One of the most challenging parts about finding balance as an entrepreneur is maintaining strong friendships while you’re head down building your business.
Challenging, yes. Impossible, no. The key is to find friends who “get it”.
One of the truths I’ve come to really embrace as I’ve gotten older is that it’s okay to be selective with our friendships. In fact, as we get clearer on our vision for our lives, it because increasingly important to be intentional with whom we spend our time.
This theme is consistently reiterated by the female founders whom I interview. Their strongest friendships are often with those people who share the same passion or vision for their life. And this makes sense when you think about it. When you find people who are on a similar journey as you, it’s only natural that your paths should regularly cross. You’ll find yourselves attending the same events, connected to the same people, and seeking out the same opportunities.
The beautiful thing that begins to happen is that your professional and personal lives begin to fall in sync. The efforts you make towards building your business are also those that keep you connected to your network of friends. And the friendships that you build are with people who understand your vision and can support you as grow.
Now I’ll admit that making new friends after college isn’t always the easiest thing but there are a few ways I’ve found to work particularly well.
- Go to Events: Look out for events that are targeted towards founders or folks in your field. Eventbrite, Facebook,, and MeetUp.com are two of my go-to resources to find out what’s going on. It can be a bit intimidating to show up alone at first but you’ll find that the more often you put yourself out there, the more familiar faces you get to know.
- Ask for Introductions: Another great way to get to know people is by asking for introductions. LinkedIn is a great tool for sussing out who’s in your network. A personal introduction from a friend is one of the best ways to get to know someone new.
- Build your personal brand through social media: Social media can be phenomenal way to connect with other people who share the same interests. Follow people who live in your area and post similar content. Connect first online and then don’t be shy about asking to meet up in person. Many of my close friends are people I actually first met online.
What about you? How have you found friends who really “get it”, who share your similar passion and vision for life?
Leave your answers in the comments below and keep the conversation going over at @toastmeetsjam
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