The secret to my success

The secret to my success: Community

I cannot over-state the value of building a strong and diverse personal community.

I am where I am today because of the amazing people who have supported me along the way. 

They offered their knowledge when I've requested it, shared their support when I needed it and donated their time when I asked for it.

I have gained countless opportunities and avoided just as many obstacles that I would have otherwise stumbled blindly into without my network of supporters. 

So how then do you build this incredibly important community of supporting champions?

Admit you need help

• Just admit it, you don't know what you're doing and you're flying by the seat of your pants. Take a deep breath and come clean with yourself. 
• I realize this is not an easy, but the sooner you admit you are not completely in control of your business or your life, the sooner you will discover a whole world of support and assistance. 
• Stop battling your limitations and learn to put aside your ego and fears of being judged.
• If you can reach out to your personal network and honestly ask for the help you so desperately need, you will be astounded to find that the response you get isn't negative or judgmental at all, it'll be overwhelmingly positive.

Get out of your house

• If you don't know anyone in your town, it's because you're spending way too much time locked in your house or business. You need to get out and connect to your community.
• This is easier said than done for some introverted individuals, but if you look hard enough you will find opportunities that connect with you. 
• Find like-minded people who share your passions and hobbies and get involved with them. Maybe you love soccer or maybe you're a huge Pokemon Go enthusiast, whatever your passion your first step should be finding ways to connect with others so your network can grow.

Make deposits and they will pay 10x returns

• There is a good chance when you branch into new circles that the people you meet will need your help.
• Maybe they'll be organizing a fundraiser for a local charity, or maybe they'll need someone to help them paint their house on the weekend.
• Make the effort early to contribute to your community and you will quickly gain their respect.
• If you can make contributions in ways that only your skill-set can offer then you will quickly make yourself indispensable and your community will see the value of investing back into you. 

Don't tax your network

• Don't be that person who comes in hard and makes lots of early demands of your community; that's a quick way to burn bridges and divide friendships. 
• A good community is built on common interests and mutual value. Be careful who you ask and how often you ask for their support. Most likely the members of your community are just as busy or busier than you are so demanding too much too will often cause strain on your network.

Don't get stretched thin

• Making deposits into your community can easily slip from generosity to expectation.
• It's a fine line between making a contribution and your network asking too much of you. Make sure to set clear boundaries about what you're able to contribute and for how long. 
• Know your boundaries for time and finances and keep your network aware of them. Most people are understanding and won't push you past where you've drawn your line.

No entrepreneur is an island

No matter how much expertise you think you have when pursuing your goals there will be times when you will hit an immovable obstacle.

It's in these times that having a network to fall back on becomes so valuable. 

They become the safety net that allows you to take bigger risks, they become the cheerleaders that boost you up when you are hitting a wall and they become the advocates that help you connect with your first customers. 

I cannot thank my personal community enough for all they have done (and continue to do) for me.

It makes me wish I had connected with them much sooner. It's with this thought that I encourage you to find your community and all the support, entertainment and success that will come along with them.

Check out my blog scalemylife.com for interviews from my community as I ask 20 entrepreneurs 20 questions.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.