Most importantly, I am the mother of two beautiful girls and a devoted wife. I am a natural born entrepreneur and I basically never stop. I am a permanent makeup and lash artist at my studio Shari Gold and I am also an educator in the beauty industry, in partnership with The Toronto Tattoo Clinic, a permanent makeup school in Toronto. On top of it all, I am an expansion leader for Rodan + Fields in Canada. I love working with people who are pursuing their dreams and helping others build strong businesses in the beauty industry.
- Being a mom is a full-time job. What is the best piece of advice you can give to a mother, who is thinking of becoming an entrepreneur?
This is a great question and unfortunately, I don’t think it’s a simple answer. I think if you have a vision and the timing is right then all you can do is run with it, especially if you have that entrepreneurial spirit.
It’s true what they say, “it takes a village”. It really does! It’s so important to know when you’re in need of help and to ask for it. I recommend developing a business that you can do alongside raising your kids if possible. Ultimately, your drive will inspire others! When the universe is saying go for it, you got to JUMP and then RUN! If you wait for a perfect time in life the opportunity will pass you by.
- We all struggle with time management. What is the single, most effective time management tool that helps you stay on track?
A very smart mentor of mine by the name of Tracie Bonds taught me to automate the important things. Creating auto generated emails, using tools to schedule social media posts and Facebook groups to coordinate. Basically, the more you can automate the better! Oh and I’m all about making lists!!! Single most important tool is my iPhone notepad!
- Nature vs. nurture. Do you think an entrepreneur is born or made?
I don’t think you can make an entrepreneur. I think you either have it in you or you don’t. That doesn’t mean that you can’t develop into one. When you are exposed to lots of different things, eventually, you may find something that just clicks with you and your natural entrepreneurial drive kicks in. This can happen at any stage in life. Some people will always be workers, but entrepreneurs are dreamers. That’s the difference!
- Often times we hear, “the struggle is real.” Is it really a struggle? Or do entrepreneurs seek challenge to fulfill their needs?
The struggle is real, the late hours and sleepless night are real, but when you know where you want to be and you know that you have a lot more to do to get there then there is always work to be done. Mom life/work life balance is an ever changing dynamic, however, I don’t think we seek any of this for any sort of need. This is just part of the journey. I remember when I first started my business, I would wake up at all hours of the night and need to write down my thoughts. As things develop, it gets easier. Automate the important things and ultimately enjoy what you have created. Celebrate the successes along the way because for an entrepreneur you never reach your end goal because that goal just takes a new form and gets bigger and bigger. It’s honestly incredibly exciting every step of the way.
- Do you think that authentic, internal motivation is necessary to be a successful entrepreneur?
Authentic, internal motivation is 100% the key to success. No one becomes incredibly successful without first having a strong vision for what they want out of life. Entrepreneurs finish what they start even if they ultimately fail and if that happens they pick themselves up and they push even harder. Laser sharp focus in the beginning until momentum happens is so important. Untimely, it comes down to having a hell of a lot of grit. I read a great book lately that talked about this, it’s written by Angela Duckworth and its called GRIT. I recommend reading it; it is amazing!
For more information on Shari Gold, please check out her website www.sharigold.com.
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