Being an entrepreneur can be lonely

Heck, being a stay at home mom can be lonely too. Living through a freakin’ pandemic can be lonely! You can’t do it all on your own…you gotta surround yourself with a community that you love. But, where can you find it?

Emily Aborn’s got you covered! She’s a Marketing Professional and the owner of She Built This, an entrepreneurship organization that helps women with resources and education to build and LIVE their dreams!

We’re talking today all about how to find your community! Right now, the emphasis is finding that community online…but hopefully one day things will be back to quote unquote normal and we can hang with people face to face again. 

But…let’s not forget that there’s power in being able to connect with people on the internet. You can literally have friends all over the world. It’s pretty cool if you think about it.

The weird world of networking…

Community Over Competition

It’s important to gather with like minded people. That means that you might be hanging out with people who are in the same line of work as you. Don’t freak out! There are plenty of clients to go around! Don’t approach it from a mindset of scarcity.

You gotta jump in there and be part of a crowd of people that are willing to support one another and encourage one another and give each other resources. When you get to the heart of it, it’s about working together rather than stepping over each other to get to the goal or to achieve success.

Well, how do we find our community?

It’s one of those things…you just have to do it. Get out there. Take the coffee dates and go to the networking events, make a phone date or have a virtual happy hour! You have to get out there and get a feel for the people that you do jive with! Just get out there!

Emily said that the networking piece of her business has taken off more than ever during this pandemic. People are craving connection and community, and they know that it has to be virtual right now. So it’s a great time to get started!

Build your own community!

If what you’re searching for doesn’t exist…you can create the community!  It could be as simple as inviting a group to a zoom call happy hour. Or you could start a Facebook group. When I mentioned that my Facebook group is growing slowly and I’m impatient, Emily gave some great advice. 

She said to just start where you are, and don’t wish you had more, and don’t force it. You have to know what you want the outcome of the group to be.

You have to ask yourself: What do you want the members to feel, or gain from the group? Reverse engineer what you’re focusing on. Your Facebook is like your own backyard party! You’re the host. You set the tone. You tell people where the bathrooms are, aka what the rules are, what drinks, who’s bringing what. 

Emily describes her group like a coffee shop. People buzzing in and out…busy busy! But she has a VIP group that’s a little more “swanky” people hang around and chill and dive deeper into things. So you can have more than one group for more than one purpose. It really can be like hosting a party!

How to engage in your Facebook Group:

Be consistent and intentional about how you engage in the group. She blocks out two times a day morning and afternoon to pop in and engage. Really intentional about comments and how she engages. Giving people thoughtful feedback.

When joining Facebook groups, you have the option to join as a business page or as your personal profile. She says do the latter and join as yourself so you can make those real connections! No one wants to feel like they’re being sold to. Have a genuine curiosity about other people and how you can help them!

All aboard the Struggle Bus!

Think about how maybe you can use your Facebook group to help out people who are struggling with something. And the group can help that person think through those problems and create some solutions. The group can also provide more support by checking in with them and holding them accountable.

Emily has used this method in her group and she is amazed at how it really allows people to take massive action in their businesses and lives. And, let’s be honest, that HAS to create quite a strong sense of community. A community that really supports one another! 

Your next step:

Grab Emily’s worksheet and really think about which ideas resonate with you. Like Emily said, really spend some time thinking about what makes you feel energized and what makes sense for your life. Create those boundaries and get started! Make some friends y’all! 

Also, one thing I’m going to do is think about reverse engineering what I want for my FB Group. I love the analogy that it’s like a party at my house that I’m hosting. What are my snacks, what are we going, what’s the vibe. What do I envision for my group and then figure out how to get it there! 

More from Emily Aborn…

We also joke about taking a drink every time Deanna says, “I love it!” Spoiler alert: If you do, you’ll be wasted. Emily tells us all about “Chicks that Love Business.” And I learned there’s something called “The Dark Social.” Sounds intriguing right?!?! So push play on the episode above to get the full experience. And don’t forget to check out more from Emily!
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