PARENT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Shelly Bell
Founder and CEO of
The Black Girl Ventures Foundation
BY PJ FEINSTEIN
W hen Shelly Bell became
a mother at 17, she was
determined to overcome the
economic consequences that often result
from teenage pregnancies. So she threw
herself into overdrive—and has been going
nonstop ever since. “It was like working a
muscle that got stronger, and now I can lift a
lot more than I ever could,” she says.

We spoke to the Northern Virginia mom
about the joys and challenges of raising three
kids—Damien, 21; Josiah, 18; and Skylar,
6—while leading a national movement of
thousands of female entrepreneurs.

Can you describe the type of
work that you do?
I work to create a more equitable world
for women and to inspire women to see
themselves as deserving of a more equitable
world. My company, The Black Girl Ventures
Foundation, works to create access to social
and financial capital for Black and Brown
women-identifying founders. We believe
that community, capacity and capital are the
building blocks for creating a sustainable
business. When women founders have
these three pillars, they are able to generate
generational wealth for their families.

What’s the hardest part
about juggling motherhood
and your career?
For me, everything has to have a rhythm and
8 Washington FAMILY JANUARY 2021
What’s something that makes
it easier to balance both?
Skylar’s dad and I have week-week visitation,
so she is one week with me and one week
with him. Having an active co-parent is
super helpful. I plan around the days she is
with him to catch up on things and to work
the longest hours. I also block time on my
calendar to be sure I can be with her during
class breaks. I have decided to hire help
in areas that would slip while I am busy,
including tutors, cleaners and sometimes a
chef or a food delivery service. HelloFresh
has been a bit of a lifesaver!
What do you love about
being a parent?
The simple things like laughter and playing.

I love the first words, first steps, first school
day, first college acceptance letter, etc. I
love the feeling when my children are happy
to see me and they say, “Mommy!” There
is no better feeling than that for me. I also
love knowing that I am contributing three
amazing leaders to the world that I want to
be a better place. Being a parent reminds me
to look at life from all angles. Watching my
children grow up into amazing adults has
been one of the most rewarding experiences
I’ve ever had.

What’s your biggest
parenting fail?
When Josiah was about 7 or 8, he made
me his version of hot chocolate. It was
overly watery, not mixed properly and had
mushrooms floating in the grit of the cocoa
bits. I smiled and pretended to drink knowing
I was absolutely not about to drink it. I sat
it on the counter, got busy doing something
and forgot to pour it out. Days later, I noticed
him looking sad, so I asked him what was the
matter. With the saddest face ever, he looked
up at me and said, “You never drank my hot
chocolate.” I was like, “OMG! I didn’t pour
the friggin’ brown water he made me down
the drain.” It is a story that we remember to
this day.

How has your family been
handling the pandemic?
Damien and Josiah are in college and
handling it pretty well. I am home with
Skylar two weeks a month, and being an
entrepreneur has been challenging for her
to understand. At her dad’s, the work hours
of the adults are typically consistent. At my
place, I may be on calls from 8 a.m. until
10 p.m. fundraising, coaching and speaking.

Josiah didn’t realize all the work I was
actually doing until now. In July, he said,
“Wow, Ma. I thought you were sleeping all
day.” I would be asleep when he left and
taking a nap when he would come home from
school, so he assumed that I was sleeping all
day. It never occurred to him that I needed
rest from all the working I had been doing.

What’s the one thing you
hope your kids learn from
you and your career as an
entrepreneur? I hope my kids learn to believe in themselves
and to try something new. I want them to
develop a playbook for their own successes.

I want them to know that they can dream
up something, activate it and that it can be a
viable business. T
This interview has been lightly edited and
condensed. To nominate a future “Parent You
Should Know,” please email
PFeinstein@midatlanticmedia.com. PHOTO PROVIDED
a flow. The COVID-19 quarantine laughed
at my rhythm and threw me off beat. Trying
to be a great mom while managing virtual
kindergarten, speaking engagements,
coaching, facilitating and fundraising
meetings is really challenging. Juggling
motherhood and my career was a little
easier when my Josiah was living at home
and everyone had somewhere to go during
the day. Now that Damien and Josiah are in
college, it’s just Skylar and me toughing it out
every day.




Keep the kids
entertained this winter
with crafts,
scavenger hunts, science
experiments and more
INDOOR By WF Staff
Family Fun
Many families have already made the decision
to forgo favorite indoor activities this winter—
exploring museums, going to the movies,
having playdates with friends—in order to
protect themselves and their loved ones
from the coronavirus. That means kids will
be spending a lot of time cooped up at home.

While screens are an easy way to keep them
occupied, they definitely aren’t the only option.

We’ve consulted with experts, chatted with
parents and revisited our own childhood
memories to create this guide to indoor family
fun. Whether your kids enjoy science, games or
arts and crafts, there are plenty of ways to help
them stay busy in the months ahead.

zeljkosantrac / E+
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