Latest news with #MistakesThatMadeMeAMillionaire
Business Insider
24-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Business Insider
I'm a twin raising 2 sets of twins. I know I need to encourage their individuality.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kim Perell, author of " Mistakes That Made Me A Millionaire." It has been edited for length and clarity. My family is knee-deep in twins. My twin sister and I look just alike, but we're not identical. I'm raising two sets of twins: boy/girl fraternal twins who are 11, and identical boys who are 6. My sister also has identical twin girls, who are 18. It's not just this generation: my grandpa was a twin, and my husband has twins in his family too. When we're together, it's a bit chaotic since everyone looks and sounds alike, but I love it. People often say, "I can't believe you have to deal with that," but I don't see twin life as a chore. I see it as a blessing, even though there are some downsides. Growing up as a twin was tough My sister was always smarter, faster, and stronger than me. When you have someone who shares your exact experiences and most of your DNA, you're going to compare. For me, comparing with her was a losing battle. She was so smart that she was bused to a gifted and talented program, while I went to regular school. When I was young, my mom shared the saying, "Comparison is the thief of joy." She encouraged me to find my own areas to shine rather than competing with my sister. I started doing individual sports like tennis or swimming, while my sister stood out in team sports. It taught me early on that it's okay to be different. I encourage individuality in my kids My 11-year-old son is very into sports, while my daughter loves the arts and reading. I like that they have different interests, even though it makes my life more hectic. We have four kids in four different activities, which is a logistical nightmare. At the same time, I accept that there's always going to be some competition between siblings, especially twins. Whether it's on the soccer field or in the classroom, they'll compare each other. We're realistic about that, but try to balance it out with activities that everyone loves and excels at, like surfing and wakeboarding. A schedule is critical My home runs like a well-oiled machine. Each night, we sit down for family dinner at 6 p.m.. By 7 p.m., we're usually doing family activities outside. Then, by 8 p.m., everyone is in bed and there's not a sound to be heard. Scheduling is just as important now as it was when the kids were babies. It keeps them focused and helps everyone know what to expect. I chose to have twins, but also got a surprise My husband and I went through a long IVF journey. During that time, I wanted to have twins, so we implanted two embryos when I got pregnant with my older kids. I was thrilled when an ultrasound confirmed there were two. But no one is crazy enough to opt for twins twice. It took me a while to convince my husband to have any more children, and when he agreed, we transferred only one embryo. By some miracle, it split, giving us our double twins. If we had looked at that as overwhelming, it would have been. Instead, we chose to see it as an efficient way to build our family. We couldn't even attempt to do it alone, so we relied on our village of family, friends, and hired help. Even though the kids are all in school today, our after-school nanny is critical. The bond that twins have is amazing. I have it with my sister, and I'm so glad that my nieces and my children get to experience it too.
Business Insider
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
I sold my company for $20 million at 30. I share my stories of success and failure because both are important.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kim Perell, author of " Mistakes That Made Me A Millionaire." It has been edited for length and clarity. Ever since I was a kid living in Oregon, my life has been a roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship. My parents were entrepreneurs who experienced big highs and big lows. Running their own business created a lot of stress in my household. We never knew if we'd have enough money to turn on the heat during the winter. There was tension between my parents and my two siblings, and I felt it, too. When we sat down for dinner each night, my dad would ask about the worst part of our day, which always led to him talking about business troubles. He didn't ask about school or sports, but was always up for talking business, so we saw the difficult parts of entrepreneurship up close. I didn't want to become an entrepreneur until I got fired I didn't want to be an entrepreneur because I had seen the stress and inconsistency it caused in my family growing up. All I wanted was a stable job with a paycheck every two weeks. So, I went to college and got just that — or so I thought. After about two years, the company I was working for went bankrupt. I was fired and broke. That was an important lesson: whether you're an entrepreneur or an employee, there's no such thing as certainty and security. If nothing is guaranteed, the best bet you can make is on yourself. I waited too long, but then jumped into digital advertising After that, I was interested in starting a company, but I made the mistake of waiting for the ideal time. I've since learned that launching a business is like becoming a parent: there's no perfect time. You've just got to jump in. So, I took a $10,000 loan from my grandmother to start a digital ad agency. My grandma didn't understand what the internet was, but she believed in me, and her loan allowed me to start the company at my kitchen table. I sold my company for $20 million when I was 30 Growing up as a twin, I learned early on to differentiate myself. That gave me a lone wolf mentality that was hard to shake. That's another mistake I made: trying to do everything alone. Once I finally hired help, I was able to grow and scale. The company flourished. When I was 30, I sold my digital ad company for about $20 million in cash and equity. I remember going to the ATM, and my bank balance had too many digits to print on the receipt. That was the best day of my life. My maxed-out credit cards and 3 a.m. worries had paid off. I had created security for myself. As a mentor, I aim to normalize failure I'm 48 now. Since selling that first company, I've become a serial entrepreneur, investor, and business mentor. I speak with my clients not only about my success, but about the failures I've had along the way. I'm not sure my dad did the right thing by sharing his business woes at the dinner table each night, yet that normalized failure for me. If failure isn't normalized, you can become paralyzed by fear and get stuck. To succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to know you're going to make mistakes and do it anyway. My failures have contributed to my success I want my four kids to be comfortable taking risks. Make mistakes; think big; and fail occasionally. That's where you grow. Our children are going to need that adaptability and willingness to try new things in a world that is changing more quickly than ever. As a young adult, I wanted consistency, but I've learned the only constant is change. Embracing change and failure has led to my biggest successes.
