Do you have a solid support system?
The truth is it can be lonely and a little scary owning a business.
There are risks and decisions that need to be made, and as the sole person in charge, those decisions fall to you.
Despite being a solopreneur, there are ways to overcome the fear and loneliness. A key way to do this is by building a strong support system around you and your business. The important thing to remember, though, is that not ALL people that start the journey with you, will be there in the end.
For me, I’ve created a really strong support system in San Diego, but I can’t even begin to tell you how many old friends aren’t in my life any more. Some of those friends were vocal and thought I was wasting my time and others just weren’t interested in staying connected, but that is OK!
I’ve since created a small mastermind group of four female entrepreneurs, that all had scalable businesses. We continue to meet monthly and they’ve been a part of some of my biggest successes and some of my massive failures, but through it all they’ve been a really huge source of support for me. I have always been able to rely on them and their insight.
Not only that, but I have my parents, other family and some very close friends that believe in my message as much as I do. When things get bad, and you’re struggling to stay positive, you want people in your life who will be there for you through the good and the bad.
When you get started as an entrepreneur, you’ll find out fairly quickly who you need to let go of in your life, and who to spend more time with.
Having that support system in place can be CRITICAL in some really devastating moments, so let’s take some time to uncover how to build a strong support system.
Remove Negativity
The world is full of negative people, but your inner-circle doesn’t have to be.
You get to choose who has the easiest access to you. The ones who know so many of your intimate secrets, who will help lift you through your major down points, it’s all YOUR choice.
So, when you come across people that don’t lift you up, let them go and keep on moving forward.
A guest on Success Unfiltered, Shelly Ehler, the creator of ShowNo Towel, was well-received. People loved what she had created and wanted it for their own children. But, once she was out there selling, she started to hear the negative comments, too.
All you need is one person to tell you that what you’ve created is silly, to make you start questioning yourself.
It can really slow your progress to a crawl!
The thing that will get you past these moments, more than anything is having support. Having those close friends and family who keep you motivated and help to keep your confidence up, and of course, to remind you to ignore what the other negative people are saying.
Openly Share Your Story
I’ve shared my story of how FITzee Foods closed in March of 2017, many times on my podcast, in blog posts and on Instagram. It makes me feel empowered to share the good AND the not so good of my story. When I put myself out there and I’m vulnerable with you, it allows you to see that I am only human and have heard as many NO’s as you have.
When I share my story, people connect with me. They can read it and think, “Wow! I’m not alone.” Then, in turn what happens, is that they want to support me!
They may not be my exact inner-circle, but having the support of thousands of people on the internet is pretty damn incredible, too.
When you’re having a rough day and questioning whether you’re doing the right thing in your business, and someone tags you in a post, telling you how much you’ve inspired them, it becomes easy to get back up and out there.
Don’t be afraid to be real with your audience — they crave it!
Build Expert Relationships
Obviously, you want to build a tight community of support in your personal life. You’re going to look to the common people, family, significant others, friends, etc. But, don’t forget to look for experts who have been where you are.
John Lee Dumas, an incredibly successful podcaster and entrepreneur, is also my friend. In fact, he was my inspiration for creating my podcast, Success Unfiltered. I trusted him, and he has supported me through some of my struggles, even going back to the days of FITzee Foods.
In fact, I had asked John if he would ever be interested in investing in FITzee Foods because he was very interested in prepared meals for himself. In the end he turned me down for the investment, but he still supported me!
He knew that what I was doing was impactful and was making a difference in other people’s lives (plus he loved the food). 😉 But, it was just not the right opportunity for him to invest in.
Look outside the box! Who else in your world, whether they’re online or off, could be a source of support other than your family?
Is there an old boss that you admired and always believed in you? Maybe, a local successful entrepreneur?
Whoever it is, start building the relationship! Connect with them on social media, go to their events (if they have any). Buy their products. Invite them for coffee. It doesn’t matter what you try, just connect!
In Conclusion
Don’t head out on the entrepreneurial journey alone. You’re going to have some serious ups, when you’ll want to celebrate and then some massive lows, where you’re going to need someone to remind you why you started in the first place.
If you already have a support system in place, check-in with them. See how they’re doing and fill them in on the good stuff and the struggles.
