It's no secret that this past year, since quitting my full time job to do freelance work, has had its fair share of struggles. Between managing a business and finances and taxes and all communication, marketing myself and maintaining client connections, and doing the actual design and photography work I'm skilled at, there's a lot that goes into being a solo business owner or entrepreneur. And as someone that thrives on human connection, doing it all in isolation can be extremely challenging!
What has, hands down, been the most helpful thing for me this year has been the ability to talk about my business to someone who can relate - be it another photographer, or another entrepreneur, even if her work is unrelated to mine, hustling on her own.
I am the most filled up after I've gotten to share in a brainstorming session with another human, and I love exchanging services and ideas and collaborating with other people.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE talking about my feelings/relationships/marriage/baby/faith/coffee/cooking with others, but I think sometimes as a woman, at least in my experience, it can be more difficult to find those people who really understand and care specifically about my work and want to have conversations about that.
So, because of of this, I've decided I want to launch a women's entrepreneurial support group (along with my talented entrepreneur friend Liz Stanton)! Our dream is that this group is a comfortable environment to share struggles and successes, as well as both encourage and be encouraged by other women who are in the same, often isolating, boat of entrepreneurship.
If this sounds like something you're also craving and you live in the Chicago area, you're invited to join our launch!
We'll meet on Wednesday, September 25, at 2pm at my place in Albany Park, Chicago. If you have even an inkling that this might be for you, please reach out to get connected and to get my address so you can come.
I can't wait to see women supporting women in my very own home. See you there!
