Business Grandpa: Raising an Entrepreneur with Chris Ohanian
Feb 4, 2025
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Chris Ohanian, father of Alexis Ohanian and founder of Infinity Global Travel, shares his insights on raising socially aware children. He reminisces about treasured family traditions like cutting down Christmas trees, emphasizing the importance of outdoor activities and life skills. Chris humorously discusses parent-coach dynamics in children's sports and the beloved pancake breakfast rituals that bring the family together. He reflects on the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life, highlighting the significance of strong family bonds.
Family traditions, such as annual rituals, play a vital role in fostering values and creating lasting memories for children.
Balancing work commitments with family engagement highlights the importance of prioritizing quality time despite entrepreneurial demands.
Deep dives
The Importance of Family Traditions
Family traditions play a crucial role in shaping childhood memories and values. The discussion highlights the parent-child experiences centered around annual rituals, such as cutting down a Christmas tree, which the speaker recalls fondly. These simple outings, paired with enjoyable activities like enjoying hot apple cider, foster a sense of togetherness and create lasting memories. By engaging in such rituals from an early age, parents instill appreciation for family time and create a foundation for future family practices.
Balancing Work and Family Life
Managing the balance between work and family commitments is challenging, especially for entrepreneurs. The speaker shares insights on how his father navigated long work weeks while being present for important family moments, like attending Boy Scout meetings and camping trips. This balancing act requires careful time management and prioritization, where fulfilling family obligations takes precedence despite the demands of running a business. The father's commitment to being involved in these activities demonstrated the importance of family engagement, even during busy times.
Learning Life Skills Through Activities
Involvement in extracurricular activities, such as scouting, offers children valuable life experiences and fosters social skills. The father emphasizes that exposing children to a variety of activities helps them develop life skills and build friendships, highlighting that his own lack of prior scouting experience did not deter him from encouraging his son. Experiences like camping and learning outdoor skills contribute to a sense of independence and teamwork among peers. The shared moments, whether in organized activities or simple household chores, reinforce the importance of cooperation and learning.
Parenting Reflections and Learning from Experience
Reflecting on parenting, the father acknowledges the evolving dynamic from childhood to adulthood and the importance of allowing children to make their own choices. He recognizes that growing children naturally seek independence, which may lead to impulsive decisions, and highlights the significance of guiding without imposing pressure. This parenting approach encourages open communication that fosters trust while allowing children to carve their own paths. The discussion illustrates how the balance between providing guidance and allowing freedom is crucial in developing confident individuals.
In this episode of Business Dad, I speak with my father, Chris Ohanian, the OG Business Dad, about raising socially aware children. He shares his experiences raising me and my stepsisters, discussing family traditions and how he managed life as a travel agent and business owner. This episode is close to my heart, as it also touches on my grandparents who were Armenian refugees, our family's weekend rituals growing up. This episode was originally released March 12th, 2020.