How many times have you seen the quote, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."?
And yet for me, it didn't sink in until I was at a point in my business in which I felt stuck. I was a Jack-of-all-trades, doing everything in my business on my own.
I was handling all the overwhelm of emails and doing the busy work of admin, which had me too consumed with details to put energy into expansion and marketing. I was working in the business rather than on the business.
My business needed to grow, not to mention I was exhausted, burnt-out, and even becoming resentful.
I knew somethings had to change. I needed to create a team and I needed a support system to uplift me and propel me forward.
I started my search and joined different communities online (I live in a very small town in South Georgia and there is nothing in my area). I wanted a group of women entrepreneurs who would understand my frustrations, and that I could feel a sense of belonging to; as it can be a bit awkward socially when none of your friends are entrepreneurs.
That's when things started to change and I felt a shift. I could be myself with this group, they shared my lifestyle and understood what I was going through. We were part of a small program, after which we created an accountability group. Basically, we meet once a week to see where we are at and what we needed help with. These groups can become your soul sisters and your support system.
Your community members can see the world from different angles, they can offer their unique perspective and real-world experience, and that might be just the push that you need to move forward.
You can all learn from each other's experiences (good or bad) and share information that can be very valuable to each other even if you are in different industries. The best A-HA moments that I had were talking with other women entrepreneurs, who were in very different markets than mine, but sparked something in my brain that I could apply to my business.
The impact on my business has been astounding since I started joining Women Entrepreneur groups and attending networking events. My entire way of thinking has expanded. Sharing time with other entrepreneurs will open up your mind in a ways that are surprising and invaluable. And in sharing your ideas and your message, the vision you have for your business gets sharper and you achieve more clarity. What you cannot supply for yourself, in terms of objectivity, support, encouragement, and guidance, your community members will supply for you.
You are not alone. Get out there and find your sisters. Let them help you move forward on your journey and be the very best you that you can be.
About the author: Inés Ruiz is a former Cambridge University Lecturer, military spouse turned entrepreneur. She created a multiple 6-figure online educational business in less than 16 months. After her success, she wanted to help other women create their online business - no matter their circumstances- and founded the Women Entrepreneur Community. She is the host of the show/Podcast "We Talk" in which she features other women entrepreneurs' journeys.
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