When I left my cozy seat in Corporate America, with its steady paycheck, capable leadership, robust team of colleagues, and detailed playbook for completing nearly every task required of me, and decided to enter the Wild West of entrepreneurship, I wasn’t fully prepared.
I was, of course, delighted to be unshackled from all that structure and I was practically high on the freedom and flexibility that were now mine. But I quickly learned that I hadn’t fully appreciated the ready-made support team my well-established employer had provided, and without it I felt more alone than free. Learning to create a network like the one I’d enjoyed through my job took time and effort but it has made all the difference to my success and my well being.
With a number of years of entrepreneurship under my belt, I have learned that there are five people every entrepreneur needs in her corner. If you’re starting or running a business of your own, take a look around and make sure there’s a seat your proverbial table for all five of these people – each one is worth her weight in gold.
- The “Been There Done That” One – While we’re often intimidated by these people, there is just no substitute for having someone in your corner who has successfully done the thing you are trying to do! You will benefit tremendously from his or her experience; in fact, having it will likely save you time and money, both of which are in short supply for entrepreneurs. If you don’t know anyone who has already done the thing you’re setting out to do (someone who has written a book, opened a shop, started a blog, crossed the seven-figure mark, etc.) then you need to … Read more
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