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The Family First Entrepreneur
Book

The Family First Entrepreneur

How to Achieve Financial Freedom Without Sacrificing What Matters Most

Steve Chou
HarperBusiness, 2023
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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Comprehensive
  • Applicable
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

If working 80-hour weeks in a quest for financial independence is your idea of entrepreneurship, you’ve got plenty of company. Steve Chou thought that way until he came to his senses. Chou and his wife and business partner, Jen Chou, started turning a profit right after they launched BumblebeeLinens.com years ago. They eventually realized that the business was swallowing them. Tensions ran high, and their family life suffered. Steve describes how he and Jen re-ordered their priorities, attained financial success and made time to pursue their life goals.

Summary

Entrepreneurial success can be wonderful, stressful or both; be careful what you wish for and how you handle what you get.

Steve and Jen Chou never imagined that a 12-second spot on The Today Show in late 2013 would become a hallmark of their entrepreneurial journey. For several years after the couple launched BumblebeeLinens.com, Jen personally embroidered every customized handkerchief. She gave up her six-figure day job. Steve worked full-time as an engineer and did embroidery himself after taking care of the kids in the evening.

The overwhelming response to the Chous’ TV appearance created an untenable situation. They suddenly received hundreds of orders. Most entrepreneurs would eagerly welcome such a surge, but the Chou family was unprepared. Hustling to keep up a fast pace harmed their marriage. Steve and Jen were stressed out, and they made one another feel more stressed. Losing patience and feeling trapped, they realized that something had to change. Steve was reluctant to take his foot off the pedal; BumblebeeLinens.com was approaching $1 million in sales.

Jen reached...

About the Author

Steve Chou and his wife, Jen, operate BumblebeeLinens.com and mywifequitherjob.com and host The Sellers Summit.

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