Networking = Building Power?

I used to be a member of Main Street Alliance. (My most measurable impact was my involvement with getting Paid Family Medical Leave passed. Read my statement I submitted here.) But the thing that I spent the most time and energy working on was building power. I was invited to become a member of the leadership team for our chapter. And my stated task was to work with the Director to build relationships with other organizations that had goals similar to ours.

How do we build on the power we already have as small business owners? It seems like a huge question, but the answer is actually pretty simple. It starts by building community. Because as we’ve seen in the last month or so, we’re stronger together than we are individually.

And I’m going to say something that seems both obvious and brilliant at the same time. We’re already doing this. Because what is networking but community building? (If you’re doing it right.)

Some folks struggle with networking. But it’s a fundamental part of growing a small business. And it’s most successful when it stems from a place of building relationships. I often view it as introducing my favorite people to each other. It’s not always that simple or that easy though is it? Sometimes it’s uncomfortable and stressful. Sometimes it feels gross because we’re in spaces where networking is viewed as a transactional activity.

But it could be about building a community. Because community, when broken down to it’s most basic elements, is just a collection of relationships. And once we’ve built this power, we can leverage it to enact change.

I would be doing myself and my community a disservice if I didn’t extend an invitation here. If this inspires you to participate in community building with other solo-entrepreneurs and small business owners, you might want to check out a few of my free offerings. We have a monthly virtual networking event. It’s small and casual. We spend about 10-15 minutes in introductions and then split up into breakout rooms. You can sign up here. We also have a digital community where members share upcoming events and we connect with each other. You can sign up for it here.