Many people desire to break out of their day jobs in the hopes of achieving financial freedom and flexibility. However, this is simply just one side of the coin. Being an entrepreneur means that you are now on your own, and you have to be your own boss.
Although this could be a liberating experience, it could set off some people who still want to have some form of social interaction. Other entrepreneurs miss their coworkers, their former clients, and even their bosses! Weird as it may seem, work is also a place to make friends and enrich the social aspect of your life.
According to mental health experts, daily social interaction during work also presents its benefits:
- Brain stimulation – constant communication with other people stimulate one’s brain. It helps others to participate in engaging conversation which would not be otherwise achieved if a person works alone.
- Social enjoyment – having social interaction during work provides an avenue for people to unwind aside from the work tasks. Co-workers can talk about life events, offer encouragement to each other, and invite each other to events for recreational purposes.
- Building relationships and networks – Some of the people you find in work can also be your lifetime friends as well. Others can be an integral part of networking to help expand your other pursuits in life.
As we understand the benefits of social interaction in the workplace, we still must find a common ground between the entrepreneurship and building relationships. In this post, we will be looking into ways that entrepreneurs can still go on with their business with a booming social life.
How Entrepreneurs Can Help Reverse The Lonely Trend
1. Entrepreneurs can go into direct selling
The best way to maintain socialization while being an entrepreneur is through direct selling. Direct selling of products gives you the opportunity to get to know your client and understand their needs and specific preferences. By inviting them for lunch, to a house party, or any other type of gathering, you can build relationships while making your business grow. Plus, you can also give them their own opportunity to build their own businesses from your ideas. Direct selling entrepreneurs establish more trust than their counterparts who only create their own websites without personal contact.
2. Entrepreneurs can explore mentorship opportunities
Another great way for entrepreneurs to keep themselves from being lonely is becoming a mentor to someone else. Do you know someone who wants to get into the business that you have? You can offer mentorship services and get to know your client. Additionally, you can also offer coaching services for people who want to improve certain areas of their life. Some gurus are knowledgeable in terms of health and fitness, relationships, financial planning, or any other expertise. It is important to identify what your strengths are and mentor others while getting to know them personally.
3. Entrepreneurs can attend conventions and seminars
There are countless seminars all over the country that entrepreneurs can go to expand their knowledge and skills. Such seminars provide small business ideas, financial management, improving operation system, or other networking opportunities that can help them grow their ventures. When possible, take note of the events that happen in your local area. Attending these seminars can help you pick up valuable knowledge that can be applied in your entrepreneurial journey. Additionally, you can also make friends with people you meet at these events.
4. Entrepreneurs can build partnerships with fellow business owners
They say that business is all about competition–that’s just partly true. You also need other business owners to help you accomplish the goals you want to achieve. Perhaps you can reach out to another business owner and cross-promote your products and services. That is a free way to help reach a larger audience while both you and another business owner benefit from each other. Open your doors to people you won’t usually interact with. Who knows? You might even gain friends and build relationships while helping your business out.
5. Entrepreneurs can build non-profit organizations to get to know other people who can benefit from their business
Business isn’t all about self-satisfaction. In fact, one of the most rewarding feelings is knowing that what you have built has served others who can’t help themselves. Perhaps you can reverse the “lonely” trend as an entrepreneur by starting your own non-profit organization to support a cause you believe in. If this is not possible, you can simply support an existing organization that you think would benefit greatly from some of the proceeds of your business. You might get to meet the people you helped, and even the leaders who are truly thankful for the change you started.
Entrepreneurship isn’t always synonymous with being lonely. By following these five simple steps, you can reverse the sense of isolation when starting a business of your own.