Welcome to Week 5 of the Advanced Accelerator Program!
This week, we’re focusing on two of the most powerful tools for entrepreneurs: networking and building your team.
Here’s why they matter:
No one builds a successful business alone. You can start alone, but you’ll need others to scale it. From the late Steve Jobs: “Faster alone. Farther together.”
While we would contend that being a full stack business builder is someone who can fully execute and build a business by themselves, invariably, you’ll need other people to help support your business growth. There are very few professions that allow you the FULL 1-man show at a sustainable pace over a long period of time with growth potential. I know of a few of them.
One is in the content space. He’s a gaming streamer. He is a 1-man show with 7 million subscribers and does all of the business management, advertising management, finances, marketing, promotion, and he learned video editing and photoshop for all of his content. I’m like this too. I learned all of my video editing, photo editing, clipping, and marketing and branding on my own. Now, he’s in a particular market niche that can afford that. And he has the ability to scale indefinitely as long as he continues to be agile and inspect and adapt and improve all the time.
Another on I know is Branding Agency of 1. She runs it all. As an independent consultant, her constraint is her time and pricing. She enjoys this lifestyle business, but she for sure is full stack. Her marketing and video campaigns are second to none. But, she won’t be clearing more than $2.5M a year. She just doesn’t have enough time.
There are pros and cons to being a solopreneur. Regardless, the right connections can open doors you didn’t even know existed. And the right team can take your business to heights you could never reach on your own.
Or… as I like to say, ‘smashing atoms.’ You never know what will emerge!
Let’s break it down into two parts:
Networking:
- Networking isn’t about collecting business cards—it’s about building relationships.
- Focus on connecting with people who align with your mission and can help you grow.
- Remember, networking is a two-way street. Offer value before asking for help.
- I actually had an entrepreneur say that they aren’t a people person. It’s not about that. All people can build relationships. It’s about being intentional in saving your own life. It’s about taking personal responsibility for what (you) want to do and build with this one life you have. Networking starts by checking your ego at the door and knowing that relationships are the only way upward.
Building Your Team:
- Your team doesn’t have to be big—it just needs to be the right people.
- Think about what roles or skills you need most right now.
- Start small: free help is the best help.
The combination of strong connections and a great team will give you a massive advantage.
This week, your homework is to:
Reach out to 5 people in your network.
- These could be mentors, potential partners, or industry connections.
- Share what you’re building and ask for advice or insights. Questions are the best! - You never know who they know!
Write a ‘team wishlist.’
- List the roles or skills you need to take your business to the next level.
- Decide which ones you can outsource, delegate, or hire for.
- Focus though, on how to find free help, now.
Remember: Success is a team sport.
The right relationships and support system can make all the difference.
This week, focus on building those connections. You never know where they might lead! And frankly, this is part of the most exciting times for your startup. Those emergent conversations that come out of the serendipitous meeting. Tell us all about it in the community!