291: The kids will be grown soon

In this heartfelt and personal episode, Tina Tower reflects on the journey of building her business while raising her children, now that they're nearing adulthood. She dives deep into the challenges, joys, and deliberate choices that came with balancing family life and entrepreneurship over the years.

Key Topics Covered: 

• Business & Babies: Tina shares how her kids have never known her without a business, and she often gets asked how she managed both. She emphasizes her gratitude for entrepreneurship, which gave her flexibility that a traditional job couldn’t.

• Seasons of Parenting & Work: Tina didn’t work at the same intensity when her children were small as she does now. For the first five years, she was the primary parent, even strapping her baby into a sling at work and adjusting her business as their needs evolved.

• Shifting Roles: At one point, Tina’s husband became the primary parent so she could focus on business growth. She discusses the real feelings—joy, gratitude, and sometimes resentment—that came with these changing roles.

• Time Together: She highlights the precious family time her business enabled, such as daily breakfasts and dinners, extensive travel, and close relationships built through shared experiences.

• Flexibility in Crisis: The episode touches on a family medical emergency, during which Tina was able to step back from work completely thanks to the business she’d built.

• Advice for Parents: For those in the thick of raising young children, Tina stresses that you can achieve remarkable things without sacrificing those fleeting years. Be present for the moments that matter, and understand it’s all about seasons and priorities.

• Not Doing It All: Tina openly shares her household philosophy—she “has it all, but doesn’t do it all.” Her family splits home and parenting responsibilities realistically, emphasizing teamwork and the importance of letting go of traditional gender roles.

• Making Kids Part of the Team: Tina encourages including children in business life, helping them understand the “why” behind your work, and celebrating special experiences and memories together.

• Letting Go: As her children become more independent, Tina reflects on the bittersweet process of letting go, fostering independence, and being proud as they chart their own paths.

Tina’s journey shows that building a business while raising a family is not about balance, but about seasons, teamwork, and intentional choices. She invites parents to embrace the flexibility entrepreneurship can offer, without guilt or pressure to do it all. Most of all, she reminds us that it’s possible to grow something meaningful—both at home and in business—when we lead with love, purpose, and presence.

Resources mentioned:

• Book & Card Deck: Fair Play – For equitable household division of labor.

 

Where to find Tina:

Her Empire Builder: https://www.herempirebuilder.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tina_tower/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@herempirebuilder