Can you inherit entrepreneurship? I did

I stumbled across a survey recently, and it got me smiling. As it turns out, around two-fifths of UK business owners had parents who were entrepreneurs too — so nearly half of us might have that “business” gene. Myself included.

From where I sit today, I realise how lucky that makes me. My earliest memories? Dinner-table conversations filled with profit margins and pitch meetings, alongside the plates and the tea. What they taught me goes beyond spreadsheets: how to hustle, adapt in the moment, and yes — how to tackle chaos without losing your hair. That’s a survival skill every entrepreneur needs.

I’ve watched friends who came from families of serial entrepreneurs, and I’ve seen how they absorb confidence like it’s oxygen. They grew up hearing discussions about cash flow and client deadlines like bedtime stories. They know how to move when others hesitate.

For me, I got curiosity, stubbornness and maybe an unhealthy caffeine habit. Some days it feels like the business is running me; but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

That said, inspiration doesn’t just arrive via your DNA. It sneaks in through mentors, through book. Even through watching the likes of Richard Branson, who makes risk look like a Sunday stroll. For me, ideas have always been a messy mix of scribbles on napkins, late-night conversations and that voice inside that refuses to fall silent. They rarely arrive wrapped in ribbon. More often they creep in quietly and then, one night, wake you at 3am because timing, it seems, matters.

Now I catch myself wondering about my own children. Will they look at me and think, “Yeah, I want that life,” or will they flip the script just because they can? Either is fine. Do I hope they follow in my footsteps? Maybe… maybe not.

I love the thrill of building from zero, and the rush of watching something grow. But I know the cost: the long nights, the panic, the self-doubt. What I really hope is that they chase something that resonates deeply for them: whether that’s entrepreneurship or something entirely different.

If they pick the business path, I’ll be their loudest fan. If they don’t, I won’t try to steer them into mine.

What I hope they carry away is this: the freedom to explore and the courage to leap. And maybe this belief too: that failing spectacularly isn’t the end. It’s often the start of the next idea. Or at least, a memorable dinner-table story.

Perhaps that’s what the survey really revealed. Whether you inherit entrepreneurship or learn it on the fly, it’s never really about the business. It’s a mindset. It’s spotting an opening when others look away. That’s a lesson any parent can pass on – irrelevant of CVs.

Every now and then, my kid must wonder, “What do you actually do?” I pretend that chaos is part of the master plan.

Because, let’s be honest, isn’t that what parenting and entrepreneurship have in common? Ideas interrupt. Deadlines collide. Kids ask for snacks. Yet somehow, somehow, you keep building something you care about.