We All Need Each Other’s Small Business

I am going to admit something to you that I am very embarrassed to talk about. I think I am smart when it comes to building websites, creating online marketing plans, and helping people get results for their business online. But I am now ready to admit that when it comes to a lot of other aspects of business, I am ignorant.

For years, I have been inundated with the thought of owning my own business and working for myself. But what does that really mean? Does it mean that I can take my technical skills and make money off them? When I convince people to pay me some money for my talents, what am I supposed to do with it?

I have been attending networking meetings for a few months now. Through these meetings, I have met several people from different industries that have been able to help me:

• I met an insurance agent who could help me save $1700 on my car insurance for the year. That was very helpful.
• I met another agent who reviewed my health insurance and found that I could save 50% of my premium when everyone else’s was going up by 50%. Again, super helpful.
• I met with a performance coach who, after just two sessions, unlocked something inside of me that helped me get over myself and double my income potential.
• I met a vocal coach who is now helping me to open my mouth and tap into a God-given talent of speaking.
• I met a dance teacher who taught me something new about leadership that I had never really considered. I don’t even know if he knew he was teaching me about leadership.

I could go on and tell you all the wonderful experiences that I have had with just my networking group but I want to tell you about the meeting that I feared the most. That meeting is with an accountant. Meeting with an accountant is frightening to me because I feel like this is when my business really gets validated.

I feel like I am going to the principal’s office. In fact, I am meeting with him today. I feared the meeting so much that I showed up yesterday. It dawned on me though that the feeling I had in my stomach about meeting with him is probably how some people feel about meeting with me. As awesome as I am with code, I am ignorant when it comes to setting up my business and doing all the money-related things with my business. So, I am presenting a mess. The only thing I am good at when it comes to money is spending it.

But I realize that there is a reason that accountants exist. It’s the same reason that web developers exist. It’s the same reason that insurance agents, performance coaches, vocal coaches, dance teachers, sales consultants, digital marketers, etc. exist. We all have God-given talents that allow us to contribute to other people in our world.

In ancient communities, you would have a baker, a tailor, a blacksmith, a cook, a hunter, a gatherer. Everyone played a role. Our lives are more complicated now but we all play a role. I would say don’t be afraid to reach out to someone who can help you with your weaknesses. It will make you stronger.