Friendships Give Us Perspective in Small Business
Friendships give us insight into our own businesses that we may not ever have the perspective to see ourselves.
Friendships allow us to move thru business without the need to reinvent the wheel. Friendships give us insight into our own businesses that we may not ever have the perspective to see ourselves. Making connection with and curating intentional friendships is the best gift we can give ourselves.
This past month has been filled with beautiful connections. From sharing space with you in Conversation with Friends, to spending time online and in-person with some of you in workshops, to sitting for deep conversations with dear friends in my quarterly retreat.
And it’s been a repeated confirmation of how powerful connection with others is.
As small business owners we can have wonderful ideas, but when we gather with people we trust we can add dimension to our thoughts.
This strikes me time and time again with each quarterly retreat that passes. The ideas that I walk away with, the seeds that are planted, they are powerful. It is a wonderful time for me to reflect and dream on my own, but it’s not til I begin to have conversation with my fellow business owner friends that the true gems begin to shine.
We encourage and celebrate with one another. And we challenge each other with our outside perspective. My favorite questions begin with “what if…”. I know when a friend frames a thought with this question it’s going to blow up whatever notion I have of what is possible. It always amazes me the circuitous paths our conversations take. Where we end up with conversation is never somewhere I could have predicted. I treasure these discussions that are full of inspiring ideas and challenging thoughts.
This retreat I was surprised by some very opinionated thoughts on all that’s possible for my writing practice. You see, I’m in the very beginning stages of my journey to become an author and my friends and I have discussed the book I want to write on multiple occasions. It wasn’t until last month though that I realized we are talking about completely different books!
They knew that the book will be about intentional business and the thoughts I share here in the newsletter. I, however, have been working on a co-packing book. I was honestly shocked that we were on such different wavelengths, but then, the possibilities began to come into focus. I had more clarity than I’ve ever had!
Perhaps at some point I would have expanded the possibilities and come to this same conclusion, but it may have taken years to come to this realization. The conversations with my friends is what allowed the seed to be planted now. I know from experience it will come to fruition more quickly than if I discovered this on my own someday down the road.
Friendships allow us to move thru business without the need to reinvent the wheel. Friendships give us insight into our own businesses that we may not ever have the right perspective to see ourselves. Making connection with and curating intentional friendships is the best gift we can give ourselves.
Are you intentionally curating friendships with other entrepreneurs? How are you creating space for outside perspective in your business?
I’d really love if you’d share your perspective with me this week. Would you email me if you’d be interested in an intimate retreat with 6-10 other entrepreneurs that is filled with rest and deep conversations?