Birds of a feather flock together.
But sometimes, you have to go the extra mile to find your flock.
Typically, being an entrepreneur is a pretty solitary experience, and you have to make an effort to connect with others who are like you (they don’t just flock towards you).
Unless you were born into a family of business owners, you might find yourself surrounded by people who are employees and work for someone else.
Unlike you, they have regular hours, steady pay, a pension with benefits, and a company BBQ to go to in the summer.
Nothing wrong with any of that, but as an entrepreneur, you are strongly advised to seek out other people who can relate to the entrepreneurial journey.
Otherwise, you might feel kind of left out and out of place.
You’ll find that your mental health, personal growth, and business growth will improve if you make an effort to include other business owners in your circle.
Here are 3 reasons why entrepreneurs need to be around other entrepreneurs…
Normalize being self-employed by surrounding yourself with other entrepreneurs
Being self-employed is a very scary prospect to most people. To them, running your own business will seem like a risky or far-fetched goal.
So, as an entrepreneur, you may want to prepare yourself to be misunderstood.
Others won’t understand why you’d want to undertake the big task of launching a business when you could easily work for someone else and collect a steady paycheque.
They won’t comprehend your entrepreneurial mindset.
They won’t be able to see the big picture, or what things could look like in the long-term. They won’t have your vision.
They will seem surprised when you won’t quit after a setback, or put in time on weekends and evenings for no immediate cost benefit.
Your discipline, resilience, and persistence is going to be strange to most people and might make you feel like an anomaly.
When everyone is questioning what you’re doing, it’s easy to start questioning yourself. You might start wondering if you’re delusional. You may start doubting yourself. You might struggle to stay the course.
As an entrepreneur, you need to avoid negativity like the plague. Being a business owner is hard enough without feeling like a freak of nature. You need to protect your mental health from (often well-meaning) people who just don’t understand the path you’re on.
Surrounding yourself with other entrepreneurs will allow you to feel more comfortable in your skin and maintain faith in what you’re doing.
It’s not that non-entrepreneurs want to bring you down, it’s just that they don’t have the same outlook that you do.
They have a different mindset.
Surrounding yourself with people with an entrepreneurial mindset will keep you feeling focused and motivated, while protecting your mental health.
Share resources and ideas with other entrepreneurs
Other entrepreneurs are a great resource for you, whether you’re just starting out on your entrepreneurial journey, or if you’ve been at it for some time.
Because you share experiences and understand each other’s trials and tribulations, you stand to learn a lot from each other.
Other business owners can give you advice on a limitless range of topics, including: the challenges of being your own boss, how to qualify new hires, how to find work-life balance, how to leverage your soft skills, and how to be productive when you work alone at home.
Knowing other business owners can come in handy when you need to bounce new ideas off of someone. Chances are, they have been through whatever you are going through, or know someone who has.
Other entrepreneurs can also recommend technology, applications, processes, or equipment that might help you grow your business. For instance: perhaps someone in your entrepreneurial circle can teach you a more efficient way to invoice your clients.
By seeking the advice of people who have been through what you are going through, you are sure to accelerate your personal and business growth.
Grow your business by networking with other business owners
Networking with other business owners is a great way to grow your business.
Many entrepreneurs are hesitant to network with other business owners, but when done properly with an intention to build long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial, it can lead to great success for all parties involved.
Through networking, you can find other businesses that can directly help your business. For example: almost every business needs an accountant or bookkeeper, web designer, cleaner, or printer.
You should also network with businesses that you can team up with so you can better help a targeted audience. For example: a personal trainer and a nutritionist might work very well together to bring more value to their mutual clients. Similarly, a real estate agent, a mortgage broker, and a home stager could form a power team. A wedding planner, a photographer, and a florist would be another example.
Networking with other businesses can also help you find more potential clients. Salon owners, retail store owners, and restaurant owners come in content with many customers every day, and as they get to know their clients, they might be able to refer new clients to you.
As an entrepreneur, you will benefit greatly if you make a point of surrounding yourself with like-minded business owners. Connecting with other business owners will normalize being self-employed and improve your mental health, focus, and motivation. Having other entrepreneurs around you will give you lots of opportunity to exchange ideas and resources. Networking with other entrepreneurs will help you grow your business as you meet referral partners, collaborators, and potential clients.