Why Every Business Owner Needs Somebody in Their Corner

Many years ago, when I first became an entrepreneur, I thought I had to do it all alone. That I had to have all the answers and make the “right” decisions to lead my company, and myself, to success. What that lead to ultimately, was the pressure cooker.

Eventually, I brought on a business advisor, someone who I felt knew more than me, was more senior than I was, and who I thought I should “listen to”. This was not because of how she communicated, it was because of my own insecurity.

What that lead to was me outsourcing my intuition in my business to someone I thought “knew better”.

The truth was that she did know more about lots of things, but I was following her advice instead of leading from within.

In the countless women I have coached in my private practice, I have seen women who had advisors, investors, board members and mentors in their corner, who worked alongside co-founders and teams, and who were surrounded by life partners, spouses, friends and family who were supportive and willing to listen.

Time and time again, I saw how those who were professional mentors offered expertise, contacts, and problem solving, which were all extremely valuable. However, entrepreneurs didn’t feel it was appropriate, or comfortable, to turn to these people with every problem, stressor or insecure thought. With these people there was a self-imposed expectation to appear strong and up to the task at hand. This expectation would get in the way of bringing their full selves to these conversations, which in turn limited the support they received. And rightfully so—often with professional contacts it is wise to portray an image of confidence and “I’ve got it all together”. When entrepreneurs did feel comfortable turning to professional contacts for support, the advice given was directly based on their own experience, and so it was limited.

With friends, family and life partners, it was different. Many women felt comfortable to be vulnerable, and willing to share their worries, their complaints and their anxious thoughts. Often they were met with love and compassion, and sometimes with the person wanting to help fix things and give solutions. This advice isn’t always the most effective, because, in order to grow, advance and stretch to the next level in business, discomfort and uncertainty are typically requirements, but these are the very things people that love us want to protect us from.

Entrepreneurs need to have someone in their corner who they can bring the entire shitshow to. The ups, downs, big wins and insecure thoughts along the way. This pendulum swing can sometimes be the only constant in being your own boss, and it’s important to have a place to bring it where people understand, can offer constructive help, and who inspire and encourage you to get uncomfortable in order to reach the next level of where you yourself want to go.

To me, this is the power of coaching, and why I love it so much. Coaching doesn’t presuppose that I as the coach have all the answers for you. Not at all. Instead, coaching is about asking questions, actively listening to responses, pulling from my personal bank of experience and that of my clients over the years to help reflect what I see in your situation. Coaching is about drawing out the answers and wisdom that already reside within you.

Because the Age of E is a container created by me, a Master Coach, the community is imbued with a coaching approach. This means that when you join a monthly Clarity Circle, a workshop, a Business Brainstorm session, the Inner Circle group or the elite Mastermind group, your experience with the other members is rooted in a place of coaching and reflecting, instead of fixing and advising.

This is something I am so proud of and am excited or you to experience firsthand. Because we were never meant to do it alone.

One of the members shared this,

“Deciding to do hard things doesn’t mean I have to do them alone.” - Jenny Kaplan, Founder + CEO Wonder Media Network and Founding Member of the Age of E

When you join the Age of E, you not only get me, a coach, in your corner, but you get the power of the community of other women entrepreneurs on the same path.

My intention for you, is that if join this movement of Enlightened Entrepreneurs, you will receive the support, inspiration, and skills you need to take your life and business to the next level.