Around the holidays I always wonder how I should give back. Owning a business is complicated and means a lot of balls are in the air all the time. It means that there can be months where I just don’t have the time needed to commit to something like a non profit. It also means that I’ve gotten very good at juggling multiple projects, big and small and that even when I’m busy I can often do something if I’m told what to do. I may not be great at identifying problems when I’m in the weeds but if someone needs an email sent or a phone call made I can do that no problem.
Entrepreneurs have to be a jack of all trades. Because everything falls to you, you learn how to roll with a lot of different punches and problem solve in a way that many people don’t. Successful entrepreneurs spend a lot of time getting to know people in their communities as well. They have a list of people for every problem and a well to dip into when something is beyond their scope. This can be a huge benefit to non profit organizations. I’ve spent a lot of time cultivating good relationships with small business owners and particularly with other women in business. As much as we like to think the scales have evened out, women in business have different challenges than men. We’re going to have a couple of guest posts specifically about this in the new year! Being able to bond with people who face similar challenges to you can be a huge benefit to your mental health and your bottom line. It’s great when we can use other people’s experience to save us some headaches and the relationships you make with these people in the proverbial trenches can last for years and give you support in all of your ventures.
Now that I’ve built some of these relationships, stabilized my business (mostly), and have a better understanding and control of my time and availability, I decided it was time to give back. In January, I will be joining the Board of Directors for Period Kits. I’m so excited to bring some of the skills I’ve learned over the years to this amazing organization and to learn new skills from them.
How have you used your powers for good? What do you bring that sets you apart from other people?