Entrepreneurship seems to be a word that exudes solitude. This person has that special something that allows them not only to believe they can do something as a business owner, but they also do it. They are superman/superwomen in the eyes of spectators, but they have a real secret to their success. Their secret is their village. Their circle. Some friends. Some associates. Some family. Additional supporters who they don’t know. You can call them fans, customers, consumers, etc. This is the key to success as an entrepreneur. Yes, you need a strong desire to do what you set out to do but you also need to know who is going to help and how they will.
It takes a village. Those who are already on the journey should have realized this already. Those readers who are just beginning or are about to take the leap, you need to start working on your village. You cannot do it all. The shorter the amount of time you take to realize that, the better. Pick your circle wisely. If you have a bunch of “friends” and you can’t see yourself doing business with them in any capacity, you may want to reconsider the connection. Having a spouse, close friend, or partner you can’t bounce ideas off is also a red flag you need to address. Talk to them. You may be sitting next to the answer to that question you just can’t answer. That person you always see doing or selling something to better their situation may be the sales person you need to work with. That college kid you happen to follow on social media that has no product, sells nothing but has 10 times the followers as your business account may be the marketer you need. Life shows you exactly what you need. It’s just a matter of paying attention. You may be the expert in the majority of what you do, maybe even everything but you’ll never be more than the cake. You still need the icing, decorations, presentation and people who would like the cake. It’s ironic knowing that a person who is looked up to by many, looks to those same people to help them. The entrepreneur needs more help than the 9-5er and is taking way more risk than them also. If you know a successful entrepreneur, let them shine when their turn comes. They deserve it.
I’ll use myself as an example of it taking a village. I am an entrepreneur. I’m involved in music, real estate, and other investments. Music-wise, I fall into the cake example. I rap, produce, mix, master, even sing but I still need help. I need a photographer for promotional photos and online presence. I need social media to put myself and my work out there where it can be discovered by potential supporters. I need videographers for music videos and documentaries. I need promoters for shows and DJs to play my music at parties. I need streaming sites to make my music available worldwide while paying me for my music streams. Without these major players, my music is just a cake without icing, decorations, a stand, or anybody who likes it. In real estate, I need tenants. I need a management company or service to handle transactions. I need a go to handyman, electrician, HVAC and appliance specialist. I need a site to utilize in approximating market value for a unit. I need a real estate agent to let me know about upcoming deals in a certain area, what my property is currently worth, and handle all the paperwork when a buy or sell situation comes up. My investments vary but this thing called the internet is vital in me finding new ventures that can possibly turn $1000 today into multiple millions in the future. YouTube, message boards, Reddit, social media groups, all have the potential to expose these opportunities to you. You just need to be searching for the right stuff. Are you?
In closing, it takes a village. “Me vs. the world” is a losing battle. The world is not against you. The people around you may be and you can fix that. Pick your village. You may invite a few in that can’t stay and that’s okay. You’ll get better in determining who should be in but don’t be afraid to be wrong. It will be their loss being kicked out of a village that can create, support and sustain itself. These villages don’t grow on trees. These villages are built brick by brick. If you happen to get invited into one remember the rarity I speak of and behave accordingly. That group of partners may be the answer to some questions you just can’t answer.

Food for thought…. you do the dishes!