Are you an entrepreneur, feeling absolutely lost and lonely in your position? Do you wish you could have someone who understands your struggles? Most people might think you don’t have any, given your flashy title, but the truth is that you do, just like anyone else. But people that understand you exist—and they’re likely feeling the same way. How can you find—or create—spaces where you can be fully seen?
Entrepreneurship can feel like exile
Starting your own business is often romanticized as a brave leap into freedom and purpose. But for many founders, it feels more like exile. You step out of the traditional system—away from steady paychecks, corporate structures, familiar routines—and suddenly you’re alone. Not just physically, but in your thinking, your pace, your anxieties, and your priorities.
Friends and family might support you, but they don’t always get it. You try to explain your new obsession with website analytics or how cash flow keeps you up at night, and you’re met with polite nods or confused silence. Even your wins can feel isolating—who can you celebrate with when no one understands how hard that client pitch or product launch really was?
You left the room, but didn’t land anywhere new
Many founders describe this stage as drifting. You leave one world, but don’t quite land in another. You scroll social media and see other entrepreneurs “crushing it” and networking at glamorous events. But in your actual day-to-day, it’s just you and your to-do list—and maybe a cold coffee you forgot to drink.
What Jacob, Catherine, and Aíma learned about belonging
Three of my clients, founders like you—Jacob, Catherine, and Aíma—agreed that I share how they navigated this ambiguous space between isolation and community:
Jacob, who launched a tech startup after working in finance, said his first year as a founder felt like “being on a boat in the middle of the ocean—no land in sight, and no one else around.” What changed? He stopped looking for “networking opportunities” and started looking for conversations. “I realized I didn’t want a LinkedIn connection—I wanted someone to talk to about why I almost gave up last week.”
Catherine, who runs a sustainable fashion brand, found her tribe in the most unexpected place: a local ceramics class. “I wasn’t even thinking about business. I just wanted to make something with my hands.” But the casual environment led to real friendships—with other women also balancing passion projects and self-doubt. “We didn’t meet to talk shop, but we ended up talking about everything that matters.”
Aíma said she had to build the space she wished existed. “I hosted a dinner for five people I barely knew but admired. I cooked, we talked, and suddenly we weren’t strangers anymore.” That dinner turned into a monthly ritual. “No pressure, no pitch decks—just presence.”
These three founders learned the same lesson: belonging doesn’t come from professional alignment, it comes from emotional honesty. You need to stop performing and start showing up as a real person. That’s when you make room for others to do the same, and they will join you.
How to create a community without forcing a connection
True community isn’t built by showing up at every mixer or following a thousand entrepreneurs online. It’s built slowly, through shared values and unpolished moments. If you’re a founder craving connection, here’s how to start:
- Stop aiming for the perfect fit: You don’t need a mastermind of founders in your exact niche. Some of the most meaningful connections come from people with completely different businesses—but a shared spirit.
- Be vulnerable first: Whether online or in person, lead with honesty. Talk about the failures, the fears, the doubt. That’s where the connection lives.
- Make something together: Host a work sprint, a co-creation session, or a no-agenda coffee chat. You don’t need a formal reason—just a space to be human alongside someone else.
- Invest in consistency, not scale: Community doesn’t mean hundreds of people. Even two or three people you can text when things feel shaky mean a lot. Water those relationships.
- Resist the urge to curate: Don’t wait for the “right” person to show up. Sometimes the best people are already around you—you just haven’t had the right conversation yet.
