Ep:19 Winning Together: How Community Over Competition Can Transform Your Business Journey

 Hey there, friend!  As an entrepreneur, it's natural to feel a sense of competition with others in your industry. After all, when used constructively, competition is often seen as the fuel that drives innovation and success. We all know the business world can be tough, and it's only natural to want to stand out and be successful. 

 But, what if I told you there is another way? I’m talking about community over competition.  Adopting a "community over competition" mindset can lead to more sustainable and long-lasting success for you and everyone around you. 

 I personally wholeheartedly believe in the community over competition mindset. I believe there is room enough for everyone. And it is my profound belief that there is absolute strength in numbers and that we’re better when we work together as a team. 

 I've seen firsthand the amazing power of putting community over competition. And, in today's fast-paced business world, I believe it's all about adapting and working together to make a collective impact. 

 In today’s podcast episode, I’m going to be talking about the power of community over competition. When women entrepreneurs come together in community and support each other amazing things can happen.  

Transcript

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Hey, there friend. As an entrepreneur, it's natural to feel a sense of competition with others in your industry. After all, when used constructively, competition is often seen as the fuel that drives innovation and success. We all know that business can be tough and it's only natural to wanna stand out and be successful. But, what have I told you there was another way. I'm talking about community over competition. Adopting a community over competition mindset can lead to more sustainable and long-lasting success for you and everyone around you. I personally, wholeheartedly believe in the community over competition mindset. I believe there's room enough for everyone, and it's my profound belief that there is absolute strength in numbers and that we're better when we work together as a team. I've seen firsthand the amazing power of putting community over competition. And in today's fast-paced business world, I believe it's all about adapting and working together to make a collective impact. So in today's podcast, I'm gonna be talking about the power of community over competition. When women entrepreneurs come together in community and support each other, I think amazing things can happen. Hi, and welcome to the Brave Pivot Podcast. I'm your host, Cindy Marie Ferguson. I'm a former corporate girl turned entrepreneur, business educator, and mentor here to help you build a profitable and successful business. After the kids corporate and chaos. On the podcast, we'll have honest and meaningful conversations around becoming an entrepreneur. Starting a business, building a brand, and my favorite systems and processes and so much more. If this sounds like your thing, stick around. Get ready for some candid conversations, inspirations and invaluable insights. I'm so delighted that you're here. Let's dive in and get started. Welcome back to the Brave Pivot Podcast. In today's episode, we're talking about community over competition. I love this topic and I was just talking about this very topic with another entrepreneur who say, who shares the same sentiment. We both agreed that the community over competition has, can have a powerful impact, especially as it relates to women entrepreneurs and the relationships we have with each other. So let's get to it. So what does community over competition mean? So, in a nutshell, community over competition is all about valuing teamwork, shared goals and mutual support of among entrepreneurs instead of trying to outdo one another at every turn. With this mindset and approach, businesses can learn from each other, build strong connections, and achieve sustainable growth for the long haul. By prioritizing relationships and the success of the group, this approach can foster an environment in which everyone thrives and benefits. When entrepreneurs embrace community over competition, they're contributing to a collective impact that goes beyond individual success. This approach nurtures environments in which businesses can grow together, sharing knowledge, resources, and support. There are many benefits for entrepreneurs to embrace community over competition. One of the key benefits of community is that it opens opportunities for collaboration and partnership. When you open the doors to collaborate, so many good things can happen to you and your business. By working with others, we can tap into networks, new resources, and new ideas. We can also expand our reach and impact and achieve greater success. Than we could probably on our own. So for example, as women entrepreneurs, we're constantly learning and growing by building collaborative relationships with others we can tap into the knowledge and expertise of those that have gone before us. We can learn from their successes and failures and apply those key learnings and valuable lessons to our own businesses, which in turn encourages working smarter and not harder. And we can all use more of that. Another benefit is that collaboration can lead to personal growth. Working with others can help you develop interpersonal skills such as communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution. And finally, collaboration can help entrepreneurs build a sense of community and support. When we work together, we can provide each other with valuable, emotional and practical support, which is particularly important because, let's face it, friends being an entrepreneur can sometimes be a lonely endeavor. Now the next benefit that community over competition provides is economic growth. When entrepreneurs collaborate, we can create new opportunities, generate jobs, and contribute to the overall economic development. By supporting and promoting each other, we can help build thriving local economies that benefit everyone from other businesses to residents and local governments. And finally, the last benefit is having a community over competition mindset equips entrepreneurs with resilience and adaptability that we all need to navigate challenges and thrive in a constantly changing world. By sharing knowledge and resources, we can learn from each other's experiences. We can anticipate future trends, and adapt to market shifts proactively and efficiently. Now that you're ready to embrace the community over competition mindset, let's explore some practical strategies to incorporate into your daily entrepreneurial life. So here are some new tips to get you started. Number one, you can offer mentorship. Share your experience, insights, and resources with fellow entrepreneurs, especially those who are just starting their journey. By giving back, you are building a stronger community that thrives on collaboration and support. Number two, you wanna engage in knowledge sharing. You can do that by attending industry events, workshop and conferences, and don't shy away from discussing your challenges and successes. By being open and transparent, you are fostering an environment where everyone can grow together. Number three, you can seek collaboration opportunities. Look for ways to work together with other businesses in your industry or related fields, whether it's a joint venture, a cross promotion or co-branding initiative, collaboration can lead to mutual benefits and success. Number four, support local businesses. Be an advocate for other entrepreneurs and their businesses by actively supporting and promoting one another, you're contributing to thriving, a local economy and fostering a sense of community. And I'll also add, you can do that for other businesses that are also online and not just specifically in your local area. Number five. Build your network. You can accomplish this by attending local meetups, workshops, and seminars to connect with other entrepreneurs. As you expand your network, you'll find that collaboration becomes second nature and you'll have access to a wealth of resources and support. Number six, stay active on social media. Engage with the fellow entrepreneurs online by sharing their content, celebrating their achievements, and participating in discussions. This digital collaboration can lead to real life connections and opportunities. And finally, number seven, foster a culture of inclusivity. Be intentional about creating an inclusive environment in your business by welcoming people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. By implementing these strategies, you'll be well on your way to creating a more collaborative, supportive, and successful entrepreneur experience that will transform your business journey. Friend, by adopting a community over competition mindset, entrepreneurs can build lasting relationships, create meaningful collaborations, and contribute to a vibrant, thriving business ecosystem that benefits everyone involved. So let's continue to champion this mindset and celebrate the power of our collective impact on the world. Together we can redefine what success looks like and a brighter future for entrepreneurship. Thank you for listening to The Brave Pivot Podcast. And as always, until next time, be brave, bold, and amazing. Thank you so much for joining me. I hope you enjoyed the episode. If something I shared today resonated with you, I'd love to hear from you. Please tag me@cindymarie.co on Instagram. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave an honest five star review. When you do, it helps us to grow the podcast and helps others to find us as well. Also, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you know when the new episodes are being released. You can subscribe right from the app that you're using to listen to this podcast, or you can sign up for email alerts@cindymarie.co. Lastly, if there's something you'd like to hear about in a future episode or if you just wanna stop by and say hello, please feel free to DM me on Instagram. Thanks again for listening to The Brave Pivot Podcast, and I'll see you next time.