Risk Isn’t Your Enemy- It’s Your Edge: Why Teen Mums Make Exceptional Entrepreneurs
What’s your relationship with risk?
For many, risk feels like something to avoid—a threat to stability and security. But here’s the truth: life is full of risks, and how we respond to them defines our future.
Entrepreneurs and Risk: The Growth Equation
Entrepreneurs are often celebrated for their ability to take bold risks. They invest time, energy, and resources into ventures that may fail. They face uncertainty head-on because they know growth lives on the other side of risk.
Research shows that entrepreneurial success often correlates with risk tolerance—not recklessness, but the ability to make informed decisions under uncertainty. This mindset is what separates dreamers from doers.
Teen Mums: The Original Risk-Takers
Now, let’s flip the lens. Teen mums are rarely seen through the lens of leadership or entrepreneurship—but they should be.
Choosing to continue a pregnancy as a teenager is one of the most courageous decisions a young woman can make. It’s a choice layered with uncertainty:
Risk to your future—education, career, financial stability.
Risk to your wellbeing—physical, emotional, and mental health.
Risk of rejection and judgment—from peers, family, and society.
These aren’t hypothetical risks—they’re real, and they demand resilience, adaptability, and grit. Qualities that many peers at the same age never have to develop.
From Courage to CEO: The Transferable Skills
Here’s the connection: the same courage that carried you through those challenges is the very foundation of entrepreneurship.
Think about what you’ve already mastered:
Decision-making under pressure – You made life-changing choices with limited resources and high stakes.
Adaptability – You learned to pivot when plans changed, often overnight.
Resilience – You faced judgment and setbacks, yet kept moving forward.
Values-driven leadership – You understand the importance of integrity and legacy because you’ve lived it.
These aren’t just survival skills—they’re CEO skills.
A Real-Life Example
When I launched the Teen Mum to CEO program, I reflected on my own journey. Becoming a mother as a teenager meant navigating stigma, financial uncertainty, and the fear of failure. But those experiences taught me to think strategically, manage resources, and lead with compassion—skills that later helped me build businesses, speak at Parliament, and influence policy.
Your story might look different, but the principle is the same: you’ve already proven you can thrive under pressure.
Practical Tips for Embracing Risk
Reframe Risk as Opportunity – Instead of asking, “What if I fail?” ask, “What could I gain?”
Start Small, Scale Smart – Test ideas before going all in. Every big leap begins with a small step.
Build a Support Network – Surround yourself with mentors and peers who understand your vision.
Trust Your Resilience – You’ve overcome harder things than a business challenge. Remember that.
Risk as Your Edge
So, when you think about stepping into business or leadership, remember this:
You were built for this. Risk isn’t something to fear—it’s something you’ve already mastered.
The courage that helped you navigate motherhood as a teen is the same courage that will help you launch a business, lead a team, or create impact.
Your Turn:
How do you approach risk in your life or business? Drop a comment below or share your story—I’d love to hear your perspective.
"Courage is not the absence of fear—it’s the decision to move forward despite it."
Kimberley with her three children at the age of 26