06-11-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

My business is not my baby, and yours shouldn’t be either

This mindset is holding founders back from scaling.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

BY Jennifer Quigley Jones

People often ask me if my business is my baby. The answer is always no.

My business is my passion, one of my greatest achievements, and my livelihood—but it’s not a child.

The reason that my business isn’t my baby is the same reason I don’t call my team a family. It’s the kind of thing founders say to imply a close relationship. It’s usually said with good intentions, but “family” is deeper than just a word. 

Family dynamics tend to be closely linked to guilt, duty, and expectations that are rarely stated outright. When you leave the company, that can be considered betrayal. Furthermore, therapy exists largely because of family—over 50% of therapy clients report that their reasons for engaging in therapy are related to family conflicts. Work shouldn’t come with the same emotional burden.

Work should be the place where your team chooses personal and professional development, creating a life that works for them, and their life goals. This is easier said than done when your team becomes familial.

Something one member of my team said helped me compartmentalize this, “I work for this company, but I am the CEO of my own life. I make decisions based on my value as a person.”

This is the mindset that........

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