6 people you must have in your network to be successful
The best entrepreneurs know success has a lot to do with who they surround themselves with.
Everybody loves an entrepreneurial success story a la Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Arianna Huffington, Mark Cuban, and the like.
Truth be told, each one of those people would be the first to tell you they didn't get where they are today without certain types of people in their lives.
There are six types of people every entrepreneur must have in his or her life to have a chance of achieving success.
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1. Booster
The booster's main purpose is to encourage you when your journey takes an unexpected detour. I wouldn't start another business (or go a day longer into your current venture) until you find someone who will encourage you, regardless of the circumstances.
Boosters tend to be spouses, significant others, a close relatives, or an older friend. As hard as is it to build a business, you need as many boosters as you can get in your life.
2. Juror
A juror in a courtroom passes judgment on a particular case in question after they have all the details. Same idea here. The juror gives you candid feedback about how you are doing, not only in business but also in life.
On a recent episode of the Follow My Lead podcast, Bob Beaudine called this role a "personal board of directors." So whether you have an actual board of directors or not, it's important you have at least a few jurors in your personal network.
3. Adviser
The adviser is the person whom you can call or text in moments of need, as when you're making a big organizational decision or a hiring decision.
Often times, they have business experience in and around your field. They make time for you and always give you advice.
Sometimes their advice isn't what you want to hear because it counters what you are thinking and that's exactly why they are so important. Keep in mind, their intention is to help you or your business be successful--that's it.
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4. Partner
The partner is the yin to your yang. They have complementary skills to fill in your weaknesses. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn't have to be a 50-50 co-founder. The partner is usually an internal person who knows you and the company like the back of his or her hand.
Because of this, working with partners can be difficult at times, but ultimately the business wouldn't survive without them.
5. Collaborator
Every single entrepreneur must have someone who can listen to ideas and quickly pass some kind of judgment. That is the collaborator by definition: someone who will help you explore new business ideas, products, campaigns, or anything in between.
The best collaborators have great imaginations and ideation is reciprocal.
6. Incentivizer
The incentivizer is someone who has doubted you, told you you couldn't do it, or mentioned you weren't good enough. This person's words or actions have been burned into your mind and keep you motivated and moving forward to prove him or her wrong. The most important thing the incentivizer did for you was incite action.
If you can't quickly identify all six of these people in your life, then you have built a network to help you succeed. If you see gaps, the best part is: You can take action today.
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