If you want to fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. – African proverb
When I embarked on becoming an online entrepreneur, it felt very isolating. Yes, I was making friends in groups with other online entrepreneurs, but trying to start up a business like this from home, when I spend most of my days watching kids by myself. It was lonely. Feeling like, if I talk to anyone about my business all I’m trying to do is sell… which is SO not the case. Sometimes I’m just excited because it’s my business.
Enter Toni. We’ve known each other for… gosh, 14 years? I can’t quite remember when. What I do remember, is that we met doing theater. I was performing and doing costume design and Toni was admin assistant among lots of other various jobs for a small theater in the Twin Cities called Teatro del Pueblo.
After we both moved on to other things, we kept in touch, but didn’t see each other that often. You know how that goes. But we always enjoyed when we would get together.
So while back, I had been part of an online mastermind group, and enjoyed it. I learned a lot from the other women. I wondered if Toni might be interested in collaborating. At least it would give us an excuse to get together…
See, we both decided to venture into #girlboss world. Totally different kinds of businesses, but still building our businesses. Toni is a LuLaRoe consultant AND stay at home mom too. It felt like serendipity that I had a friend who was making this kind of leap of faith in themselves, who lived close by, and the capability of getting together during the week.
That was last fall. We get together every Tuesday for coffee, conversation about our businesses, children, motherhood, life in general. Now, I find myself so grateful for her friendship, on a deeper level than I ever had before.
We brainstorm ideas that could help each other out. Things that will grow our businesses and ourselves. Sharing outside of the box because our businesses are different we’re learning different skills but can often figure out how to relate it to the other person. It’s amazing!
We share personal development books. Most recently Toni loaned me The Gifts of Imperfection. And the passage that really got to me was about shame and having someone to talk to when you go into those stories in your head and start shaming yourself.
Toni is very much one of those people for me. Someone who just listens, without judgement so that the shame doesn’t overtake me. Trust me. When you’re putting yourself out on the interwebs, and letting yourself be vulnerable, the trolls come out and you its SO easy to start the negative self-talk. Having someone like Toni, who I can connect with weekly is so awesome.
Thank you Toni. I know one of the reasons this will be an amazing year in business is because of you.
P.S. If you’re a fan of LuLaRoe, and I know that those who are, often shop from more than one consultant looking for those awesome patterns, you can join Toni’s Facebook group here.