I was just checking out an ecourse someone had referenced on their site.  It looks like a great one but unfortunately has passed so I couldn’t sign up.  Bummer.

Not like I don’t have enough to do though, so that’s probably best.

In any event, of course, the content is what appealed to me most about the ecourse but there were two other things that stood out to me.

The first one, I want to talk about here.  I’ll share the second one in my next post.

She doesn’t offer any kind of community with her course.  She addresses it straight away in her sales page, explaining that, since the course is for small business owners and most small business owners don’t have a lot of time, she wanted the course to be streamlined in a “get er done” format (my words, not hers).

I thought this was interesting since I hear from so many they are looking to build community and they have a hard time getting into a course or whatever it is without that piece…

AND…

she is right.

As a small business owner who started with nothing and has built a business to a point where I am no longer panicking about how I’m going to pay my bills and enjoying my third vacation in 6 months, I know she is right.  My last post was all about feeling pulled in so many different, delicious directions.  I truly don’t have a lot of extra time and I need to be really clear about how I spend it and what is actually business-related and what isn’t and I do my best to avoid blurring those lines.

Her thought process completely lines up with what I realized a few years ago…I needed to stop going to a bunch of networking meetings UNLESS they fed my heart and soul and WEREN’T about referrals and getting business. Some of you might be thinking, “What?????” But this was one of the first steps in my business growing substantially.  When I looked at how much time I was spending at these meetings listening to people share about their businesses and looking at me hungrily for their next meal, sometimes literally, in terms of needing business to survive…not good.  Eliminating all the meetings that didn’t educate me, feed me on a deep level and motivate me was so freeing…and gave me a ton of time to actually get some work done.

Online communities are the same thing.  It’s important to be in groups that honor you…that feed you…that you feel you contribute to in a way that enriches your life as much as the lives of others (and I’m not talking about just sharing your stuff here).  Do you support others more than you look to get something yourself?  Do you learn new things that help you both professionally and personally?  Do you provide things that support others in growing?  Do you enjoy the people in the group?  Do you feel inspired when you “walk in that virtual door?”

I work with many who want to build a business doing what they love and are having a hard time making the leap from a W-2 job into something that feeds their heart and soul and allows them to share themselves with the world in a bigger way.

If that’s what you desire…you MUST pick and choose.  You can’t do it all.

And this includes which communities you actively participate in.  If you join an ecourse, do it for the right reasons.  Complete the work and share as you have time and/or need support.  We love to hear from you when you take a course, but more importantly, we’d like to know you are doing the work.  We are always here for you, in whatever fashion you need.

What are your thoughts about small business owners, building community and online ecourses?