What I’ve Learnt About Community

I used to think that I was destined to be alone.

Growing up, I’d always been independent…

Never relying on anyone for anything.

As an entrepreneur, I felt like that’s how I had to be.

Destined to be a lone wolf…

Always doing my own thing.

But this time of year always has me thinking about the people around me.

The people in my life, and how I spend my time with them…

And to be totally honest… 

I wouldn’t be where I am today without community.

It wasn’t until I met my partner, Gabi, that I began to understand how important community is.

We both wanted the same things out of life…

We both wanted to build something great…

We both were willing to do whatever it takes…

Together.

It made me question the entrepreneurial beliefs of “self-reliance” and “individualism.”

You can be self-reliant, but you can also rely on others.

And that’s okay.

It’s the paradox of being an entrepreneur.

Knowing you have people in your corner is life changing.

A catalyst for self transformation.

So, as we started building our business, we went looking for like-minded communities…

And joined an online community for entrepreneurs just like us.

Here, we found not only business owners…

But friends, mentors, comrades…

People in our corner.

And it truly changed my life.

I’ve been part of other communities since then, and created our own in the teams we’ve built… 

And each one has taught me something different. 

I’ve learnt things about myself, my identity as an entrepreneur, and the value I’m here to provide on this planet… 

I wanted to share those lessons with you… 

I hope they serve you too. 

Lesson One: Community Gives you a Sense of Safety 

Imagine it’s your first time skydiving. 

You’re standing by the open door of the plane… 

Totally alone…

Toes hanging over the edge, while your heart beats in your ears…

You hesitate right before you jump. 

You’re paralysed with fear. 

You can’t do it alone. 

Now, let’s restart the scenario. 

You’re standing by the open door of a plane, toes hanging over the edge…

You’re still scared…

But this time, a tandem diver has got your back (both literally and figuratively.)

You’re ready to jump. 

That feeling of safety and security?

That’s what a strong community provides. 

And that’s what joining an online community did for me.

The bold steps I decided to take to embrace the entrepreneurial path…

Was reinforced by the support of my community.  

I could lean on a group of people who knew exactly what I was going through.

I felt safe to share my business mistakes...

Including a time when we were struggling financially (like most start-ups..)

And in return, our community encouraged us to “think differently” about our business model.

My naivety pushed back and said “but this is the way it’s always been done…”

We were encouraged to ignore what others did and try something new…

And this advice catapulted our business’s growth. 

If I hadn’t shared the challenges I was facing…

If I didn’t bounce ideas off of people who had walked a similar path before…

If I didn’t seek advice and support when I needed it most… 

My business, Dashdot, wouldn’t be where it is today. 

Knowing there’s a group of people like you that have your back…

Encourages you to take greater risks.

Because sometimes you need a nudge…

Having this safety net encourages you to replace 

“But what if I fall?” with…

“But what if I fly?” 

Lesson Two: Community is Ingrained in our DNA 

In the ’90s, two psychologists — Baumeister and Leary — wrote a paper on the inherent need to belong as humans. 

They wrote that a sense of belonging is a “need,” not a “want…” 

A subconscious desire for human connection.

You might be thinking: 

“I’ve been solo for a while. I’m pretty sure I don’t need community…” 

Well, community offers something you didn’t know you were missing.

A sense of belonging.

A tribe that can push you towards your pursuit of success and fulfilment.

How can you reach a personal peak when nobody is pushing you?

You don’t. 

I didn’t. 

But after we joined our online community, our wins and milestones felt bigger…

More complete…

More fulfilling…

But we didn’t know what we were missing until we had it. 

Lesson Three: Community Offers Reciprocal Satisfaction 

When I was playing out the “lone wolf”...

I felt like I didn’t have anyone to turn to.

I was solving problems and putting out fires on my own.

And sure, entrepreneurs work independently…

But that doesn’t mean you should turn down a helping hand…

A trusted confidante to give you a reality check when you need it….

Someone to shift your perspective when you feel bogged down. 

An entrepreneurial community can give you that.

By nature, entrepreneurs are innovators. 

We create something out of nothing.

We push boundaries. 

And it’s exactly this type of thinking that can provide breakthroughs for someone else.

And in return…

It may be the inspiration you need for your own breakthrough.

At its core, community is about reciprocal support.

Someone to give you support…

And someone you can support back. 

It’s give and take.

Selfless reciprocity…

This is one of the greatest things about being part of a community. 

Having a successful business feels great…

But helping someone else achieve success?

That feels even better.

I would hop on calls and listen to what people were struggling with.

I had the opportunity to help by sharing my first hand experiences.

And give guidance and solutions where I could see something they couldn’t…

The struggles I faced helped contribute to the success of my community.

And when one person succeeds, we all succeed.

Because it’s bigger than me.  

If I can contribute to the success of someone else, even in a small way…

The sense of fulfilment I feel is unparalleled.

Because selfless service to others drives me forward.

It gives my life purpose.

And it might just give you the same.

Lesson Four: Community Fast-Tracks Your Growth

When I joined my online community…

Experiencing the give-and-take of life-changing advice…

Ignited a spark within me. 

A passion to continue learning. 

A desire to go farther and to keep growing. 

And once you’re part of a community…

Not only do you grow for yourself…

You grow for others, too. 

When you’re surrounded by people who are striving to be the best versions of themselves…

Immersing yourself in a culture that allows — and encourages — everyone to thrive… 

You will unlock new levels of yourself.

It happened to me.

It’s like Joseph Campbell’s, The Hero’s Journey.

When the Hero returns at the end of his journey, he is changed because of the trials he experienced.

It’s from this change that the Hero shares a new perspective with his community.

And by sharing what he has learned, it creates a chain reaction…

That allows people to share what they have learned in turn.

So, in my opinion, the journey of self-actualisation sparks a desire to share what you’ve learned with other people.

It’s a big reason why I write this newsletter.

People in your community can also illuminate parts of yourself that are hidden…

Through interactions, you might discover that you have the traits of a community leader.

You wouldn’t have known you had these traits unless you had a group of people to lead and engage with...  

One that you feel safe to share and be vulnerable with.

Which allows you to unlock new parts of yourself…

And community has been one of the biggest catalysts that transformed me from lone-wolf-introvert to community-leader-introvert. 

I still need alone time to recharge, but when I show up to lead my communities, it’s invigorating…

It’s helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect… 

And growth is something I’ll never stop pursuing.

Lesson Five: It Feels Good to be Seen

A totally reasonable reason you start a business is for yourself.

For the opportunity to achieve your dream life…

For the chance to reach financial freedom and location independence…

For the push towards self-actualisation.

But sometimes things get hard... 

Sometimes you need a push to keep moving...

Sometimes you need a reminder that you're doing good things.

And that encouragement comes from your community.

Before I joined my online community, I thought I was alone in how I felt…

I wondered if it was always going to be this hard…

Or was it just me.

When you’re trapped in your head, those thoughts can plague your mind. 

You internalise anxiety and fear because you feel like you have nobody to turn to. 

But when you’re part of a community…

You have a safe space to embrace that worry…

That vulnerability. 

Instead of rolling with the punches alone…

You have people who will listen… 

You have people to share your struggles with… 

And I quickly learned what it feels like to be truly seen. 

Intrinsically, everybody wants to feel seen.

At my lowest times, I shared feelings of doubt and fear with my community…

And instead of being met with judgement… they saw me.

They heard me.

They understood me.

And they pushed me to keep going. 

I felt safe to be vulnerable…

To say, “Hey, I feel like shit about the way things are going...”

And I was met with compassion and support.

It was the motivation I needed to keep going. 

To pick myself up and start moving forward…

To push boundaries and innovate.

Because when you feel seen…

You can move mountains.

The decision to join an online community changed my life.

The lessons I learned about the power of camaraderie and support…

The fulfilment I didn't know I was missing…

The motivation to be myself…

Challenged my belief that I had to do it alone.

And now with our own companies, I strive to create cultures of community that enable people to thrive.

We're living in a time where connection is harder than ever. 

We still want to be connected… 

But we don't know where to turn for support or that place of belonging. 

So, I wanted to create that place… 

And build The Wild Goose Chase Community. 

Whether you’re growing a business or thinking about starting one… 

This will be a place for people who challenge the blueprint of the Status Quo.

We’ll talk business, and lifestyle design, and personal evolution… 

We’ll hangout, and learn, and grow together… 

You’ll hear from experts on topics you care about, and meet people from my personal community…

We’ll turn it into the kind of place we’ve always wanted. 

A place for those who seek to live a brave life.

A place where you feel seen, heard, and encouraged to grow. 

A place where you can experience the power of community in your own pursuit of success.

Interested in joining? 

Secure an early spot and I’ll notify you when we open. 

I’m so excited for what’s to come. 

Until then… 

Stay awesome, stay powerful

P.S: Whenever you’re ready, here are a few things you might be interested in:

1. Advice On Starting Your Business: A powerful Youtube video where I answered a reader’s question on how to start a successful business.

2. 'How I Quit Alcohol' Podcast: One of my favourite interviews I’ve ever done. If you’re interested in learning how I came from rock bottom to create a life I’m proud of, you’ll want to listen.

3. Follow me on IG: Get bite-sized video content and behind-the-scenes of my nomad entrepreneur life

And, of course, if you know other people who might enjoy content like this, please share this with them.

Your help in building this community will be forever appreciated.