How to feel more supported in your business

On finding community and support

Jul 16, 2022

One of the great joys and surprises for me over the past two years has been creating and finding community with other small business owners.

Many business owners I speak to feel lonely in their businesses. Especially when it’s just you in your small business, it can feel very lonely having to be the one to make all the decisions and doing all the work. You might long for having someone else to run ideas by, someone else to share the highs and lows of being a business owner with.

Have a virtual cup of tea with someone

Feel inspired by another business owner’s newsletters? Love the content they share online? Are they running a project or trying an experiment that you would like to know more about? Invite them for a (virtual) cup of tea!

I’ve really enjoyed contacting people that I don’t personally know yet and asking them about their experiences with a certain approach, or whether we can collaborate in some form. Unless there is the possibility of collaboration, I always buy these people a (virtual) cup of tea through ko-fi—just as I’d buy them an actual tea if we met in person.

Join an online community

I’ve never been a big “groups” person. But finding and joining the Aligned Community has been a gamechanger for me. I’ve raved about it many times before, but I simply love how I now always have a whole group of other small business owners with their own experiences and expertise in my pocket.

While the Aligned Community is my favourite place, there are many other online communities. In October I’m doing a workshop in The Heiter Society, another community for small business owners.

Read the full interview here

Join a mastermind, or create your own

In mid-2020 I joined Josephine Brooks’ mastermind. It combined weekly calls with some 1:1 mentoring and regular workshops around a variety of topics. I love the group of women I met in that community. We still get together every month to talk about our businesses, and I always get so much inspiration from them.

You can also start your own mastermind group, by inviting a few small business owners you already know. Or maybe put a call out for this online or in your newsletter.

Just having other people in your life who know what it’s like to run your own business is such a freeing experience that makes a huge difference.

Work with a mentor

Another way of getting support and growing your community is by working with a mentor. I know from experience that it can be scary to work with a mentor. Thinking of talking about your business with someone else can make you feel insecure—especially when you feel that everyone else has this whole business-thing figured out and you don’t.

I’ve worked with various mentors over the past years and all of them have really boosted my own confidence, and have given me the inspiration and accountability I needed to grow my business.

A good mentor gives you the confidence to run your business in a way that works for you, your life and your values.

Some things that have helped me find a mentor:

get to know them through their newsletters, blog posts, social media, etc. Are their values aligned with yours? How does their content make you feel?
resist the urge to make a decision from a place of scarcity. No one can guarantee that you’ll have a six-figure business or similar after working with them.
ask other people who they’ve worked with.
get in touch: most mentors and coaches will be happy to chat with you through email or on a short chemistry call. Follow your gut on this, and don’t feel like just because you reached out you have to book a paid call or package with them.
make use of paying in instalments so you know how much you need to pay (and earn extra) each month.

If my newsletters and free resources resonate with you, I might just be the right mentor for you. I don’t believe in 10-step-plans, or get rich quick schemes. I do believe that it is possible to create and run a business that fits you and your life: your values and rhythms, your strengths and passions. I strongly believe that you don’t need to do all the things, or be on all the channels to make your business work. I’m here to give you the confidence to run your business from that place of deep inner knowing inside of you, offering my signature blend of mindset shifts and practical steps.

Take a moment to think about or journal on these questions.

Where would you like to get more support and community?
Who are the people that inspire you and that you’d love to have tea with some time?
Who could you potentially set up a mastermind with?
What would it feel like to invest in yourself and your business by getting paid support? What’s stopping you?

a book | I just read Emily St John Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility (affiliate link) and loved it so much that I wanted to read it again as soon as I finished it. It’s just so very well written and structured.

another book | This past month I also read The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (affiliate link). It’s a historical novel that feels very contemporary. I loved its depiction of nature and of strong women.

a song | Thanks to a Frank+Feel workshop, I now have this song on repeat. Instant feel-good vibes guaranteed.

interview | I’m really pleased to have another interview up on my blog, this time with the lovely Josephine Brooks. I’ve gotten to know her as someone who is not afraid to walk her talk, and have loved following along with her over the past year as she’s made changes to her business.

As always, I love to hear from you: where do you find community as a small business owner? Where and how do you find support? Or are you looking for support still? Do share in the comments below.