You’ll never walk alone
— by Reuben Coulter
Steve Jobs, Elon Musk or Sara Blakely come to mind as outstanding entrepreneurs. Many of us think of entrepreneurs as lone heroes - valiantly overcoming challenges and finding great success. The reality is that entrepreneurs are often lonely and can become overwhelmed. The negative consequences can not only impact your business but also family and faith. Tim Tebow or Lionel Messi would never seek to compete without having a coach and a whole team of other experts to support them, so why not an entrepreneur? The difference between success and failure is realising your limitations and finding the support you need to grow.
“The Lord God said ‘It is not good for man to be alone’” Genesis 2: 18
Research shows that entrepreneurs who have a supportive community significantly outperform their peers and experience greater joy in the process. Invest in yourself this year.
Here are some key questions that you need to ask yourself.
1. What help do I need? - This will depend on what stage in the journey you are at. You may be looking for spiritual support or might need more practical advice, from marketing to capital raising.
2. What format works best for me? - Would a peer learning experience or one to one advice be more effective? Do I prefer online or in-person?
3. How much commitment am I willing to make? - You will need to make time available to get the most out of this experience. Some support is free, while other programs have a cost.
Networks and peer groups
There are many different Christian business networks worldwide, some within churches and others independent of them. They typically focus on prayer, discipleship and networking and tend to have a low membership fee. Examples include FCCI, CBMC or Europartners. Other organizations, like C12 Group, provide a more structured approach to leaders of larger businesses helping them develop as a leader and grow their business. Entrepreneurs are organised into small groups with a chair who leads the group and provides coaching. They are higher touch and so usually have higher fees than networks.
Accelerators and incubators
Entrepreneurs worldwide face enormous challenges to take their ideas to scale—90% of businesses do not grow and over 75% fail within three years. In the past few decades, accelerators and incubators to support entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey have become popular. Great examples include Praxis and Ocean in the US, Creo in Europe and Sinapis in East Africa. Incubators are typically focused at idea stage businesses and usually provide office space and guidance to prototyping and developing an idea. Accelerators provide support to early stage entrepreneurs who are looking to scale. This often combines cohort-based learning and coaching. The best accelerators also invest in or connect entrepreneurs with investors. Each caters to a slightly different group and has particular areas of expertise so talk to their alumni to see if the program might be the right fit for you.
Mentoring and consulting
Sometimes your needs are quite specific. There is an area of personal development or professional expertise that is critical to address. In that case, a more tailored approach with a capable mentor or consultant may be more appropriate. The more specific you can be about your needs the more likely you are to find the right fit. There are many excellent mentors and consultants out there but also a few charlatans so make sure you get recommendations from other entrepreneurs.
The gates of Liverpool Football Club have their team motto inscribed on them - ‘You’ll never walk alone’. Make it your New Year’s resolution to get the support that you need to thrive. Our prayer is that 2022 would be the year of the Lord’s favour in your life and business.
We’ve selected the best Christian organisations who can support you;
Or join a Faith Driven group today. Practical, purposeful discussions with others who really get it. One hour a week for 8 weeks you will connect with 10-15 like-minded entrepreneurs to walk through the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Study and discuss what it means to embrace your call to create and fulfill God’s purpose for your life and work.