You’ve probably heard the quote by Jim Rohn that says, “we become most like the five people we spend the most time with”. If that is true, then it’s important that we are intentional with choosing those five people, right?
Absolutely. But you still might be wondering, why?
Well, because as much as we’d like to think we are, we aren’t super human or robots. We are imperfectly susceptible to bouts of doubt and self sabotage.
It’s normal and entrepreneurship, especially online entrepreneurship can be super lonely and isolating. We need those people around us that we can learn from, grow with, receive support from, and also those that will hold us accountable.
In this episode I’m sharing with you how to build your success circle to level up your business.
Ready? Okay, let’s get started.
Show Links:
Show Takeaways:
- The five things you need when you’re building a business and creating the life of your dreams
- The four people we need in our corner to create a successful business
- Tips to find your people
- The first step you can take to create your own success circle
Rather skim before you listen? ⬇️
Jim Rohn told us we become most like the 5 people we spend the most time with.
I spend most of my time with a toddler or by myself, so not sure what that means for me. Just kidding!
But you do need to be super intentional about who you listen to, interact with, share struggles and celebrations with.
Why? Because as much as we’d like to think we are, we AREN’T super human or robots.
We are imperfectly susceptible to bouts of doubt and self-sabotage. It’s normal.
And entrepreneurship, especially online entrepreneurship, can be super lonely and isolating.
I didn’t grow up surrounded by entrepreneurs. My parents were not entrepreneurs.
My friends’ parents weren’t entrepreneurs. Extended family weren’t entrepreneurs.
So when I decided entrepreneurship was my path when I was 30 years old, I had to start seeking other entrepreneurs, both at the level I was at and those that were further along.
Because there were things that I needed to be successful that I couldn’t get from the circle I already had.
So you might be asking, what were those things? WHAT DO YOU NEED WHEN BUILDING A BUSINESS AND CREATING THE LIFE OF YOUR DREAMS?
You need recognition. Yes, it’s okay to admit that. You need to know that what you are doing is making a difference and that you are on the right track, and sometimes it can be months or years of hustling before you receive recognition on a public level. That validation can give you the power to keep going. It’s not sexy or a “boss babe” thing to say, but I’m just being honest. Every single one of the students and clients I’ve worked with have needed it to keep moving forward. It’s like borrowing someone else’s belief in you until you can stand on your own. It’s a process.
You need accountability, either to yourself or more likely, to someone else. Accountability is an interesting thing. Most of the entrepreneurs I speak with mention this is something they are seeking. Our gal pal, Rachel Hollis, reminds us that we don’t break promises to ourselves anymore and while that is a wonderful idea, it isn’t always practical. Sometimes the fear of others ostracizing us because we broke a promise to them again (which is an evolutionary, biological thing), is a great motivator and gives us the nudge we need. #sorrynotsorry
You need someone who gets it, who understands exactly what you are going through because they have been there. Those who have never tried their hand at entrepreneurship don’t understand. They don’t get what a huge milestone your first sale is. They don’t understand how monumental it is to hit your first $10,000 month. They don’t get why you WANT to get up super early or work late into the night because you are so passionate about your mission and what you are creating. Being able to talk to others that get it, speak the language, know what you are feeling makes you feel a little less alone. And knowing that others struggle with similar things that you do normalizes the challenge and gets us out of that whole “I’m the problem” trap.
You need collaboration. We can’t build all alone. Finding others in your field or other fields that want to partner can not only increase your audience reach and income, but can produce projects that neither one of you could’ve created alone, pushing you into new territory. New territory is where growth happens, darling.
You need innovative ideas. If you can’t evolve with the fast-changing landscape of online entrepreneurship, you soon will be outta business. You may know all there is to know about your field, but if you stop there, you are limiting yourself. By bouncing ideas off of those in other fields, you can get ideas that you may not have previously had access to. Two heads truly are better than one.
You need outside perspective because you can’t see everything you need to see because you are too close to your own project. Are you a marketer who seems to have a block when it comes to your own marketing? Has someone ever said something to you that you’d heard before but the way they framed it made it make sense in a way that never had before? That is perspective. It is imperative to seek outside perspective because everything you do is colored by your unique set of experiences throughout your life. And because not everyone in your audience has had that same set of experiences, NOT getting outside perspective can be limiting.
In fact, a few weeks ago in a 1:1 session, my client and I were talking about her mission— not for her business, but for her whole life. I asked very pointed questions about the things she was passionate about and took really good notes. Then I simply connected the dots (my super power) and stated her mission based on what her answers were. She was blown away, totally speechless. I didn’t create it, I simply was able to look at everything from an outside perspective to see the genuine thread that motivated everything she did and wanted to do. That’s the power of outside perspective.
Any of this sounds familiar?
Now that may seem like a lot that you need as an entrepreneur, but you don’t have to get it all from one person.
That is why I actually suggest you create a Success Circle— a group of supportive individuals that you carefully curate and surround yourself with. My own personal Success Circle includes business coaches, a few business besties, a group of Mastermind Sisters, and my family.
Your success circle doesn’t have to look like my success circle though. So, who should you seek out for your own success circle?
According to Chris Hogan, we need 4 people in our corner to create a successful business.
A friend: This person is all about the real talk but they do it because they genuinely care about you! They may or may not be an entrepreneur, but they will always tell you like it is for your own good.
A cheerleader: This person is pro-“you” no matter what. You can expect them to be Positive Polly when you are sharing struggles and celebrations alike. They tell you what you want to hear to keep you self-esteem and confidence sky-high. They’ll always tell you that you are doing a kickass job.
A mentor: This person is here to guide you. They are a few steps ahead of you in whatever it is you want to do (likely business) and you look up to them for attributes, skills, talent, and advice on how to gain the same level of success they have.
A coach: This person pushes you and doesn’t let you make excuses. They don’t listen to the limits you self-impose but instead challenge you to make plays. They hold you accountable, ask the hard questions, and tell you what you NEED to hear, even if it isn’t what you want to hear. They challenge you to sharpen your skills and level up in your strategy.
So you are onboard with the idea of a Success Circle, but maybe a little daunted by trying to find those that fit in your circle. I mean, let’s be real: making friends as an adult can be challenging, especially when we are still in lockdown due to a global pandemic.
So here are a few tips on how to find your people.
Get yourself a business bestie or accountability partner. Usually a peer, and while they can be in your industry, they don’t have to be. All of my business besties are in different fields that I am.
Find or create a mastermind group. This is usually a group of peers in different fields that come together regularly to discuss business and help each other out. It can be paid or unpaid, and you can even create one if you can’t find one that you fit in. I recommend a paid mastermind because it sets an expectation of the level that a business needs to be at and it gives the mastermind members motivation to show up and support one another.
Search your current network for mentor material. There are formal programs that will match you with a mentor, but I have found the most successful mentor relationships to happen organically. Who within your current network is a few steps ahead of you that you might reach out to for more advice. NOTE: Do NOT ask if you can pick their brain. Be 100% honest about what you are looking for. Let them know that you admire them for X, Y, & Z and that you’d like to cultivate those skills as well and if they’d be willing to meet with you once a month to get their help. If they say no, move on but don’t burn the bridge, and don’t take it personally. Just because they can’t be your mentor now doesn’t mean you’ll never need the connection ever again.
Hire a coach. Paying for these people to be in your life doesn’t make it less impactful. In fact, I would argue that it levels up the interaction. I personally pay for business coaches because the expectations are laid out (usually in writing) and I have some skin in the game, so I prioritize these relationships and the interactions with them and the advice they give. PS: I do take on a limited number of 1:1 clients so if you want to see what working with me is like, you can book a free breakthrough call by going to workwithprocess.co/strategy-session
I always like to end each episode with an action step that you can take right now to help you move forward and begin to implement immediately. Here is your action step for this episode:
Decide one person you want to add to your success circle and start your search.
