Wow… where do I start? Well, I’d like to at least say Happy Mother’s Day to my mother and to all the mothers… especially the ones who will be reading this article. Thanks. On another note though, I never thought I would have written an article on all the great trading tips I learned from my mom throughout my life. Life is fun, huh. Mom, if you’re reading this, thank you for being a sacrificial example of success both professionally and personally… you’re the best.

With fifteen years of experience in private and corporate businesses, one of the best business lessons I learned from my mother is unquestioning integrity and a consistent work ethic. I can’t remember a single time growing up that I heard someone professionally say something negative or derogatory about my mother or her lack of work ethic. She took pride in her work (including dress, punctuality, charisma, etc.) as well as how she carried herself at work. In those moments when my brothers and I were lucky enough to go to work with her, like a seasonal holiday or a normal work day, all her coworkers and even the managers extolled her virtues of hard work, integrity and I treat clients (has spent over 30 years in the healthcare industry) with the utmost respect and customer service. At the time, these accolades did not hit me due to youthful ignorance until I entered the professional world upon graduation from college. I quickly learned and understood how lucky I was to have a mother who not only spoke highly of having a great work ethic and providing quality customer service, but was a living example of how to do it.

Second, my mother exemplified what it means to survive. My parents divorced when I was four years old, and my father did not play an active role in my upbringing. That’s not a cheap shot for my dad; these are just the facts. My mother, on the other hand, literally did anything to make sure my siblings and I had the necessities to fully experience life. I can remember times when she would work two or three jobs just to make ends meet and she would often do so with little or no sleep. She talks about dedication and commitment, right? Working with various small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs, I often perceive the false myth of succeeding in business without the commitment to work diligently and most of the time. That is not true and should definitely remain in the land of mythology. My mother taught me through her tireless diligence in her work that if you want to succeed in life, whether professionally or personally, you must be willing to pay the price.

Lastly, Mom was a money-saving, money-saving genius. I know that Warren Buffett has a reputation for being tight-fisted; but, he has nothing on mom. I can remember the nights before going to bed, I would often see my mother at the kitchen table or in her bedroom going over the household budget and planning accordingly. Although at the time, I had no idea what I was doing, but my siblings and I definitely experienced the joy of having clothing, food, shelter, and the occasional luxury item when we needed it, and sometimes if we needed it. To this day, I still consider it a miracle that she was able to provide us with a pretty fabulous and stable education despite working minimum wage food service and health care jobs. After working professionally with small businesses and studying and observing them, I realized a great truth about business: Without good financial management and discipline, no matter how popular or strong the market in which a business operates, it will soon go out of business. As Mom demonstrated with our household finances, cash is king and you better know how to treat and cultivate it if you want to survive and thrive.