Something that I’ve always heard about owning a small business is that it’s lonely. You’re your own cheerleader, coworker, marketing genius, and boss. It’s a lot of different hats to sit under and sometimes it can just be overwhelming. There are weeks that you feel like you’ve got the boss lady thing down, and there are weeks that feel like you’re a complete failure, and that you’ll never book another client. There’s a constant circumstantial string of ups and downs and it becomes exhausting. Especially if you don’t have people fighting for you.
Community is wonderful and vital for so many reasons. Don’t you feel a bit more sane when you know that someone else is struggling with the same thing as you? Isn’t a sweet sigh of relief when you find out you’re not the only one? Our active social media accounts speak loudly of our accomplishments and our milestones, our vacations and anniversaries, but they don’t speak much to our struggle. And it’s there. For all of us. It’s so incredibly sweet to have people you can let those walls down around and just be you. And I think that’s vital as a small business owner as well.
Small businesses are so often tight lipped on their trade secrets and protective of their image. As small business owners we want to constantly look like we’re thriving and busy busy busy, because busy means success right?! I think we do this around other business owners especially. I’ve had my share fair of run-ins with business owners and photographers who function that way, and thankfully I’ve had even more interaction with this new type of entrepreneur. The one who knows that my success is not their failure and vice versa. I’ve spent time around a ton of women who WANT to share what they’ve learned and WANT to be an encouragement, instead of a dream squasher. They want to be the kind blazing fire that sets others aflame, instead of blowing out their small flicker of light.
I’ve found so much of that from knowing Abby Grace and through Creative at Heart. And now through The Rising Tide Society. These ladies are ALL about community over competition and all about cheering for each other on the hard and worthwhile journey as a creative business owner. And a big part of that is through Tuesdays Together! The second Tuesday of every month offers a local meet up to talk life and business with people who get the balancing act and get the struggle. And I’d love to invite you into that, business owning friends! My sweet friend Ashley Powell is leading the Roanoke+NRV group and our first meet up is tonight at 7PM. Come hang out with us and soak in some community :]
