Back in 2010, when I was in the very early stages of building my web design business, I didn’t know any other web designers. Actually, I didn’t know any other designers. Actually, I didn’t know any other business owners at all. None. I was, as they say, trying to build a business “in a vacuum.”
To be honest, I didn’t know how to meet other business owners or entrepreneurial types, and to the best of my recollection, the idea didn’t even occur to me. I simply did the best with what I had: my brain, my creativity, and my little community of musicians and other creative types from which to start.
That being said, fast forward to 2016 when I moved back to my hometown of Ann Arbor, MI (not realizing what a hub of entrepreneurship this city is), I promptly began to meet other business owners. Lots of them. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by an entire community of other people working for themselves, trying to solve one problem or another in their business.
And you know what? It completely transformed my business.
Here’s how.
Pricing
I love telling the story of how I charged my first website design client $500. I didn’t know or understand the value of what I was doing, and how could I have? I didn’t have any colleagues to consult on the matter. Forming connections with other designers in my industry has helped me understand what the actual appropriate going rates are for custom website design and development, which has meant increased income and thus more opportunities to experience my life to the fullest. If you aren’t crystal clear on what others in your industry are charging for services, I highly encourage you to find out.
Legal Protection
Creating an LLC? Business bank accounts? Business insurance? What? These are things I knew nothing about when I was operating in a vacuum. Befriending other business owners has given me much guidance on how to properly set up a business so that I’m protected in case anything ever goes awry with a client. Knowing you’ve got everything in place really helps you sleep at night. If you’re uncertain of whether you have the right pieces of the puzzle in place, ask a trusted colleague.
Referrals
Word of mouth referrals are typically the backbone of any good business, and guess what? The more entrepreneurial buddies you have both inside and outside your industry, the more referrals you’ll receive. Perhaps not the best single motivation to form those connections, but certainly a huge perk.
Good Ideas
Sure, you’ve got lots of great ideas. Me too. But the truth is, when it comes to brainstorming, the more brains you have, the merrier you’ll be. I’ve gotten some of my very best ideas for how to market my business from entrepreneurial friends of mine. And it goes both ways – when you talk shop with your business owner buddies, you’ll give them great ideas too.
In Closing
If you’re running your business in a vacuum, I highly encourage you to rethink your strategy. Getting out in the world and forming connections with other business owners will help you in countless ways, many of which you can’t now see or predict. So go on, get out there and talk to people. You’ll be glad you did.
