Do you have a community where you can be yourself and grow alongside your peers? As busy as you may be, it is essential for entrepreneurs to cultivate community. According to Emily Merrell – founder of Six Degrees Society and this week’s guest – entrepreneurs should network every day. In the seventh episode of The Limitless Podcast, Emily joins us to talk about the importance of building your network and your community. We discuss the art of effective networking, which could land you referrals and potential clients. We dive into the advantages of belonging to a community and developing quick problem-solving skills. We also cover how you can adopt the right mindset to network every day. We can work as lone entrepreneurs (or “solopreneurs”), but we can grow even faster when we do it with others.
If you want to learn how to expand your community and harness your network, this episode is for you.
Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:
- Learn the value of networking and community in the context of business and personal growth.
- Discover how networking can help you gain clients.
- Understand the ways to build your network and community.
Resources
Episode Highlights
[07:17] The Story Behind Six Degrees Society
- Before her career in entrepreneurship, Emily used to work in special events and marketing for high luxury fashion brands.
- However, she couldn’t see herself becoming a director of events or CMO of the company. She also found that pivoting her career can be costly.
- Emily started Six Degrees Society to bring friends from different industries together and share what they do. She used member bios to form diverse groups.
- She continued to plan these monthly events until 2016 when she realized that this community could become a company.
[11:33] Emily’s Motivation for Becoming a Coach
- Emily’s business coach pointed out that her work was about helping and guiding others — the core of what coaches do.
- After overcoming her imposter syndrome, Emily used the success of Six Degrees Society to build a coaching business.
- Her coaching focuses on helping people grow their businesses through community events and partnerships.
- Emily encourages new coaches to be generous and give services to people in exchange for testimonials and feedback.
- Practice is invaluable. Practice will improve the way you sell and boost your confidence.
[16:38] Getting Clients as a Newbie Coach
- Don’t be afraid to tell people that you’re selling your services.
- The fear of selling is often the fear of burdening others with your offer or the fear of rejection.
- You cannot promote in the dark. Jamie shares that people usually take seven to 12 interactions before working with someone.
Emily: “When in motion, stay in motion. Once you've hooked one person, keep selling. The right clients will find you at the right time, but you also have to fly your flag and let people know you're selling something.”
[18:51] Taking a Chance on Life-Changing Opportunities
- Emily shares that her parents were entrepreneurs. She liked how it gave them the freedom to spend time with their family without requesting time off.
- When she was still in the corporate world, Emily felt guilty for taking time off.
- Entrepreneurs can create a healthy environment for themselves.
- The pandemic allowed her to leave the Bay Area, create a mastermind group, shift her work virtually, and give her the freedom to work from anywhere.
[22:56] Why Networking is Important
- Referrals can shorten the number of necessary touchpoints from the usual seven to twelve, down to three to four.
- Emily shares that she did not have a website when she first started. She gained clients through referrals.
- Six Degrees Society started with Emily’s close friends, but it has grown to include friends of friends. This helped her build a strong network of referrals.
Emily: “One good experience can change everything. [It’s the] same thing with community, it is a lot more fun to do business with people you know and trust, and [you can] also pre-vet it.”
[26:44] Referrals and Social Media Go Hand-In-Hand
- Remember that referred clients will always check your website and socials first before working with you.
- Your social media marketing needs consistency and accountability.
- If you don’t know what to put on social media, ask yourself, ‘How would I like people to feel while engaging with my stuff?’
- You can also think about what you want others to ask you for.
[29:05] Everyone Needs Community
- People need community. However, many people don’t reach out until they need something.
- Being in a community can help you grow and learn as your life changes.
- A community should not be something you look for when you need something; it should be built naturally over time.
- Your problems are not unique. If you open up about them in a community, there’s a high chance someone else has had a similar problem.
- Learn from others. Accept that we don’t need to try to reinvent the wheel ourselves.
Emily: “Build your networking community when you aren't looking for anything and then tap it when you are. People are going to be that much more receptive to help you.”
[35:37] Open Up to a Community
- Emily notes that groups can be intimidating, sometimes. Some people fear they aren’t enough or are too far behind.
- Emily reminds us that we can soar when we lean on others.
- Remember that the five people you surround yourself with can dictate who you are.
[38:39] How to Practice Networking
- Emily recommends practicing networking every day. It doesn’t need to be at a networking event; it can be with the people you meet on the streets.
- Every person can be a potential connection. Be open-minded.
- Choose networking events that interest you, so you will be able to meet like-minded people.
- Emily suggests wearing something that makes you feel empowered and easy to identify during these events.
- She also recommends setting intentions but lowering expectations. For instance, having the goal to introduce yourself to two people, rather than coming out with a new job.
[43:51] What Limitless Means to Emily
- For Emily, “limitless” means being able to buy things without fear or scarcity and operating from a place of generosity and abundance.
- It's also about being able to react and make life changes freely.
About Emily
Emily Merrell is the founder and business coach at Six Degrees Society, co-founder of the Ready Set Coach Program, and podcast host of The Sixth Degree Podcast. She helps women find the spark to connect, launch and ignite the fire within and has supported thousands of ambitious women to get what they want in their personal and professional lives through signature curated events, sold-out masterminds, and 1:1 coaching. Emily’s expertise has been applauded and featured by Refinery29, Girlboss, Forbes, Brit + Co, and Create & Cultivate. She is a new Denver resident, and in her spare time, you can find her exploring her new city, playing with her son Jackson, adventuring with her husband, or planning her next taco night.
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