MBA2618 Q&A Wednesday: How Do I Start a Business If My Family Thinks it's a Bad Idea?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The $100 MBA Show - MBA2618 Q&A Wednesday: How Do I Start a Business If My Family Thinks it's a Bad Idea?

Host: Omar Zenhom
Release Date: April 30, 2025
Episode Title: MBA2618 Q&A Wednesday: How Do I Start a Business If My Family Thinks it's a Bad Idea?

---

Introduction to the Episode

In Episode MBA2618 of The $100 MBA Show, host Omar Zenhom addresses a common and sensitive challenge faced by aspiring entrepreneurs: navigating family skepticism when deciding to start a business. Drawing from his extensive experience as a successful entrepreneur, Omar provides actionable strategies to help listeners pursue their business dreams despite familial doubts.

Understanding Family Concerns

Omar begins by empathizing with entrepreneurs whose families may not support their business aspirations. He acknowledges that a family's reluctance often stems from a place of love and concern for financial security.

Omar Zenhom [00:31]: "If you've ever felt like your family just doesn't get it, this one is for you."

He explains that families typically equate traditional jobs with safety, stability, and survival, which can make the idea of entrepreneurship feel risky and unproven in their eyes.

Omar Zenhom [00:45]: "Job equals food on the table. Job equals health insurance. Job equals safety net."

Strategies to Address Family Doubts

Rather than attempting to convince family members through debates or presentations, Omar suggests a more nuanced approach focused on demonstrating commitment and progress.

Omar Zenhom [01:15]: "This isn't about convincing. It's about showing."

He emphasizes the importance of living your entrepreneurial journey openly, allowing your family to witness firsthand the dedication and successes you achieve.

Sharing Your Journey

A central theme of the episode is the power of transparency. Omar advises entrepreneurs to regularly share their progress, including both wins and setbacks, with their families.

Omar Zenhom [01:45]: "Share little wins. I made my first sale. That's something that you should definitely share with your family."

By consistently updating family members on milestones—such as making sales or achieving revenue targets—entrepreneurs can gradually shift perceptions and build trust.

Building Trust and Support

Omar highlights that demonstrating steady progress can alleviate family fears by proving that the business venture is not reckless but rather a calculated and resourceful endeavor.

Omar Zenhom [02:20]: "They're being resourceful. You are taking calculated risks."

As entrepreneurs show tangible results, families begin to see the viability of the business, leading to increased support and reduced anxiety over time.

Empathy and Respecting Family Perspectives

Acknowledging the validity of family concerns is crucial. Omar advises entrepreneurs to respect their family's perspective and fears without letting those fears impose limitations on their own ambitions.

Omar Zenhom [03:10]: "I think it's important for you to respect your family's fear. You want to respect their caution."

By blending empathy with persistence, entrepreneurs can navigate the emotional landscape of family dynamics while steadfastly pursuing their goals.

Conclusion and Encouragement

Omar wraps up the episode by reaffirming the importance of belief in oneself and the contagious nature of entrepreneurial passion. He encourages listeners to continue making progress and sharing their journeys, assuring them that familial support often follows demonstrated success.

Omar Zenhom [04:15]: "Trust me, it's really hard to do this on your own, against everybody. Make sure that their fears are heard as well as addressed."

He concludes with a motivational push:

Omar Zenhom [07:50]: "Keep going. It's your turn to start turning things around."

Notable Quotes

• Omar Zenhom [00:31]: "If you've ever felt like your family just doesn't get it, this one is for you."
• Omar Zenhom [01:45]: "Share little wins. I made my first sale."
• Omar Zenhom [02:20]: "They're being resourceful. You are taking calculated risks."
• Omar Zenhom [03:10]: "I think it's important for you to respect your family's fear."
• Omar Zenhom [04:15]: "Trust me, it's really hard to do this on your own, against everybody."
• Omar Zenhom [07:50]: "Keep going. It's your turn to start turning things around."

Final Thoughts

Omar Zenhom's episode provides a compassionate and strategic roadmap for entrepreneurs facing familial skepticism. By advocating for transparency, consistent progress sharing, and empathetic communication, Omar empowers listeners to bridge the gap between their entrepreneurial dreams and family concerns. This approach not only fosters personal growth but also cultivates a supportive environment essential for long-term business success.

---

For more insights and actionable business lessons, visit The $100 MBA Show and subscribe to their newsletter for weekly tips and strategies.

Transcript

[Jim]

And we're back, folks. It looks like Jim from sales just got in from his client lunch and he's got receipts.

[Colleague]

His next meeting is in two minutes. The team is asking, can he get through his expenses in that time?

[Jim]

He's going for it.

[Colleague]

Is that his phone?

[Jim]

He's snapping a pic. He's texting Ramp.

[Colleague]

Jim is fast, but this is unheard of.

[Jim]

That's it. He's done it. It's unbelievable.

[Ramp Ad]

On ramp expenses are faster than ever. Just submit them with a text. Switch your business to ramp.com.

[Omar Zenhom]

What if the people closest to your family don't believe in your business dreams? They love you. They want to protect you. But that same love can feel like the biggest weight on your shoulders. If you've ever felt like your family just doesn't get it, this one is for you. Welcome Back to the $100 MBA Show. I'm your host, Omar Zenholm, where I deliver practical business less three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, to help you start, grow and scale your business. Look, this is not about bad intentions. Your family genuinely believes a traditional job is the safest path to financial security. Because that's what they know. That's what they worked with all their life. This is what they saw in front of them growing up. It's survival logic. Job equals food on the table. Job equals health insurance. Job equals safety net. Job equals. You can fill in the blanks. So when you start talking about quitting your job or building a business, it's natural for them to panic. It's natural for them to feel worried. Not because they don't believe in you, but because they're afraid for you. And honestly, I get it. I feel for your family. This isn't about convincing. It's about showing. You don't need to start a debate. You don't need to argue about this. You don't need to win them over with logic or a TED talk on entrepreneurship, Right? What you want to do is you want to live out your journey out loud. Let them see it happening. Educate them throughout your experience. Let them know, hey, I'm not quitting my job and just throwing caution at the wind. I'm just using some of my earnings and the weekends to explore a business idea, share little wins. I made my first sale. That's something that you should definitely share with your family. Right? I made a hundred dollars. I made a thousand dollars. I helped somebody build something or create something and then share the progress. This month I made a thousand. Next month I made 2000. Next month I made 5000 now, it's not as much as your paycheck, but it's good for them to feel that there is progress and that there is another way to earn money outside of a job. And slowly, without forcing anything, they'll see your momentum. They'll realize that you're not being reckless. You're being resourceful. And you are taking calculated risks. You're not just throwing your whole life away. You're building something on the side to see how it goes. I think it's important for you to respect your family's fear. You want to respect their caution. It just makes sense on their side of things. But don't adopt their limits. Over time, your progress will begin to chip away at the belief that a job is the only way to be financially stable. You might find them asking questions like, wait, you made $3,000 this month working on your business on the side for just six hours a week. How did you do that? They might ask questions like, so what if you had 40 hours a week? But they won't ask any of these questions if you don't share your progress. And that's how it starts. The doubt starts to creep in. Not the doubt in you, but in their old beliefs. And guess who helped them get there? You did. By showing them, not telling them. No one wants to be lectured. But if they can see without a shadow of a doubt that there is progress, that there is hope, that there is another way, they convince themselves rather than you trying to convince them.

[Hometap Ad]

With a home equity investment from home tab, you get access to your home equity in cash without monthly payments to use for whatever you'd like, from paying off debt to making renovations or handling emergency expenses. Receive your funds in just a few weeks, start pursuing your financial goals and start getting more out of life. See if you pre qualify for an [e-mail] subject to eligibility terms and conditions apply. That's hometap.com.

[Jim]

And we're back, folks. It looks like Jim from sales just got in from his client lunch and he's got receipts.

[Colleague]

His next meeting is in two minutes. The team is asking, can he get through his expenses in that time?

[Jim]

He's going for it.

[Colleague]

Is that his phone?

[Jim]

He's snapping a pic. He's texting around.

[Colleague]

Jim is fast, but this is unheard of.

[Jim]

That's it. He's done it. It's unbelievable.

[Ramp Ad]

On ramp, expenses are faster than ever. Just submit them with a text. Switch your business to ramp.com.

[Omar Zenhom]

So like I mentioned, the only way this works is that you share Your journey, you must share your journey. Don't keep your business journey to yourself. Share the wins, share the struggles, right? Let them know when you had a bad day or when things don't actually work out. Obviously, this is as a side hustle, right? They know that you have the security of the job, but it's good for you to share the wins and the struggles and let them see the ups and downs of your business to understand that, hey, you are putting in a lot of effort to make this happen. You're taking this seriously. You're putting your name out there, and you are willing to take the blows in order to get some wins. Now, this is not just for their sake, it's for yours. Because building something in the shadows alone, that's isolating, that's hard. And there's no reason to do that. But sharing the journey, if you do this, even if they don't fully understand it yet, it brings them along for the ride. They start to buy in, and eventually you'll be surprised how supportive they'll start becoming. They just need to see it to believe it. The bottom line is that entrepreneurship is a way of life, okay? And it's like you're trying to convince somebody that, you know, exercise is good and they won't really believe that exercise is good in their bones, where they'll continue to exercise every day until they actually see the benefits of exercise themselves. Experience is the number one way people change. They have an experience and their beliefs change, and therefore their actions change. Come at it with a sense of love and support and understanding. See it from their perspective, but at the same time, do what you got to do to see some progress and share that progress with them. Listen, I get it. You might feel like, I don't need their permission to start something. I should be able to do what I want to do in my free time. I understand that feeling and that argument. But you may as well earn their blessing through your progress, through your journey. It's good to have people on side to make things easier on you. Trust me, it's really hard to do this on your own, against everybody. Make sure that their fears are heard as well as addressed. Believe in yourself enough to get the ball rolling, because belief is contagious. They'll start to see things progress. Even if your family doesn't believe in your dream yet, they will start to believe in you as they see things moving along. And one day, they'll be proud of how far you've come. Empathize with their situation, but also understand that you need to include them in your journey. That was a question from Aneel. If you have a question you want to ask here on the hundred dollar MBA show, just send it over at100mba.net Q. There's a form you can fill out and you can get your question answered right here on the podcast. And don't forget, if you want to go deeper and build your business with me, you could subscribe to our Three Things newsletter. Every week I send you three things. 1. Something to think about. Something to change your mindset. 2. Something to do to see yourself moving forward every day. And number three Something to learn. Something to enhance your skillset. It's how I coach you from afar. It's absolutely free. Just go to 100- MBA-NET and sign up for any of our free guides and and you get added to our newsletter automatically. I'm Omar Zenholm and I'll see you in the next one. Keep going. It's your turn to start turning things around.

[Hometap Ad]

Got a 7am meeting on a Monday? Expensing breakfast because it's in policy.

[Omar Zenhom]

Yay.

[Hometap Ad]

Wasting all afternoon submitting an expense report for that breakfast. If your company used Ramp, you could submit expenses with just a text.

[Omar Zenhom]

Yay.

[Ramp Ad]

Free your team from expense reports today. Switch your business to ramp. Com.