The stereotypical image of startup life is a handful of scruffy twenty-somethings working 24/7 in a garage. No one has kids, needless to say, because no one has a life outside of work. That image of workaholic, childless founders is often reinforced by founders who recount stories of their firms’ exhausting, around-the-clock early days. I worry that the pervasiveness of that image – of startup life as a zero-balance zone, where kids aren’t allowed — could be keeping some talented would-be founders from striking out on their own, starting new companies, and growing the economy.
Yes, You Can Start a Business and Have a Baby at the Same Time
Stories from the trenches.
December 15, 2017
Summary.
The stereotypical image of startup life is a handful of scruffy twenty-somethings working 24/7 in a garage. No one has kids, needless to say, because no one has a life outside of work. However, in reality, while giving birth to a baby and a business at the same time can be daunting, it’s entirely doable. And a new generation of company founders is intent on making work-baby balance a priority, crafting flexible policies that will meet their own needs, and the needs of their employees. They increasingly see that anyone — even the founder herself or himself — can take time off to care for a new child, and that offering paid parental leave to their employees is the way to attract and retain the best talent.