Let’s get real: If you are sitting in the big girl chair, running your own show, it can get lonely.

You’re doing meaningful work, building and supporting organizations that make a difference. You’re surrounded by people who share your passion.

But still, you feel isolated.

Alone.

The Loneliness of Leadership

To my fellow entrepreneurs reading this, you definitely know what I’m talking about.

Now, you might be asking: Why does this happen?

I recently made the transition from working at a high-tech performance company to working for myself.

I was super excited to do work that really elevated and aligned with my values—kindness, humanness, and authenticity. It felt like a dream had finally come true.

But after being a solopreneur for a while now, what surprised me most was how much I crave feedback and connection for ideating and interaction.

I’m blessed to connect with my clients and customers, but the connection I’m talking about is not necessarily appropriate with them.

I’m there to serve my clients and customers, not bounce my ideas, hopes, and fears off them.

That’s what I miss in a more structured environment where you could explore your work more freely with your coworkers and colleagues.

So if that’s you, thinking about how you miss that consistent feedback and human touch, let my words be an encouragement to you: It’s possible to have it again, but it takes some homework.

Here’s what I did:

  • I methodically reached out and curated a group of people who would speak truth to me, even when it’s uncomfortable.
  • I sought individuals whose strengths complemented my weaknesses, those who could empathize with my experiences and were dedicated to growing together.

Building My Personal Advisory Board

After some time, I found an amazing core group of people and made them my own personal advisory board. Today, that board includes several experts on different topics, including finance, big thinking, branding and marketing, and personal and spiritual development.

They are in and out of the nonprofit sector. They are socioeconomically and gender diverse, as well as racially diverse. They know me from all facets of my life. But most of all, they scratch my itch for thinking outside the box.

To do this, I wrote my mission statement on a paper, made the ask to each of them, then invited them to be on my board of directors.

It’s like a fractional board of directors for a fractional professional. It’s been game-changing for me.

Above all, my fractional board of directors has the experience and wisdom to help me grow. They’re not afraid to correct me and give me some tough love, and their diverse personalities serve me in different ways.

After working with them, I can earnestly say that their input has helped me grow my brand into what it is today. They’ve been indispensable to me.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them publicly for supporting me, pushing me and encouraging me to be the best version of myself:

The Power of Diversity

Collectively, we can find power in diverse perspectives. Every expert on this list has unique strengths and visions to bring to the table.

But above all, they’re all passionate big picture thinkers, ready to shake things up. Trust me, those are the people you should look for.

The path to becoming a solopreneur has been a journey of continual learning, re-learning, discovery, growth, and connection. The revelation I have come to through my entrepreneurial experiences is the power and importance of cultivating a supportive network. By creating my own board of directors, I found the feedback and connection I craved. The collective brilliance and expertise of my board has remained indispensable in carving a path forward in my trajectory. Building a support system requires effort and intentionality, so… get uncomfortable, take that step and reach out. Surround yourself with people who will champion your values so you and the people you serve can thrive.