Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

In my 30 years of being an entrepreneur, I have spent time in my home office, in my brick and mortar office and in the coffee shops and restaurants around my town. Each has their own good points and bad, but I think the thing that I like least about any of it, is that I have no one to share with, no one to talk to except the cats.

I was married for 22 years to a really great guy (we've probably got the best divorce ever -- we're still great friends), but he just didn't get it. He would tell me, why don't you get a real job. You're home all day, why don't you do the housework, or cook or clean or whatever. I couldn't talk to him about the isolation, about the needs for others to be around. When the office phone would ring at 11 at night, he'd complain because I didn't answer it, and when people showed up at my front door at 7 am on Sunday morning, there would be more complaining. Then when I got a "Real" office and had monthly rent to pay (to the tune of $5000), he'd shake his head and say things like "here we go again. You're just playing dress up".

It was not easy. And he was not alone in saying -- and thinking -- such things. My best friend was right there with him. She works for the government and has tried since the '90s, to get me to apply for a job there as well. "But what about the benefits? The health insurance? The regular schedule? The paycheck? These are all valid questions, but when you're an entrepreneur, someone who wants to do it for him or herself, these are really irritating comments.

If you're like me, you get the frustration of being alone and want to find someone else who also "gets it" to talk to, to share with, to be close to. But how do you do this? You can go hang out at the coffee shops, spend money on drinks and pastries, and maybe talk with someone else for a few minutes, but you don't really find friendship or business collaboration there. The same is true for a library or restaurant. And how comfortable is it to hold meetings in your home office?

Well, now there's a great new way to work on your own business while being in the company of like-minded individuals who are also working on their own businesses. It's a place to rejuvenate your thoughts and ideas, a place to work on the Internet, to get help and support from administrative professionals, a place to sit and chat in the lounge, meeting rooms, private conference rooms, kitchens -- all the amenities of an office space without the cost and politics of businesses. It's a cowork center and they're springing up all over the world; not just this country but literally around the world. If you're a homebased business, a freelancer, or travel for your company, find one and check it out. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

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Nancy Becher we help small biz connect/collaborate/SUCCEED www.success4biz.biz certified mastermind facilitator business mentor entrepreneurial consultant

Hello, I feel the same way too. I know what you're talking about when you say all of this, except replace your husband with my mom. She's been giving me "advice" to succeed and often tells me that I'm wasting my time trying to create a website. It's very discouraging and sometimes I feel alone. Most of my friends have jobs and I'm still going to grad school. I want to keep my dream alive of making daily passive income. It's hard to find people who have the same ideals as you; luckily, I found a friend who is very supportive of my business goals. You're story here was also very inspiring. You didn't provide too much information about these new types of facilities, but I'm sure if they become more popular, I'll know more about it. Right now, I kind of lock myself in my room and try to work every minute that I have free time. Thank you.

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How To Focus | How To Focus Better

One of the most important things in being able to be successful is getting rid of all the negative people in your life, and hanging out with positive people. Not only will it make a difference to your performance in business but it will help you reach new heights you never attained before.

Due to the rise in social media it is now much easier to come in contact with like minded people, and even go out for a coffee or something once a week to help get through the hardships.

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Gary Barzel - Manager of Business Development
FastUpFront - Business Loans and Working Capital
Twitter | Facebook | Blog

I agree with what you've said -- in fact, that's what I was talking about in my original post. I have a cowork and training center where like-minded businesses come to mingle, share, re-energize, talk, learn and work. Social media is all great, but there's something about the personal connections that are needed as well.

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Nancy Becher we help small biz connect/collaborate/SUCCEED www.success4biz.biz certified mastermind facilitator business mentor entrepreneurial consultant