Creating Your Community: How To Find Like-Minded Individuals
Not that long ago, I lived in a world where I wasn’t completely understood. While I had surrounded myself with people that love me, and who I could go to with anything and everything, there was a part of me that was missing connection – the side of me that was eager to build a business.
I had no idea at the time that finding like-minded people in the business world would change my life in ways I never though possible.
In early 2017, a friend of my step dad’s reached out on Facebook. She had seen my former blog, Bucket List Bound, and thought I might be interested in a new conference launching in Boise that year called Craft + Commerce. (Thank you Michelle!)
There were a few obstacles in my way to go. For starters, I couldn’t afford the ticket to attend, so I reached out in the hopes that they would provide me with a discount. I am very happy to say that the answer was yes.
The second obstacle was physically getting there. Contrary to popular belief, while I may live in Idaho, Coeur d’Alene is a whopping EIGHT HOURS away from Boise. No joke. It’s an eight-hour drive, with two different roads to get there (one of which goes through both Washington and Oregon). Luckily, at the time, I was working as a manufacturer’s representative, so the opportunity to go was there, I just had to get approval to go and outline my schedule so that I could work and attend the conference over the weekend.
The first year, I drove down, stayed with a friend, worked and enjoyed the conference. It was four days of speakers, breakout lessons, get-togethers and making connections with businesses that had programs for creators. My inner child was losing her mind. I was truly in heaven!!
The second year I attended, however, was the ultimate. In 2019, I had grown in my business and was able to fly down. My hotel was right next to the conference, and I walked in knowing what to expect and wanting to make more connections. I was an alum. This was the year that I actually approached the speakers (who mingle throughout the conference – how freaking cool is that?!), I talked with more people, and most importantly, I met Erin and Paige (pictured above). We’ve been friends now for almost six years, and I’ve learned more from them than any conference could provide.
Looking back, it’s actually insane how we’ve been able to maintain our friendship through back-and-fourth Marco Polo* videos and the occasional Zoom call. We even put together our own ‘summits’ online, and once in person in Aspen. We are a force to be reckon with, even after Erin and I having had two kids each now.
Knowing that I needed a community of business-minded people to fuel my fire, I also joined the Kootenai County Young Professionals (KCYP) in 2021. To say that it was an incredible experience is an understatement. Over the past four years I’ve met some incredible people, experienced some incredible things, and grown my personal network. And I created a community for myself locally. — You can read more about that experience here.
What I’m getting at is that you need to find a community that helps you to level up. You should never feel like you are the smartest person in the room – you need to grow! Surround yourself with people who will teach you new things, enlighten you, and help you to fill your creative cup whether it’s a business group, a dungeons and dragons yearly tournament or Comi-Con. Go, see, explore!
Amy
*The Marco Polo link provided will get you two months free on their plus plan. The free one is awesome, but plus let’s you fast forward through videos at 2x and allows you to listen while you’re on your phone doing something else.