Reflection on Your Niche - Part 2

Last week we talked about the need for viewing your year in review. This week, I’d like to take a moment to examine the review process, specifically who you should involve in the review process with you.

Nichepreneurs™ suffer from what I like to call the Bane of the Lone Wolf.  We’re on our own a lot: it’s our judgement, our decisions and our actions that make up our careers. That’s a lot of pressure -- and it’s also incredibly difficult to remain objective when it’s our judgement, decisions, and actions under the microscope.

This is why every Nichepreneur™ needs a team of trusted friends and colleagues that they can turn to. Giving up the camaraderie and support that you had in an office setting might not seem like such a big deal -- but there are times when the insights and wisdom others can bring to the table can be very valuable. 

You need to be proactive about recruiting colleagues and peers to serve as your support mechanism. Reach out to people both inside and outside of your industry: often, a wildly different perspective can help you see things that would never otherwise would have seen. 

Places to find objective -- or nearly objective! -- support: 

• Mastermind Groups
• Networking Groups
• Chambers of Commerce
• Professional Associations
• Neighborhood Groups
  
• Family
• Friends 

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s a good place to start. Form a small, trusted circle, who can help you look back at your first year in operation and assess it in a critical, constructive fashion.

Comments

[Jeff Baas]

Great reminder about the need to stay connected to actual people instead of just a computer screen!

After a few years working from home, I found myself in a strange position. I actually missed the office!

I missed being able to pop into someone else's cube and run a particularly thorny issue past them -- or just shoot the breeze and let my head clear a little bit.

Getting involved with a mastermind group and seeking out more clients among local businesses probably saved my business.