It's Easy to Measure Grades, but Hard to Measure Success with Tim Demoures, MD and Cofounder of Eloquens

There are many parallels between entrepreneurship and raising a child. In the beginning, you cannot be fully conscious of the outcome. Both also can be exceptionally difficult at first but eventually you’ll start to see the results. As a society we place a large importance on the end result. Whether it be your business making headlines, finishing a big race or your child eventually growing up to be very successful; we often praise the end rather than the journey itself.

This week, the DadCorp Podcast is joined by Tim Demoures, co-founder and managing director of Eloquens; the leading platform for sharing and selling professional best practices. He’s also a new father to 7-month old Rafael.

Jonathan and Tim speak on this notion that the journey needs be appreciated instead of the end result. They apply this to entrepreneurship, raising a child and even video games. The guys go on to discuss the possible benefits associated with video games and screen time while also weighing the drawbacks. It’s interesting to consider the fact that these games can open kids up to valuable building skills, allow for creativity, development of strategy and even working with a team. These are all skills that can be applied and transferred to any business or career later in life.

Tim expresses the desire to place focus on providing his child with the right tools, skills and qualities to find his “star.” He dislikes the more “old school” approach to education that has such a narrow emphasis on only certain disciplines. Math, literature and science are at the forefront and all the other subjects are considered secondary. In a system like this, “it’s hard to measure success but it’s easier to measure grades.” This method used in the educational system creates limitations around creativity and the building of an entrepreneurial spirit. Quoting Sir Ken Robinson, when it comes to your child’s education, the key is not the knowledge itself but rather, how you lead your child to know their passion. There isn’t a one size fits all for education.

According to a TedTalk by Jennifer Senior, happiness for parents is a very high bar. For Jonathan, this changed his entire perspective on parenting. He started to view it for what it is, a crisis. The parents of today are anxious, stressed and nervous about providing the best upbringing for their children.

However, you cannot anticipate what your child’s future will look like. Tim asserts that since we cannot predict the outcome, as parents, we need to shift our focus to the journey and giving our children all the necessary tools to succeed.

3 Key Takeaways from the Discussion:

1. Your child’s future is uncertain. We need to work towards knowing and understanding our children so we can provide them with the proper tools to succeed.

2. Raising a child is a lot like building a business. Both can be very challenging in the beginning phases, require a ton of work, pre-preparation. You will learn from your experiences and start to see the evidence of your efforts, it’s all worth it.

3. The way children learn is constantly evolving. With technology and the easy access to information, kids can learn things at a faster rate than older generations. Something that would take sifting through a 300-page book is now a quick Google search. It’s important to be open to actually learning from your kids, once in a while, instead of the other way around. As a father, it’s completely acceptable to not always have the answer.