“I became an entrepreneur to spend more time with my children,” says Chas Sampson, founder of Seven Principles, which helps veterans transition to civilian life and maximize their VA benefits. “Before that, I was working 80 hours a week and co-parenting from another state. Setting my own hours helps me with scheduling and picking up my kids.”
Beginning a new business venture can be fraught with sleepless nights, muddling through, and taking proverbial leaps off cliffs while figuring out how to fly on the way down. This process can be easily compared to having children. It may be an easy assumption to make that those who have endured the trials of time in the military could take on the task of starting a business and having children simultaneously with aplomb. But, as any business owner with children could tell you, it is not for the faint of heart.
We spoke to Chas Sampson, an Iraq veteran, and CEO of Seven Principles, which advocates for veterans and prepares them to reenter society with maximized VA benefits and a career plan. Sampson is also a parent and knows the ins and outs of running a business with little ones around. We discussed entrepreneurship, the military's stringent nature, and building a business while raising children.
What are your top three strategies for running a business while parenting?
The number one strategy is balance between parenting time and business time. Time management is also important. A lot of Americans suffer from poor time management skills. The third, and probably most important strategy, is patience. Kids can get on your nerves! The trick is not to take your frustrations with your kids out on your clients, and not to take your frustrations with your clients out on your kids.
How can veterans be good co-parents from afar?
Co-parenting with a spouse can be difficult, whether you are separated due to a military assignment or a marital separation. It's essential to recognize the unseen sacrifices of the other parent. What are they doing behind the scenes to keep the entire ship upright?
Recognizing the sacrifices of others applies to starting a business as well. Starting a business can mean long days and nights, time away from home, and the need for your spouse or co-parent to step up and make sacrifices for the dream to come to fruition.
Consistency with parenting times and schedules is also vital. Members of the military can be away for extensive periods. Likewise, people starting businesses can also be hard to pin down. However, inconsistency causes stress with children and with adults. Building a consistent parenting schedule helps alleviate stress.
Third, you have to forgive the past and have optimism for the future. I've seen it in my business and my own situation. People hold resentments with ex-spouses. You have to work together to approach parenting harmoniously, with patience and consistency. Lastly, effective communication needs to be a priority.
How can you build your schedule around your children?
Building a workable schedule around children starts with identifying key points. Identify school times, especially with younger children. When do they need to go to school, and when do they come home? Also, identify your children's sleeping schedules. If you know your baby will sleep consistently from 7 pm to 6 am, you can schedule work time in those pockets.
Identifying patterns in behavior with children and their schedules will help you form a workable plan for giving attention to your business.
Don't forget to set expectations with clients about your schedule as well. It can be very easy, especially in the early days of a business, to want to be available 24/7 for your clients. However, this is not a sustainable schedule. Successful time management includes setting realistic expectations.
It's imperative to have a "cut-off" time; otherwise, people looking to build a business would work themselves into the ground and burn out quickly.
I like to maximize the evenings, between 6:30 pm and 11 pm. Typically, this is a time for dinner, homework, and quiet. I can spend time with my kids and still get work done during the quiet downtime.
What is your personal experience as a veteran, father, and entrepreneur?
At one time, my ex-spouse and I had a difficult time co-parenting. But with consistency and patience, we have built a viable and amicable situation. You have to show up every time, acknowledge sacrifices, and set expectations and boundaries.
It can be complicated moving from a very structured military life to an entrepreneurial life built around how hard you are willing to work and how much you can put into it. It's governed by you, not by militaristic rules and guidelines. This lack of clear guidelines in entrepreneurial endeavors can cause people not to structure their time well and burn out. It can also cause them to create strife within their families because they are not maintaining balance.
There are many ways where the military, business building, and parenting intersect. They all can be extremely rewarding as well as highly challenging endeavors. But, success can happen when approaching tasks with patience, consistency, and balance in mind.
As seen on FOX 26 Houston, WRAL Raleigh, and Hamptons Road Show, Seven Principles CEO Chas Sampson is an Iraq War veteran and the founder of several companies. Monikered after the seven Army values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage), Seven Principles empowers veterans transitioning out of the military by assisting with the VA claims process, appeal cases, entrepreneurship, and more.
Before founding Seven Principles, Chas served as a Decision Officer/VA Rater at the United States Department of Veteran Affairs. He then went on to serve at the Pentagon as an Employee and Labor Relations executive at the United States Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. This experience inspired him to advocate for his fellow veterans and prepare them to reenter society with maximized VA benefits and a career plan. As a decision officer, he had denied numerous applications due to minor mistakes that could have been avoided if the applicant had benefited from an expert’s guidance.
Chas served in the United States Army from 2006-2011. Following the Army, he received an Associate of Arts in Business/Managerial Economics from Pierce College of Fort Steilacoom, a Bachelor of Science in Business Psychology from Washington State University Pullman, and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Human Resources from Argosy University Washington, D.C. After graduating, he worked with members of Congress to promote initiatives for Veterans for Smart Power. Finally, he currently serves as board chairman for the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, a 502(c)(3) nonprofit that works to improve early childhood education, health, and family support.
Seven Principles empowers veterans transitioning out of the military by helping with the VA claims process, appeal cases, entrepreneurship, and more. Led by veterans, former VA Raters (VA claim decision-makers), medical doctors, and attorneys, its main goal is to leverage the VA claim process to create a lifelong profit for veterans. Monikered after the seven Army values (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage), Seven Principles assists with original claims, claims for increase, secondary claims, and appeals.
Founder/CEO Chas Sampson’s personal experience as a veteran and VA Rater for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs inspired him to create Seven Principles. During his time as a decision officer, he denied numerous applications due to minor mistakes that could have been avoided if the applicant had an expert’s guidance. Studies indicate veterans who use a consulting firm see their annual average benefits nearly double compared to veterans who file independently.
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