mum didn’t sit quietly on the sidelines. She backed her team.
In business, that’s how I feel about my clients, collaborators, and my community. Loyalty isn’t passive. It’s protective.
3. A way with words.
Every milestone birthday, Mum writes us a poem. I’m talking for 40+ years… Waaaay before Chatty was on the scene. It’s specific, it’s observant, and it’s deeply personal.
Mum taught me words aren’t fillers. They’re powerful. They shape how a person feels and behaves.
4. Listen. Properly.
I was that kid who told Mum that I had to swap sandwiches with Kristina, because her Dad made hers and got the butter-to-Vegemite ratio wrong, and she didn’t like it, so I “HAD” to have it or she’d tell the teacher. I know, drama in Grade 2! But I always had an after-school story for Mum.
And she always listened. Helped me sort through it. Helped me work out my options.
That’s how I approach strategy work now. Listen first. Ask questions. Then advise.
5. Contribute properly.
Mum didn’t show up to bake stalls with the bare minimum. She contributed because she cared.
In business, I don’t do surface-level work. If I’m in, I’m ALL in.
6. Disagree well.
We butted heads. Often.
But she taught me to look at facts. Form my own view. And speak up.
I watched her stand up to teachers and friends when something wasn’t right.
That shaped how I show up for clients.
I won’t just nod. I’ll think. I’ll question. I’ll back you when it matters, but I’ll also challenge you when I think there’s another way.
7. A smile is strategy.
Going through photos, it became blindingly obvious where I got my smile from.
I reckon it’s one of my greatest business assets.
Warmth builds trust faster than perfection ever will.
None of these lessons were labelled “business skills.” But they’re the backbone of how I work.
Turns out, my first business mentor didn’t run a company. She ran a household.
And she did it brilliantly.
Thanks Mum. xx
