Getting support in your business is one of the key things that set apart the entrepreneurs who just survive from the ones that thrive! In the last blog I talked about the importance of getting paid support to help you step into the most authentic, powerful version of you.

In this blog I want to go through how to find your people aka the right kind of support, that will spark the creative genius in you!

Whether you choose to engage in 1:1 coaching/mentoring, masterminds or group programs – choose wisely and your time and effort will be more richly rewarded.

As soulful entrepreneurs who value freedom of self-expression and authenticity, we need more support than just traditional business strategy.

We need to be careful to choose support that honours and celebrates our individual differences and needs, and allows that which makes us different, to flourish and to shine.

So with that said, I believe a more holistic approach to support is what we need to thrive:

We need practical support as well as support on our mindset, energy/spiritual and emotional levels.

The right kind of support should tick all of the following:

• Aligns with your values

• Aligns with your business goals

• Meets you where you are at on your business journey and can teach you something you need to know to take you to the next level of your business

• Energetically feels easy to consume (that is you don’t find the coach/mentor overwhelming)

• Allows you to feel heard and feel safe in being authentic, expressive and vulnerable

• Values honesty and authenticity and are accepting of differences

  And two questions I always ask are:

• Would I want to hang out with that coach/group? Are they my peeps?

• Will this coach/group  allow me to be me or help me grow into more of my authentic, limitless self?

This criteria is now the only way I will enter a relationship in business: I need it to be all YES! Whether it be paid work with a coach or a group or even free groups (like facebook business groups).

Why? Because your time is precious and business is meant to be easy! If one of these things don’t line up, it’s going to feel like hard work and a waste of time.

I’ll give you a few concrete examples of some TERRIBLE choices of support made by me.

Early on in my entrepreneurial days, I engaged a strategic business coach who was energetically a great match for me – her demeanour, her “vibe” they were all something I LOVED and I signed up for her course without hesitation. But what I failed to do, was check if what she offered was meeting me where I was at… and if I had, I would have realised that I was so out of my depth.

I was not in the position at the time to make the best use of her skills – I was too new to the world of entrepreneurship and she was definitely a coach for people who had more experience. What she taught, is something I can use now, but at the time, it caused more stress and I felt like a failure for not being able to do what she asked, because I was simply too green.

Another equally poor choice from me, was engaging in a coach that had all the skills I needed ie. meet me where I was at AND could take me to the next level, BUT this time I so didn’t vibe with her. For me, her energy was way too overpowering, too loud and I found that I could only engage with her in small doses. So again, not a great choice, because I couldn’t make the most of what she offered!

I also realised that what I was missing (and what was lacking in both those scenarios above) was emotional, energetic and mindset support as well. Now I engage several coaches to meet all my needs (oh the dream would be to have someone who could do it all though!!).

Having a (holistic) criteria that must be meet, before you engage in any kind of paid or unpaid relationship in business, is a MUST for soulful entrepreneurs to stay engaged and get the most out of their support.

Getting the right kind of support is key to thriving in business.

When you receive the right sort of support, you get all sorts of goodies from those beautiful, ongoing, trusted relationships:

• You feel safe to allow yourself to step into the most authentic, powerful version of you, because the shit that keeps you small and confused, is dealt with quicker!

• You are inspired to grow and create bigger dreams

• You get unstuck quicker and faster than doing it on your own

• You have more alignment -practically, emotionally, mentally and energetically – which makes your business more fun and easy to grow

• Most important of all – the right support, allows you to be yourself and encourages the best in you to come out.

Remember, you aren’t made to do it alone!  We are creatures that thrive on connection! Just make sure you choose the right people to hang out with