Support Your Friends: 5 Ways to Be A Great Friend to Your Entrepreneurial Buddies

Today’s thoughts:

You might have a friend who is trying to grow their business, maybe it’s a Scentsy or Pink Zebra or the old standard Avon business. Or maybe it’s a canteen or a restaurant, or anything. I’d like you to think about something before you choose to ridicule or fail to be as supportive as you can be. Starting a business, regardless of the size or type is a public declaration. It’s your friend saying that they are not fulfilled in their current job, role or where they are in their lives. It’s them doing what they can do to empower themselves to pursue what makes them happy.

This is a huge risk, and they need your help. It doesn’t mean that you have to buy all of their products and services. Here is a list of things you can do to support your entrepreneurial friend that not enough of us do:

1. Keep them top of mind, when other friends are looking for the product or service in question, Refer them.
2. Engage with their social media posts. Yes, your friend’s new business is filling up your news feed with blog posts and product pictures. But you ignoring them isn’t helping anyone, ask a question in the comments, visit the site, share the posts and add some friendly comments. It will help the word spread and mean so much to your friend who is doing the best they can.
3. Provide reviews on their website, google and Facebook Pages. These things won’t show up in people’s feeds unless they are looking for them. The more 5-star reviews a business has the higher the chance for conversion is.
4. Be constructive when offering advice. Chances are that your friend is stressed out to the max, and they think that they are failing so as is the human predisposition they will view your well meaning advice as just another thing they are doing wrong. Have patience, they really do want your help.
5. Ask them how their venture is going, and let them vent for at least 5 minutes before adding your insights. Between life, family and business there is a massive need to relieve that pressure. If you can be that person who genuinely cares and allow your friend the relief they need, they will be eternally greatfull.

That’s it, those might seem trivial but the algorithms that govern both Google and Facebook will reward your friend’s efforts by just doing the first 3 things. The last two items are essential, when you’re out on your own, every failure is your fault and undoubtedly having a friend who is there ready to listen and lend a supportive hand, or just have a beer and let the other vent is essential to any entrepreneur.

These actions cost you nothing and mean the world. Always support your friends, unless they are leaf fans, then try to get them help!