5 Reasons Why You Need a Pool of Diverse Advisors
- krmuwumba1
- Mar 7, 2017
- 3 min read
Proverbs says, "Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory." When you own your own business, this could not be more true. So often we can get in our bunker of hard work and to-do lists and fail to stop to listen to those who have gone before us, those who are our peers, and even those who are on our heels. But it's people from all three of those groups that we can glean so much from.
For me, I have a couple of key groups that I try to make a priority to meet with at least every other week, and I have to tell you they are priceless in what they do both for me personally and professionally. I have my Mastermind Group full of fellow women business owners and I'm the youngest member by 10 years and I feel like I just sit there in awe of their experience. I have a group of business owners where our businesses are the same age and we're learning together. And then I have those who have just graduated college and are excited to get into the career they've worked so hard to prepare for.
So... without further adieu, here are the five reasons I feel it's crazy important to surround yourself with a diverse pool of advisors:
1. You can feed off of their energy - Being around business owners is kind of like being around couples who are at different stages in love. You have the people just starting out who have stars in their eyes about what it's going to be like. You have the burnt out people who've see the years pass and the success has yet to come. And you have those who've spent 25+ years doing what you're trying to do and they wouldn't want to do anything else. You need all of these to help you keep both feet on the ground while also shooting for the stars.
2. You can learn from their mistakes - This is kind of a no-brainer, but seriously, having someone tell you about the mistakes they've made, especially in dealing with interpersonal situations can save you so so so much time, embarrassment, etc...
3. You can stay up to date on the newest developments - Each of the three categories of advisors actually help with this. The newbies have the latest and greatest things they've learned even in college that you had no idea even existed; your peers are right there with you tag teaming courses and networking events where you get to hear about what's happening and working now; and then you have the veterans who actually take time to read the paper and see what's on the ground and what's really staring to make waves, not just in theory but in reality.
4. You can benefit from their connections - In places like ABQ, we laugh because seriously, everyone is connected to someone somehow. It's hilarious because someone you think there's no possibility you could have someone you both know, you actually have five people in common. Each one of your colleagues can add to this group. They have connections you have no idea about. Pay attention to conversations, and be ready because they may just be cousins with the person you've been trying to get a meeting with for months.
5. You can see past the trees and look at the forest - Sometimes we are just so bogged down with our struggles of owning our business and overwhelmed by the tasks at hand that we need someone to come alongside of us and sometimes smack us up the head and tell us what baby steps to take to get going in a positive direction. I'm so so thankful I have people who do that in my life, because "stress paralysis" is a real thing, especially in the entrepreneur world.
So there you have it, why I feel it's super duper important not to just have one group you talk to, but a few because they all have something to offer and help you develop your business and your life in ways that you just can't do alone. If you're not already plugged into a group like what I've shared above, let me know and I'd be happy to connect you with someone, plus there's meet ups, link'd in etc... USE YOUR RESOURCES!
