Owning your own business is not for the faint of heart!

As an entrepreneur, you’re constantly taking risks, encountering obstacles, and facing challenges, and that’s why it’s imperative to have a strong support system backing you up. You need people that believe in you and what you’re doing and will be by your side on every step of your success journey.

It’s not always easy to build a strong support network. It takes time, creativity, and energy, but it is so worth it because these are the people that are going to back you up in both your business and your life.

Here are the 5 people you NEED on your side:

1. A Mentor
   
   A mentor is an incredible asset. They have tons of experience, and they’ve walked the path you’re currently on. When you have a great mentor, you have somebody you can talk to anytime to ask questions, get valuable advice, or even just vent your frustrations to someone who truly gets it! And the best part- it won’t cost you a dime!
   
   
2. A Business Strategist
   
   Running your business by the seat of your pants is a TERRIBLE idea. You are not going to bring in reliable, consistent profits if you’re just flying blind. A great business strategist or coach is going to cost some money, but it will bring incredible ROI. A strategist can see things you can’t. They’re observing from the outside, and they have a level of industry experience that helps them devise unique strategies specifically for your business. They know what works and what doesn’t, and that wisdom is priceless!
   
   
3. Colleagues
   
   You need to surround yourself with people that understand the challenges you face, and nobody gets the struggle quite like your colleagues! Connect with those people that you trust and admire, and listen to what they’re saying, watch what they’re doing, and learn from them so you can take some of their best practices back to your business.
   
   Social media has made it so easy to connect worldwide with people in your industry, or anyone who has successfully built a thriving business. Start those conversations! Send an email, shoot them a direct message and surround yourself with those colleagues who have made it to where you want to be.
   
   
4. Friends
   
   I’m not talking about acquaintances, I’m talking about true blue, ride or die, stick by you through ANYTHING friends. These are the ones who support you 100% but will also tell you the truth- even when it’s not what you want to hear!
   
   These are the friends who will talk you through the bad days and pop the champagne with you on the great ones! Whether you have one amazing friend or a whole group of besties, you need to keep your best cheerleaders close.
   
   
5. Family
   
   I define family very loosely! It can be the one you’re born into or the one you make. It can be blood relatives or people so close they feel like family, but these are the people that celebrate your best and still love you and believe in you when you’re at your absolute worst. The ones that pick you up and put you back together when everything falls apart.
   
   Your family lets you be you. You can be vulnerable, sad, angry, or scared, and they’ll be right there for you, helping you take that next step.

When you have these 5 people by your side, there is NOTHING you can’t face. Check out this episode of Building Your Empire with SophieZo to learn more about building the support network that sees you through anything. And if you’re ready to add more awesome people to your life, let’s talk about how you can get an amazing, all-in-one team that’s ALWAYS in your corner.