Do You Need A Business Buddy?
If you're a fellow "solopreneur" you probably know how easy it is to get discouraged or a little bit behind on your goals when you work as a team of ONE.
There's no boss to order you around, give you performance reviews, or tell you when you're on track. There's not employees to help you make decisions or get things done. While sometimes that freedom and flexibility can be nice, it can also leave you wondering if you're making the right choices or enough progress.
If you're feeling stuck in a rut, but not in a place to hire a business coach or team, I highly recommend finding a business buddy!
What's a Biz Buddy?
This is someone who you can bounce ideas off of, who will keep you accountable, and encourage you with solid advice. They aren't your boss and they aren't your employees but rather are a mentor or friend that can be in the trenches with you. Most likely it will come in the form of another solopreneur who understands what you do and why you do it. Mine have typically come in the form of my sisters who are in creative fields as well.
Making it Work For You
1 | Choose The Right Person
You're going to need someone who is familiar with your brand and understands what you're trying to do. They may have experience in your field or maybe in a complementary field (like design & photography) but this is not an essential. More importantly, they need to be invested in you and able to give you trustworthy advice.
2 | Find a Way to Regularly Communicate
I've done a mix of daily Voxers, Weekly check-ins, Skype/Facetimes/Gmail chats, or Facebook mastermind groups. The main thing is you need to have a way to stay in touch regularly and able to talk through any thoughts you both have on your work. This makes it so that they're in it with you.
3 | Be Super Honest About Your Struggles
What is holding you back? Where do you need help? What do they do well that could help you? You have to be willing to share your weaknesses and be vulnerable about things that aren't working for you. Otherwise, if it's too surfacey, you lose the ability to learn and grow from each other. You might be surprised what insight your biz buddy may have for you if you're able to be honest and truly listen to their advice.
4 | Set Up Calendars, Goals, or Challenges
Depending on how structured you are, there may need to be some almost militaristic boundaries and goals set so you can ensure that you'll actually stick with it and get invested in what the other person is doing. Or maybe to get started you might want to try a monthly challenge and share your progress. It's amazing what a tiny bit of competition can do for your motivation. Schedule a time in your calendar or a reminder so you don't forget to check in.
5 | Collaborate
This isn't a one-sided buddy-ship. Think of how can you help them or what skills you bring to the table. Could you collaborate or trade services to make each other more successful. It's pretty fun to stretch your creativity and try some new ideas as a temporary team.
Do you have a business buddy or have you been a part of a mastermind team? Were you able to grow or be more successful because of it?
