Guess what day it is?
Nope, sorry. No camels.
Today is National Entrepreneur Day! A day dedicated to celebrating those who take the leap to start their own business or franchise. National Entrepreneur Day! The day celebrating people who saw a need in the world – and decided to do something about it. Today we are celebrating the people who didn’t let anything get between them and the dream of having their own business. OK – we celebrate you every day, and especially today.
There are several ways you can join us in celebrating National Entrepreneur Day, a relatively new holiday that was first recognized in 2010.
You can buy from your favorite local small business.
Perhaps you can post a shout-out highlighting the hard work of an entrepreneur or share some of their posts to promote their work.
Better yet – leave a Google Review, refer others to their business, offer some coaching or mentoring, or share your network.
Us entrepreneurs… we appreciate your support. Because being an entrepreneur can feel very lonely at times. But we are not as alone as we sometimes think we are. There are entrepreneurs across the country, around the world even, who are in the same boat. You just have to find a way to get connected.
The Local Entrepreneur
A good place to start is your local Chamber of Commerce. They play a big part in the business community for your town/city/county. Through them, you can find a variety of events where you can connect with other business owners. You can also meet influential people who can help you find new ways to grow your business.
Next, take a look at associations and non-profits. Here at HireEffect, we participate in the local chapters of both NAWBO (The National Association of Women Business Owners) and Conscious Capitalism. Several of our clients belong to local chapters of their industry associations such as Women in Construction or SHRM (the Society of Human Resources Management.)
If you are looking to get feedback on how to get funding for your business, One Million Cups may be a good option. This organization has local chapters across the U.S. The meetings are typically once a week and entrepreneurs get the chance to pitch their business to other entrepreneurs. This is a great way to get solid feedback on how you pitch your product or service. There is also time for networking. (And sometimes they have donuts.)
Another place to look is at local coworking places. Some offer free coworking days, for those of you who work from home. They also often have networking events and classes some of which are low-cost – or even free. Their calendars are often easily accessible, and often, you can add an event of your own. This helps establish your credibility and expertise. It also gives you a chance to connect with potential partners or clients.
And don’t write off Meetup. They have everything from professional, to educational, to social meetups for a variety of interests. Some are fee-based, others are not. You can meet local industry professionals and stay up to date on the latest innovations.
PRO TIP: Check out Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. As of this post, 10,000+ graduates represent a network of 200,000 total employees and $14B in total revenue. And WOW! What an experience. If you want more detail on how this program changed the trajectory for HireEffect, contact me and drop a note that you want to learn about #GS10KSB and how they help #makesmallbig.
The National Entrepreneur
To state what may seem obvious: check out NAWBO, Conscious Capitalism, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, and any relevant industry or affinity organizations. Yes, they may have local chapters, and that doesn’t mean that you can’t get involved at the National (even international) level.
And many organizations offer a variety of virtual networking and educational events so they can easier connect with their broad membership. Other organizations have moved things online to improve accessibility (even more accelerated by the pandemic.) Watching the live stream of an in-person event often comes with a chat where you can interact with other remote attendees.
There are also remote meetups to be found on Meetup.com. Other places to look include Facebook and LinkedIn. It may take some research and asking around to find a group that fits your needs.
The Bottom Line
(Because you know that is what we protect for our clients.)
We have likely all encountered “imposter syndrome” and feelings of dread, self-doubt, and insecurity. And we have likely embraced community, a sense of pride, and the empowering knowledge that we are on the right path – doing the right thing. We have. And so have those who came before us and those who will come after us.
As entrepreneurs ourselves, we get it. And today, we celebrate! Happy National Entrepreneur Day to us all.