Third culture kids (TCKs) growing up as entrepreneurs face challenges, but they are culturally … [+]
TCK (short for Third Culture Kids) is a term that has been talked about quite a bit in the mass media. TCKs are second generation immigrants who grew up in a culture different from their parents and their country of nationality (such as children of military, diplomat, or missionary families, or those whose families relocated overseas on work placements). They often feel out of place without a country. I wanted to know what life TCKs lead and what it would be like if they grew up to become entrepreneurs. After speaking with Kat Torre, a self-described TCK, I learned that their career trajectories are characterized by a combination of challenges and advantages.
1- The Guilt Challenge
“Third-culture entrepreneurs often face unique challenges in chasing their innovative dreams while respecting the sacrifices made by their immigrant families,” said Torre, the branding expert at Sellitto. Torre said her mother and grandparents were all immigrants, each born and raised in a different culture and education system, and their influence on Kat’s upbringing contrasted with many of the values and beliefs she found in the U.S.
Torre explains that a TCK’s journey as a third-culture entrepreneur is marked by an inherent conflict between traditional career expectations and the desire to carve their own path. As a third-culture entrepreneur, Torre says she understands the guilt that comes with pursuing an unconventional path after her parents made so many sacrifices for a better life. “My mother was an immigrant, and all of my grandparents were immigrants who left their home countries to seek opportunity in the United States,” she adds. “They had a specific vision for my future, with a stable career and financial security, but after graduating from high school in the middle of the economic collapse of 2008, I quickly realized that a traditional 9-to-5 job just wasn’t for me.”
Torre briefly completed a nursing degree before dropping out to pursue entrepreneurship, which, to say the least, was not the stable career her family had envisioned. The young 20-something admits that it was hard to navigate. “There was an unseen inner struggle of shifting my mindset, managing my energy, and setting my vision while still honoring my roots and the sacrifices my family made originally,” she confesses. “Balancing the pursuit of my passion with a deep sense of obligation to my family’s legacy has been a journey that continues to this day, and now I have more tools to express and communicate this in a healthier way, not only to my family but to myself.”
2- The benefits of cultural empathy
“Having grown up in a multicultural environment, third-culture entrepreneurs bring a high level of empathy and cultural awareness to their business practices, which is invaluable when working with diverse clients in an increasingly connected and globalized world,” asserts Torre.
She cites research that suggests third-culture kids are generally more empathetic due to their exposure to a mosaic of upbringings, and that third-culture entrepreneurs are more aware of cultural norms. “Growing up exposed to diverse cultures, languages and cuisines has given me a very unique perspective that I now bring to the table when working with international clients.”
She explains that empathy leads to a greater awareness and respect for cultural norms when doing business globally; and an understanding that what is normal for one person may, and often is not, normal for another. Because of this, her approach is fundamentally hospitality-driven, striving to make her clients feel welcomed and understood, not just doing business with them. She believes a global perspective is a key differentiator for third-culture entrepreneurs, allowing them to forge stronger, more authentic connections with clients around the world.
3- Good at working with international clients
Torre emphasizes that TCKs’ diverse backgrounds give them an advantage in navigating dynamic environments and foster a global mindset that fundamentally changes how companies operate. By embracing diverse backgrounds, Torre says, third-culture entrepreneurs can infuse their businesses with inclusivity, flexibility, and a genuine understanding that different cultural norms are something to be embraced rather than feared or condemned.
“As a third culture entrepreneur, I bring a global mindset to every aspect of running my business,” she points out. “From the values and beliefs that shape our company culture, to the way we communicate and collaborate with our diverse team (many of whom are third culture), to the products and services we offer to our diverse customers, everything is viewed through a multicultural lens. This fundamentally changes the entire way we operate compared to traditional companies that are considered culturally closed. Third culture entrepreneurs celebrate differences as a unifying force, not an obstacle to be overcome. We don’t just want team members who ‘fit’ into our culture, we want members who ‘contribute’ to our culture.”
4- The challenge of staying true to yourself
She notes that the path of a third-culture entrepreneur is not without its challenges: “For me, it meant dropping out of nursing school over my family’s concerns and giving up the stability of a traditional career. After being raised with diverse perspectives, graduating high school in the middle of a global economic collapse, working in hospitality to make a living, and moving from city to city in search of what suited me, I couldn’t imagine myself in a rigid 9-to-5 environment.”
Instead, she looked inward and learned to strategically manage her mindset and energy to forge her own path as an entrepreneur. She recalls that honoring what was right for her, despite the constant external pressures to conform, required an immense amount of self-awareness, curiosity, perseverance, and dedication. “Embracing my unique background and experiences helped me navigate life’s challenges and build a fulfilling career and life on my own terms,” she concludes. “Like anything in life, confidence comes from within first.”
