As we close the month of March, a month often dedicated to celebrating women, I find myself reflecting on a question that feels more personal than ever: Is being a mom, in many ways, the purest form of entrepreneurship? This is my way of expressing my love and deep respect for a woman I truly admire: my mother. Reflecting on her journey, I realize that what she has accomplished so far goes far beyond traditional definitions of motherhood. She has built, led, adapted, and persevered in ways that mirror the very essence of entrepreneurship, without ever calling it that.
A Life of Leadership, Care, and Responsibility
My mother did not simply raise her children. She has held together, and continues to hold together, an entire family system. She cared not only for her nuclear family, but also for our extended family, brothers, sisters, cousins, daughter-in-law, son-in-law and today, her grandchildren. She makes sure everyone is supported, connected, and moving in the right direction, even though most of us are now adults. Managing family members is not always easy. Different personalities, different needs, different challenges… it takes patience, emotional intelligence, and resilience. And yet, Lisette, or rather Manmie, a true champion of harmony, has always been the cement that brings everyone together. Often, that connection happened around something simple but powerful: a family gathering where good food was always shared with love. (Truth be told, as I write these lines, I can almost taste her famous cornmeal soufflé… 😊) She created unity. She created moments. She created a sense of belonging. That is leadership.
Her "Clients" Were Her People
If we think in entrepreneurial terms, her "clients" are the people she serves or used to serve every day:
Her children, her late husband, her brothers and sisters, her cousins, her son-in-law, her daughter-in-law, her grandchildren… and so many more. And with time, friends who simply became family. She shows up for each of them, consistently, intentionally, and with kindness. She guided us (and still does, in her own way), supported us, and prepared us for the real world. She carried responsibilities that went far beyond what anyone could see on the surface.
A Lifelong Hustler
Alongside everything she carried at home and the challenges life threw her way, she never stopped working and creating opportunities.
I remember how she always found a way to take me along when she went shopping, particularly on Friday afternoons at O Market on John Brown Avenue in Port-au-Prince. I watched her launch a small import venture, sourcing specific products abroad to meet the needs of those around her. I witnessed her entrepreneurial spirit in action long before I understood what that word meant.
She even created and sold homemade Pikliz, coconut tablets, and jams under her brand VERINICKs, a name inspired by her three children. She supplied local supermarkets and seized every sales opportunity that came her way.
On many occasions, she set up food and drink stalls at major religious gatherings, particularly at the annual charismatic congresses of the Haitian Catholic community. Let's be honest: praying is essential… but so is eating, especially under the Haitian sun. And she understood that perfectly.
All of this, while holding down two permanent jobs, that of an HR professional, and that of being a mother.
She was always finding a new way forward. Always looking for ways to contribute, to create, to provide.
Resilience, Faith, and Quiet Strength
Despite losses, hardships, and the weight of the years, including mobility challenges, she has never lost her spirit.
She continues to smile. She continues to encourage others. She continues to pray for people. She continues to speak words that uplift, even in the smallest moments.
Her faith in life and in God has always been her compass. No matter the circumstances, she has never lost her north.
Looking at her today, I realize something I may not have fully grasped before:
My own passion for entrepreneurship may well have come from her.
Not from theory. Not from a classroom. But from observation.
From watching her create. From watching her adapt. From watching her serve others while building something of her own. From watching her keep moving forward, without ever stopping.
So… what if motherhood was entrepreneurship all along?
Today, I believe the answer is yes, at least in spirit.
Because if entrepreneurship is about resilience, leadership, sacrifice, creativity, and the ability to build something meaningful while navigating uncertainty…
Then many mothers are living that reality every single day. Including mine.
There are countless women, in Haiti, in Canada, and across the world, like Lisette, who quietly lead, support, build, and hold families together without ever claiming the title of entrepreneur. Yet perhaps they embody it more than anyone else.
This blog, which comes straight from the heart, is my way of saying thank you.
My way of expressing admiration.
My way of honoring an extraordinary woman in my life.
And as this month of March draws to a close, a month that belongs to women, one thought stays with me:
Some of the most impactful entrepreneurs we will ever know… have always been called simply: Mom.
Think about the women who raised you, supported you, or simply showed up for you. What did they build? What did they sacrifice? What did they teach you, without ever opening a business book?
