In my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve both hosted and been a member of various business development formats. From private coaching to group coaching to peer advisory boards, I’ve taken advantage of multiple ways to help entrepreneurs, as well as build and grow my own business. If you haven’t experienced this full breadth yet, it may be a good time to stretch yourself and dive into something new.
Can a group of peers give you what you need to grow? Here’s what I’ve learned.
- Expand your perspectives. They will share the “outsider’s view” of your company and enlighten you to new perspectives you would never have seen on your own. What you decide to do with this new discovery is up to you, so imagine the possibilities now that you have this new panorama!
- Gain from your team’s collective experiences. Are you facing a situation that others in your group have already experienced and resolved? How did they address the issue? Your board won’t tell you what to do but they will share their lessons learned so that you can avoid the pitfalls. (Imagine if Wile E. Coyote didn’t have to fall off so many cliffs??)
- Test new ideas and offers before launching. Are you thinking of creating a new offer or service? Changing your logo or even your business name? Think of your peer advisory board as a focus group that 100% has your back and wants you to succeed. How many hours, days and months of creating and refining can you save when your team can help you decide whether your new idea has merit?
- Get out of “park” and shift into “drive”. Entrepreneurs have an unfortunate habit of OVER-thinking. Sometimes we analyze something for so long that we miss opportunities altogether! Working alone you’re in a discussion with you and yourself. You bounce thoughts from one side of your brain to another. Can we all agree it’s aggravating and completely unproductive? A peer advisory board helps pull you out of paralysis by asking clarifying questions and sharing common experiences. Would you rather take 30 days (or more) to solve a challenge on your own, or one 90 minute session?
- Break down what seems impossible. Speaking of challenges, some are easier than others. Sometimes a situation is so awkward and unpleasant we put off dealing with it while it becomes worse with time. The difficult, complex encounters typically involve relationships with clients, vendors, or someone working for you. Would it help to role-play difficult conversations with your team? Would it help if your group gave you creative ideas to solve your challenge? Would it help to lay out different scenarios of solving the problem and ask your support system which seems best to them?
Keep the Momentum by Gaining Accountability
On top of all this, your mastermind group will help hold you accountable. We don’t just discuss and then move on. Your team will follow up to know what happened next – do you need more input? How was the challenge resolved? Was the final outcome to your expectations? Your peer support team cares about you and your business and wants to help you and see you succeed.
How Can I Help You?
If you need help and are reaching decision exhaustion and entrepreneurial loneliness, it may be time for you to enter a supportive group environment. The Clear Path Collaborative provides you with access to the Growth Positioning System, a business strategist, and fellow entrepreneurs who experience what you do and are ready to help each other on a steady path of growth. Running all aspects of a business alone is madness. Even when you have a team working with your clients, the buck stops with you and it’s lonely at the top. A peer advisory board has helped millions of business owners. Here’s how you can benefit as well.