How to Pick Your Village
Picking out your village is an essential, necessary part of life. You know the one – the one it takes to raise a child. I have never for one minute thought I could do any of this without my incredible village of family, friends, and employees who love my company and my family like they are their own. Finding people who love and support my mission and my family like this is one of the biggest blessings I have ever encountered.
It’s crucial to share your vision with these people, so they can support you the way you need to be helped along the way. For me, I have different people and groups of people in my life for various reasons. Other business owners function as my advisory board on different topics related to my company. I get to pick their collective brains about issues in my life and company, but I’m also fortunate to be able to learn from them as they grow their companies and encounter their roadblocks. One of the most important things I’ve learned from these people is that business is business – you can be in finance, own a hair salon or a printing company, but at the end of the day, it’s all just business.
Of course, I also have my dear friends, some even from back in high school, who get me; they understand who I am, and they love me for (and maybe even sometimes despite) that. They are honest with me, and always do what they can to keep me humble while at the same time, motivating me to be the best I can be. I love that I have all these people who have known me in different parts of my life who I can still call on for a comforting word, to lend an ear, or just to have a good time with.
Lastly, I’m lucky enough to have a village even at work. Employees who are delighted on days when my boys come to the office with me, who let me show them tons of pictures and share stories of the hilarious things the kids have said lately, and who understand how valuable my time is while I split it between work and home. Never underestimate how useful a hard-working, supportive staff can be to you, and never take them for granted.
Your village will pop up naturally over time, and sometimes you’ll have to pull out a few weeds, but these people will be more to you (and you will be more to them) than you could ever imagine.