The Challenge of the Solo Entrepreneur: 4 Ways to Grow a Business with Support

“We Can’t Do It Alone.” – Jane Pollack, entrepreneur mentor

It’s very revealing when you sign-in to an online webinar or teleseminar ahead of time. You get to listen-in on the presenter and host talking to each other or the participants as they arrive. This can reveal a lot about a presenter.

Prior to a webinar by Jane Pollack, business coach, mastermind facilitator extraordinaire and author of Soul Proprietor, I “overheard” Jane’s reply to a compliment about her guidance and insights with “We can’t do it alone.” (I love the humility of her “we”.)

If you work at home as a solo entrepreneur, freelancer, or remote worker you must be independent and a “self-starter”. But in the long-haul you need support from others (sorry, not your mother) who are engaged in a similar struggle.

Sharing your achievements and struggles with a supportive group makes for a easier journey to business success.

In her webinar Jane outlines several sources of support for your business growth:.

Network – Connect with people who are on the same business journey and share what you know and learn from each other.

Hire a business coach – You are an expert in your field, but are you an expert in how to run a business? Get professional guidance and support.

Accountability Partner/Goal Buddy – Meet with a friend or colleague who is also growing their business.

Mastermind Group – Jane defines this as a team “where the success of the individual is the group’s success.” A mastermind group (MMG) is a closed group that meets regularly for mutual support and mutual accountability. There are various formats for running a meeting, but all MMG’s include:

• No members are direct competitors, so you can be candid about your struggles and plans.
• Absolute confidentiality regarding what is shared in the group.
• Access a larger variety of knowledge and experience because the group consists of more than 2-3 members.

Many professional organizations have official or un-official mastermind groups. Join one.

Be careful your meeting for support and accountability doesn’t turn into an unstructured gabfest.

Personally I am a member of two mastermind groups. Each focuses on a different aspect of my business. The friendships I have made there are warm and mutual. With them I would not have written and published my book! There is nothing like having a firm date for reporting on my progress on a specific task or goal to people I respect and trust. They spur me on to do what I need to do. You can have that kind of support too.

Check out the last chapter of my book, The Smarter Home Office: 8 simple steps to increase your income, inspiration and comfort. It discussed the dilemma of distractions/isolation in the home office.

What kind of support have you used for your working alone at home? How has it worked for you? Share your story with us in the comment box below.

photo by @boetter