Think about your relationship with money today -- whether good or bad -- and how your parents influenced the way you manage your finances now. I'm willing to bet your mother played a big role in shaping your attitude toward money -- again, regardless of whether that role was a positive one.
The 2004 documentary film Lemonade Stories, which examined extraordinary entrepreneurs and the roles their mothers played in fostering their careers, revealed that world famous entrepreneur, Richard Branson, credits much of his business savvy and success to his mother and the hard lessons she taught him.
"Mothers definitely play a role in inspiring and empowering their children to become entrepreneurs," Caitlin Agnew, co-founder of the innovative Makers co-working space told G-Code Magazine. "Mothers have a natural instinct to nurture and support, and that can provide a solid foundation to their children to feel secure to go after their dreams."
In honor of Mother's Day 2014, GOBankingRates spoke with two famous entrepreneurs, Barbara Corcoran of ABC's Shark Tank, as well as Robert Kiyosaki, author of the number-one-selling personal finance book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, to find out how their mothers influenced their relationships with money.
Barbara Corcoran: "My mother wasn't afraid to dream big."
I inherited my mother's work ethic, energy and attitude towards money. She would always say, 'Money is meant to be spent!' So I never thought twice about spending money. I am not afraid to spend money to make money and when good opportunities come, I take it.
"Even though she came from modest beginnings, my mother wasn't afraid to dream big and make things happen," Corcoran added.
Photo credit: mytakeontv
Robert Kiyosaki: "She helped me understand the huge emotional charge that's tied to money."
I know that my most popular book is titled Rich Dad, Poor Dad, but my mother played a very big role in my life. She helped me understand the huge emotional charge that's tied to money, or the lack of it. I recall, as a young boy, watching her sit at the kitchen table -- in tears -- because there just wasn't enough money coming into our household each month to pay all the bills. The fear, the worry, the stress... I remember it like it was yesterday.
I know that the path I've chosen to travel, as a teacher and advocate for financial education, is in many ways a product of watching my parents struggle financially all of their lives and knowing the toll it took on them and our family. I promised myself that my future would be different and today my mission is to teach people that they can make choices, every day, that will free them from the fear and worry and stress of not having enough money.
Mothers are incredibly influential in all aspects of their children's lives, including when it comes to their financial literacy and attitude about money. We can thank our mothers for inspiring us to value ourselves, teaching us to use money as a tool for success -- or in other cases, showing us what not to do so we can make better decisions as adults.