CHEERS TO BECOMING A BUSINESS TODDLER
Written by Jessica Murray
Last week, my small business turned two. On May 9, 2024, I publicly launched Empower and embarked on the same entrepreneurial adventure journeyed by many of you and Empower’s partners.
I had a spark.
I planned.
I leaped.
I bet on myself.
I’m not always great at taking the moments to pause and celebrate. But these anniversary milestones provide a natural place for reflection and reinforcement. Last year, I took the opportunity to run down the 12 lessons learned over 12 months.
Don’t worry, I’m not about to share 24.
Instead, I’ll use an analogy to draw parallels between the toddler phases of childhood and running a business. As in parenting, running a toddler-aged business feels different from the newborn stage, especially with my first (business) baby.
But, just like a human toddler, a business toddler:
Constantly tests your limits.
Develops a more distinct personality and set of preferences.
Makes you feel both exhausted and energized nearly simultaneously.
Runs more independently, but still requires nurturing.
As a “parent” of a business entering its second major life stage:
I have a stronger handle on what to expect.
My confidence has built with experience and pattern recognition.
I’ve established a form of rhythm.
I’ve built in structure to support and shape the next phase of development.
I know curveballs may get thrown my way, and I’m better equipped to react effectively.
What shaping actually looked like in Year 2
Between one and two, kids develop a real point of view. They know what they like, dislike and they’re not subtle about it.
Empower in Year 2 felt a bit like that.
I had greater conviction about the work we should pursue and the ideal partners.
I refined how I talk about what we do, who we do it for and the value it delivers.
I became more intentional about where I spent time and energy.
I said no to commitments that no longer fit.
I navigated a challenging tension between my desire to support and elevate truly local small businesses and the reality that many of them aren’t yet at a stage where they can invest in the support Empower is well-positioned to provide. Facing this led to a useful place, and I’ve found a balance through evolving the structure of our offerings.
The Empower Method and Empower Complete are built for founders growing quickly, and ready to invest in hands-on operational support. Empower Hours and Empower Progress exist to serve entrepreneurs earlier in their journey who desire focused, flexible access to operational thinking without the commitment of a long-term engagement.
That’s what shaping means. Not necessarily caving when your original plan doesn’t play out, but instead using the new information to build for what you want to become in the next phase.
What’s still unresolved
A toddler doesn’t have life figured out at two. Neither does Empower. Consistent pipeline, especially with more mature founder-led businesses, remains a work in progress. That will be the work of Year 3.
What’s next
A parent’s job is to prepare the toddler for its next stage of development. The same is true as a steward of this business. I’m developing enough foundation so the next phase lands on solid footing.
Year 2 taught me what I’m building. Year 3 is about consistency and continued growth.