Last week we explored the value of intentional collaborations with like-minded, adjacent business owners and learned that it can be very beneficial for your business and your brand. This week, let’s talk about what it means for you personally to make these connections and develop relationships within your community.
1. The Power of Validation and Confidence
Owning a business can be super confusing. We don’t always know the right answers and sometimes find ourselves learning things the hard way. No matter how many books you read or podcasts you stream, you can’t always get it right, and that is okay. This often leads to self-doubt, second-guessing, and sometimes even depression. A recent article from Small Business Trends, a popular blog, reported that 62% of small business owners feel depressed at least once a week. While working with others can’t solve all of these issues, it does lend itself to building you up rather than tearing you down, and there is tremendous value in that.
When you let others into your circle via a collaboration, you gain knowledge and experience you did not have previously. When your collaboration is successful, you will feel validated as a business owner. At a minimum, it will make you feel great, but it can also go as far as restoring faith that may have been lost in yourself, your business, or your ideas. You will get some of those good brain chemicals they are always talking about. Bring on the dopamine! Validation and sweet success build confidence, and that will lead to only good things for you and your business.
2. The Power of Building Friendships
Do you find making friends as a busy adult challenging? Some of my own best friends now are fellow business owners that I met while working toward a common goal. There is a very real possibility that you will find friends in your collaboration journey. People who think like you, share the same struggles and want you to succeed are out there waiting for your idea! Planning something exciting together sounds fun, right? Because it is! All those good feelings with the right partner or team can expand into genuine friendships that last well beyond the end of your common professional pursuits.
3. The Power of Genuine Networking
If your heart is really in it, a great collaboration can lead to more collaborations. Your confidence is up, you are full of ideas and excited about your business. With this kind of energy, you are much more likely to attract others who want to work with you. Networking is an art. Being able to meet new people, enthusiastically discuss your business (hello, elevator pitch!) and getting those people excited about it is an undeniable skill. With a successful collaboration under your belt, you can be that person. You can be excited and open and ready for more opportunities to come your way. Feeling validated is a powerful thing, and you can wield it to your advantage at your next networking event.
We hope you are excited about the idea of working together with your fellow business owners and have learned a bit about the benefits of that process. Vend Raleigh has lots of opportunities to take the first step toward developing an idea and meeting potential collaborators. The upcoming Better Toget(her) Authentic Networking + Coworking event is the perfect place to start! Check it out and we hope to see you there!
- The Power of Honest Connections - February 14, 2022
- The Value of Intentional Collaboration - February 3, 2022