When I decided to quit my full-time job after being a veterinary technician for 7 years, I knew it was time to take the leap. I had already been dabbling around with blogging. I was sharing the fun experiences my son and I were having around our city. Now, there was another one on the way and my passions had shifted.
When my daughter arrived I continued my blogging and building a website full of amazing resources for families while doing in-home daycare. I then became busy enough with Des Moines Parent that I could no longer juggle in-home daycare and my business. It took me a long time to consider Des Moines Parent a "business". After all, it started off as a hobby and I was sharing all the fun my family was having around a city I absolutely loved. I quickly learned that there was a ton of potential, but was not sure how to leverage it.
I spent my days exploring, breastfeeding, chasing a toddler, and changing diapers. My nights were spent writing and scheduling social media so others became aware of what I was doing. While I was excited about where I was going with my business, It was isolating.
I was not going to a 9 to 5 job where I could connect with co-workers. I belonged to mom groups that consisted of talk about diaper rashes, kids not sleeping, and "is my child's poop normal?" I needed a community to connect with about business. I needed to bounce ideas off of others. I needed education and support when it came to social media, SEO, and so much more. I needed a community of support that understood where I was coming from (motherhood) and where I wanted to go.
I began my search for this community. I attended some chamber events, connected with some other moms doing similar things as me, joined a few business-related groups, and so on. Nothing really clicked for me, but I took the time to do my research and explore the options that would best fit me. It was then I discovered FemCity Des Moines.
When I found this community that worked for me, I invested my time and energy in being a part of it. This is when my business flourished and opportunities appeared. I did not just "join" to be a member. I attended events and I set up coffee dates with other women who shared the same passions as me. It was exciting! This was my opportunity to get out of my yoga pants and mom bun and attend evening events where I learned about opportunities and connections with others. To this day, when I leave an event I am overflowed with ideas and motivated to move forward.
Now, it is no secret my love for FemCity. I use FemCity as an example because this community of support works for me. Everyone is different. Everyone is looking for different opportunities. But, wherever you are on your journey as an entrepreneur it is important to find or create that community of support. Whether it is posting in a mom's group to get one started, attending your next city chamber event, or checking out a FemCity event (I would love to see you!).
Find your community of support, invest in it, get involved, and watch as you and your business flourish.