EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS, YOU CAN LEARN FROM A KID.

I was running companies and coaching CEOs long before I ever became a parent — but nothing sharpened my leadership skills quite like negotiating with a four-year-old about bedtime. And I’m telling you — he’s tougher than most executives I’ve met.

Kids are wild, messy, emotional little creatures… but they are also honest, creative, direct, resourceful, and relentless. And somewhere between childhood and adulthood, most women are trained to trade those gifts for people-pleasing and perfectionism.

Here’s the thing: if you’re willing to pay attention, your kids might just be the best leadership coaches you’ve ever had. The kind that doesn’t sugarcoat it, doesn’t shrink it, and definitely doesn’t worry about how it’ll be received.

So today, I’m flipping the script. Here are the real business lessons we should’ve never unlearned — straight from the sandbox.

1. Say What You Want. Directly. No Apology Attached.

My son doesn’t say, “Sorry, this might sound crazy, but I was wondering if maybe we could read two books tonight instead of one?”
No. He just says, “Mom I picked two books for tonight.” Like a boss.

Meanwhile, grown women are out here writing 3-paragraph emails with 7 disclaimers and a smiley face, just to ask for a raise.

Let’s be honest — how many opportunities have we missed because we were afraid of sounding demanding? How often have we softened our requests until they barely resembled the thing we actually wanted?

You don’t need to be rude. But you do need to be clear. Clarity is kind. And powerful. And effective.

2. Ask. Then Ask Again. Then Ask Differently.

If there was a Nobel Prize for persistence, every 6-year-old would have one.
They ask. You say no. They ask again. You explain. They counter. You cave.

It’s not manipulation — it’s negotiation. It’s the refusal to settle for less than what they believe is possible.

Meanwhile, women in business will take the first “no” as gospel. We convince ourselves it wasn’t meant to be, that we’ll be seen as pushy, or that we should be grateful for what we already have.

What if we let go of being liked and chose to be relentless instead?

3. Cry, Yell, Laugh — Then Move On.

Children are emotional athletes. One minute they’re sobbing on the floor. Two minutes later? They’re giggling in the backyard with a popsicle.

We, on the other hand, suppress everything. We hold onto resentment, fake fine, and numb out with wine or work or scrolling (guilty as charged).

Women in leadership are taught to be composed and collected — and while regulation is a skill, repression is a liability.

You are allowed to feel. And you are allowed to express it. You’re not less of a leader when you do — you’re more of a human.

4. If You Don’t Know How — You Try Anyway

My son didn’t know how to swim… until he jumped in.
Didn’t know how to ride a bike… until he pedaled off wobbly and wild.

Meanwhile, grown women delay action until they feel perfectly prepared. We think we need another certification, another spreadsheet, another 6 months of “planning.”

The truth? You don’t get confidence first — you get it through doing.
Clarity doesn’t come before the leap. It comes from motion.

Reminder: Trying and failing builds more credibility than standing still and “thinking about it.”

5. Make Friends Fast. And Collaborate Often.

Kids don’t walk into a room and wonder if they’re overdressed, underqualified, or too much. They walk in like, “Who wants to be my friend?”

They build sandcastles or legos together without a business plan. They share and swap snacks. They cheer each other on.

Meanwhile, women in business can get caught in silent comparison games, afraid to ask for help or afraid to share what’s working in case someone “steals it.”

But connection is currency. Collaboration beats competition. And isolation is optional. Who you know, will beat what you know every single time. 

6. Play the Long Game — But Don’t Forget to Play

Building a business should feel a little like a kid at an amusement park. Fast. Fun. Slightly unhinged.

But so many women are gripping the handlebars of their business so tight that they’re white-knuckled, exhausted, and not even enjoying the ride.

Kids chase joy. They don’t schedule it in six weeks from now. They find fun in the process — not just in the payoff.

That doesn’t mean you have to love every task (looking at you, bookkeeping). But it does mean you’re allowed to design a business that feels GOOD. That lights you up. That leaves room for laughter, naps, random dance breaks, and snacks.

7. Be Unreasonable. Be Brave. Be You.

Kids are so specific about what they want and how they want it.
They don’t worry about being “too much” or “too picky.” They know who they are, what they like, and what they won’t tolerate. Peanut butter sandwich? It better have the crust peeled off and be cut into squares. 

That’s leadership.

You’re allowed to be particular. You’re allowed to run your business your way. You’re allowed to take up space, set high standards, and walk away from what doesn’t serve you.

Let’s Wrap This Up

Your kid doesn’t need a LinkedIn bio or a six-figure quarter to know they’re a big deal. They already believe they are.

And maybe… that’s the point.

Somewhere along the way, we got strategic, successful, and scared. We started following rules that weren’t written for us. We stopped trusting ourselves and started outsourcing our worth.

So let’s go back. Not to childhood — but to that unfiltered, untamed, unapologetic part of us that still knows how to dream big, say it straight, and trust the process.

Because the business — and the life — we want to build?

It’s already inside of us.
And our kids? They’re just holding the mirror.

Reflection Questions for the Week:

• Where are you making it harder than it needs to be? 
• Where are you overthinking instead of acting? 

What would you do differently this week if you were a little more brave — and a little less buttoned up?