I recently traveled to Barcelona to join my good friend and coach, Susan Hyatt, on one of her international retreats. I have joined Susan, my friend Rachel, and a dynamic group of women in a number of exotic locations over the last few years – including an epic birthday celebration in Paris, castle-hopping in Scotland, and sailing to Capri. I never, ever regret these trips. I always return home feeling inspired and refreshed.
As a single mother to a precocious four-year-old and two Shit Pickles (my dogs, Lola and Henry) and CEO, my days are full and my to-do list is long. In fact, it’s never-ending. I used to feel intensely stressed about my to-do list, until I realized that it’s OK if it doesn’t get finished (it never does) and there’s always tomorrow. I’ve also learned how to prioritize and focus on the most important items first each day.
But even when your to-do list feels relatively focused and manageable, the reality is that running your own business is hard – and lonely – at times. When you’re boot-strapping and doing almost everything by yourself, things can feel isolating and overwhelming. Especially if you don’t have any close entrepreneur friends who understand what you’re going through.
Here’s where the wolf pack comes in.
As I’ve built my business, one of the most important things has been connecting with, supporting, and getting support from other women business owners. I call these ladies my “wolf pack.” When the wolf pack gets together – strolling through Barcelona, sipping wine on a rooftop deck, sharing our stories, our ambitions, and our secret fears – there’s so much magic that unfolds.
In coming together, we drop our baggage at the door (literally and figuratively) and support each other in moving forward with strength, determination and newfound energy.
We walk away knowing we have each other’s backs – the true spirit of a wolf pack.
On the last retreat that I attended, one woman realized that she had outgrown a major relationship in her life. Even though it would be sensitive and emotionally tricky, she knew it was time to part ways with this person. With the support of the pack, she figured out what to say, and how to say it, and realized, “I can do this.”
Another woman realized she was being too “nice” with a group of colleagues and that her boundaries were being violated over and over again. She’s going home with a new perspective and clearer policies. She has promised herself, “I won’t allow this kind of situation to happen again.” And the pack will hold her accountable to that promise.
Another member of the pack felt lost in her search for a new career path. Within just a few days, she was armed with a ton of resources and, even better, new friendships and people she could turn to for support on her journey.
With a little effort and outreach, you can form your own wolf pack. You don’t necessarily have to travel halfway around the world to connect with your sisters – I mean, a trip to Barcelona or Paris is always a fabulous idea, and one that I wouldn’t oppose! But you can create a wolf pack closer to home, too. It can be as simple as inviting a woman out for a coffee date, starting a book club, attending a local class, scheduling a weekly “yoga, tea, and biz-chat” date with a few friends, or hosting a mastermind call each month with the same group of women.
Once you find your wolf pack, treasure those relationships, invest in them, and nurture them. These relationships are worth more than gold – more than a priceless bottle of champagne in France. These relationships will lift you up during tough times, and keep your spirit – and your business – strong and thriving.
“There is no force equal to a woman determined to rise,” as W.E.B. Dubois once said. And when it’s a pack of women, sharing their strengths, supporting each other, and rising together? That’s an unstoppable force of nature.
Just for fun: I made a music playlist inspired by my trip to Barcelona. Play it during your next book club meeting, your next mastermind hang-out, or while you’re emailing ladies to invite them to meet up with you. Here’s to finding your pack!
Listen now on Spotify. Or if you’re already logged in to Spotify, click below to listen.
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