The entrepreneurial journey can be a lonely and overwhelming one, especially in the beginning.
Our advice? Join your local entrepreneurial (community) to find support, learn more about business, and connect with like-minded people.
Read more: Our Community | Creating Ripples
We realise that it takes courage and some discomfort to connect into your local entrepreneurial ecosystem or community.
That’s why we’ve put together a few of our top tips to help you navigate and find your place amongst your fellow entrepreneurs.
Get plugged in
Participate in a variety of events
Entrepreneurial communities, such as Venture Centre, have a wide range of events.
Keep up to date with the events on offer and challenge yourself to participate in one or two new events each month.
You’ll meet new people and gain knowledge and tools to help you on your way.
Volunteer to help run an event
Find an event or community that you love? Offer to help run events.
Annual community events (for example, Startup Weekends) require a team of volunteers to make them happen.
Ask your local entrepreneurial hub if they’re looking for volunteers and you’ll be surrounded by epic humans doing epic things.
Connect with a mentor
One of our favourite ways to unlock potential at Venture Centre is connecting with our community’s wealth of expertise and kindness by seeking out a mentor (or two).
You can find your mentor by:
- Identifying someone you feel like you could learn from.
- Ask them out for an initial coffee to learn more about them and hear their story.
- Ask them if they would be open to meeting regularly. If yes, set the date and time for your first meeting.
Read more: Why Do I Need A Mentor?
Adjust your mindset
Finding your place in a new community takes time and energy.
Set yourself up for success by embracing an adaptable mindset. You’ll be more open to opportunities, say YES to challenging moments and be able to ride the uncomfortable that is growth.
Network with others in the community
Business friends are the best!
You have someone to bounce ideas off, solve problems with and even collaborate together on awesome projects.
How do we get the friendship ball rolling? Ask the person you met at the latest event out to coffee.
And these benefits will be yours
Once you immerse yourself in the ecosystem you’ll:
- Overcome the lingo overwhelm and get familiar with the language (entrepreneur, startup, business model, social enterprise etc).
- Gain an understanding of the various support networks and establish your own connections.
- Gain confidence in talking about what you value and why you do what you do.
- Be a more productive entrepreneur.
- Find solutions to challenges you care about.
Ready to dive into your local ecosystem? Implement one or two of the above tips today!
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Want to become part of Venture Centre’s community? Sign up for Venture Centre’s news and be the first to know about growth opportunities (events) you can get involved in.
