That’s what it sounds like when I come home at the end of a work day.  My family is there, not only waiting for me, but excited to see me, reminding me about what’s important in life. 

Because when you’re an entrepreneur, when you go into business for yourself, those types of things...your family eating pizza on a Friday night, your friends grabbing lunch at your favorite spot, your spouse offering a careful listening ear...those unquantifiable things are quickly pushed to the side when you’re working to create something from nothing.

Inc. Magazine is a business magazine dedicated to small business owners.  They cover everything from tech and marketing, to human resources and fundraising.  It’s practical, and inspiring.  And also a little scary.  Because while there are all of these great stories of entrepreneurs getting funding, creating amazing products, and sometimes literally changing the world, there’s always a question that’s sitting in the back of my mind.

Really, it’s not so much a question as it is a latent fear…sort of like the feeling you get when a lump forms in your throat, but instead of sadness and tears, it’s a visceral reaction to one of my biggest insecurities.

And this question, this fear, only gets worse when you realize that answering the question honestly might also mean giving up something you’re really passionate about.

Steve Jobs.  Richard Branson.  Elon Musk.  Those guys really have changed how we do things everyday.

Steve Jobs created something we didn’t know we needed with the iPhone. 

Richard Branson has disrupted multiple industries and inspired an entire generation to jump into entrepreneurship.

And Elon Musk has literally reached for the moon, and shot straight past it.

They seem happy, fulfilled, and generally say the same when they're asked.  People listen intently as they share their morning routines, what they look for in leaders, and how they evaluate opportunities.

These entrepreneurs, and others like them, have reached the pinnacle of achievement.

They’ve climbed a level of success that most can only dream of.

But maybe that’s the catch.

For all of those achievements, there’s one thing that’s always missing…

Because it seems like reaching that level of success requires letting go of something that’s valuable, something that songs are written about, and lives are committed to keeping.

And the thing that’s missing is their families.  Or lack thereof.

My name is Philip Devine, and my biggest fear is losing my family on my entrepreneurial journey. The sounds you heard at the beginning, with my kids running up to me, and my wife giving me a kiss when I come?  I don’t want to give those up in order to become a successful entrepreneur…or that version of a successful entrepreneur.

And who knows, maybe I don’t have to.  Maybe that’s a false dichotomy I’ve dreamed up.  But if you’ve paid any attention to startup culture or Silicon Valley, the message is pretty clear: when you start a company, especially a high-growth company with outside funding, you put it all on the line…your family be damned.

So that’s the question: can you be a successful entrepreneur, and still have a healthy, growing family life?

Welcome to Home for Dinner, a series focused on exploring that very question. 

Maybe you can have it all.  Or maybe not

Everybody loves a hero.  And, on some level, it’s because we aspire to be that hero.  My 4 year old son is all about playing Batman and saving the day.  If I’m honest, I wouldn’t mind being Thor for a day or two!

But if you take a step back, you realize that the things that made the hero “heroic,” the trials they had to go through, are usually pretty rough.

Look no further than the brave men and women who serve our country...often times the ones with the most medals have also experienced the most horrific things, sometimes giving their life in the process.

Everybody loves a hero.  But I would venture a guess that it’s not always all that it’s cracked up to be.

Entrepreneurship and business also have their heroes.  The Jack Welches, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerbergs, Jeff Bezos, and others write books, command massive audiences (and dollars), and inspire entrepreneurs.

But these heroes sacrificed the one thing I, and I’m guessing you, aren’t willing to: our families.

We’ll spend the next couple episodes not just learning how other entrepreneurs have successfully navigated family and work, but also understanding when they were able to say “no.”

We’ll uncover a quiet, but successful group of entrepreneurs.   And hopefully, you’ll find a hero as well.

This is so much bigger than work-life balance.  This is so much more than the next productivity hack.  This is about helping you build a successful company, and make it home for dinner.