What kind of support do you enjoy?
Ann Hawkins
Creating opportunities for collaboration. Advisor and mentor to small businesses. Accountability to stay on track to achieve your goals. Working towards a citizen future through deliberative participation.
When you've had a good day, does anybody know?
When you've a bad day, who do you tell?
When you're stuck on the best way to do something, who do you ask for help?
If you've slacked off and not kept your promises to yourself does anyone hold you to account?
When you hit a brick wall who pulls you up, dusts you off and gives you the confidence to keep going?
When you've heard a great joke, a great tune, seen a fabulous video or picture, who do you share it with?
The biggest problem for most small business owners is isolation.
You're already stretched and a potential new client is giving you doubts. Should you take them on or pass?
One of your suppliers does a less than acceptable job and wants to be paid in full. What do you do?
You need some really honest feedback on your website content without anyone trying to sell you their solution. Who do you ask?
Everybody needs a trusted group of people who have their best interests at heart.
Very few business problems are unique. Most have been experienced, dealt with and resolved. The trick is finding people who care enough to share that experience and expertise for no other reason than they can.
However new you might be to running your own business, you'll have other life experiences to share. You can help others as much as they'll help you.
"Hey, someone I know needs what you do!"
A trusted group of people you've built a relationship with are more likely to refer you to others and a referral is the most valuable business lead you can have. It's a lot more likely to lead to work than any other kind of approach. And it feels really good.
Referrals work best when no-one is counting, when there's no expectation of reward, kickback, quid pro quo or karma. When there's no strings attached.
Marketing is a team sport
Marketing 'you' is tough. Having a bunch of people who are happy to brag for you, promote you, amplify your messages, thank you for your help and tell the world how great you are is much easier. And when you find people who are so talented it makes your jaw drop you have no trouble doing the same for them.
Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose
In his book "Drive", Dan Pink talks about what motivates people when they have the freedom to do the work they enjoy.
领英推荐
Autonomy is the need to direct your own life and work. To be fully motivated, you must be able to control what you do, when you do it, and who you do it with. Choosing the clients you work with, choosing who will support you and who you'll support is crucial.
Mastery is the desire to improve your skills through learning and practice. Learning from a peer group, collaborating, being treated as someone to learn with and from instead of just being seen competition makes everybody's business stronger.
Purpose is when you connect your personal goals to your work and feel fullfilled by doing good work that helps others achieve their goals. Helping for no other reason than you can is the ultimate feel good buzz.
A place where everybody knows your name.
A favourite TV in the '80's was Cheers, the bar where everybody knows your name. The theme tune goes something like this:
Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you've got
Taking a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot
You want to go where people know
People are all the same
There's a place in the world
Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came
I've just described Drive, the Partnership Network. If you'd like to know more you can find us here on LinkedIn
I almost forgot about the fun
When you can just relax, be yourself, know that no-one is judging you, that you're among friends who value your quirks as much as your talents, life and business becomes much more enjoyable. The unexpected burst of laughter, the shared moment of madness is priceless.
Can you get all this with people who don't run their own business?
Some of it, yes. But people who have jobs are not like people who choose to work for themselves. We have very different experiences and expectations. Autonomy, mastery and purpose runs in our veins. We get it. We get you.
?? Social entrepreneur (Inc. Purple Goat) ???? Business advisor/NED ?? Envisioning a fully inclusive world ?? Writer and content creator
3 年Such a great post Ann Hawkins that all really resonated with me. So grateful for Drive!
creating your mobile digital tool | freelance mobile software analyst and developer
3 年Definetely, the Drive community is friendly and supportive. It is a year since I joined the group and the professional world is nicer and kinder since then. Cheers to everyone!
Senior Sponsor Relationship Manager
3 年I LOVE being a part of Drive. Did anyone add the weekly sanity check! A diverse group of smart, funny and caring professionals that I know I can turn to when needed. And Ann is just the icing on the cake. Straight talking, no-nonsense, and full of ideas and experience.
Straight-talking and outcome focused HR | Operational and Compliance | Strategic | Learning and Development | Employee Engagement
3 年Absolutely spot on Ann, it can be isolating. Fortunately for me as a member of Drive I have built a network of supportive people around me - thank you!
Helping high achieving working parents professionally nail it and thrive personally. Prevent burnout. I Leading yourself well coach and thinking partner I Coach supervisor I Qualified Thinking Partner ( Nancy Kline)
3 年I'm a raving introvert and I've loved lots about lockdown. We are all different. It's really not a one size fits all. And yet knowing that there is a bunch of people who are genuinely decent, who show up, who will have your back when you need it, recommend you, celebrate with you and all in one network. Kudos to Ann Hawkins for enabling a diverse bunch of entrepreneur reprobates to come together, not always in agreement and buzz, fizz and pop. That's all while I now go back to another google meet .............