If you feel alone running your business, you’re not broken and you’re not the only one. A lot of the people running small businesses feel the same way. The fix is to stop making every decision by yourself. Find one owner you can call, get into one room that’s owners only, and bring one real decision to other owners every week.
Why do I feel so alone when there are so many of us?
There are millions of us walking around right now. So how come we feel so alone?
Part of it is that nobody talks about us. Flip on the TV or open your feed and all you hear about are the big-name companies. You never hear about any of us.
Why don’t my family and friends get it?
They love you, and they still can’t see it. Your spouse might be supportive, but they don’t fully understand the weight of payroll. Your friends might be impressed, but they don’t feel the terror of a quiet sales month.
They’ve never walked into a networking room full of strangers, or sat on a Zoom asking someone for more money than a new car costs, or signed an SBA loan worth more than the house. Only the people that sign the checks can relate to other people that sign the checks.
That’s not a knock on them. It just means they can’t be your only sounding board.
Is being alone actually hurting my business?
Yes. Running a business by yourself isn’t just lonely. It’s a bad way to run a business.
Every month you make decisions that shape the business. If you’re making them alone, you’re relying on your lack of experience, your bias, and your blind spots. One bad call on a hire, a CRM, or a price can cost you real money.
And your AI tools won’t save you here, because they’ll tell you everything is a good idea. You need a person who can say, “I’ve done that before. Don’t do that. Do it this way.”
What should I do this week?
Here’s the homework.
1. Pick one owner and ask one question. Think of the decision you’re chewing on right now. Call or text one business owner you respect and ask, “Have you done this before?”
2. Get in a room that’s owners only. A mixer full of salespeople doesn’t count. If you can’t find that room, build it. I started with something I called the Breakthrough Breakfast. It was me and three people, some coffee and bagels, and ninety minutes of brainstorming.
3. Make it weekly. Everybody’s got something on their list that could really use a second opinion. Pick a standing time every week where you bring one real problem to other owners, and help with theirs.
Where do I find other owners?
That’s why the Small Business Owners Community exists. It’s for small business owners only, and every Thursday we do the Idea Slam, where a room full of owners gives you feedback on the thing you’re stuck on.
It’s your dream. Don’t grow it alone. The door is open at smallbusinesscommunity.com.
More on this topic: Keep going answers from the Small Business Owners Community