It Takes a Village

By: Katie Myers Tuesday September 8, 2015 comments

               There is one thing that I attribute the success of my business to more than any other factor, that thing is collaboration. We all know it “takes a village” to raise a family right? Well, the same saying goes for being a successful business owner. There can be some barriers to break down and through when accepting this fact. You can’t do this alone. I repeat, YOU CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.

               Running a successful business takes leadership, ownership, accountability, recognition of mistakes, compromises and sometimes eating a HUGE piece of humble pie. You have a lot of pride as an entrepreneur and see your business as your baby. Why would you let anyone else close to your baby? Let alone babysit or even scarier give input as to how to raise your baby?  Let me tell you.

1. You are your own biggest road block – How many times have you spent WAY too much time creating a project, process or system for your business? You spin your wheels, just to get frustrated and end up with a half-finished project. This is why collaboration and having a village of your own comes in handy. You need at least 1, I suggest up to 3, trusted fellow business owners that can create, brainstorm, critique and most of the time share what they have already created.
2. You don’t know everything, and that’s OKAY! – I know, I know. Sometimes we feel like we should have all of the answers around our own businesses. It is our baby right? So shouldn’t we innately know how to answer all of the questions/problems that arise? Absolutely not. Your village is meant to provide with you collaborative experiences and expertise. You can shed light on their dilemmas and they can shed light on yours.
3. Sometimes things suck – I can’t say it more plainly. This running a business thing is HARD. You must be on your A-Game every day, all-day. You need to show up at networking events with a smile and an attitude that everything is 100% a-okay. Well, let’s be real. Sometimes it isn’t! Sometimes you run in to problems that you had no idea existed. As an entrepreneur you are faced with a plethora of challenges and obstacles. This is why your village is most important. These are the “talking you off a ledge”, “keep you from quitting”, “kick you in the hiney” kind of situations. You need to allow your village to pump you up and push you back in the ring.

I could go on and on about the importance of having a village to raise your business. The above tips are only a few in a myriad of reasons why it is a necessity if you are going to grow a successful business. I would love to hear your village stories and questions! Leave a comment below or connect with me on Facebook www.facebook.com/crconversations. I look forward to the conversation!

Here’s to good conversation,

Katie

About the Author: Katie Myers