Erin Casey

Learn to work with a spirit of collaboration and watch your business grow!

Success rarely comes to one person at a time. This is particularly true for home-based entrepreneurs. Whether you are a bookkeeper, caterer or an independent consultant for a direct selling company, success in business requires a team of participants: you, your customers, your vendors and your network.

Consider this: to get anywhere in business, you must share your business or products with others. But to grow beyond your personal capabilities you must also be willing to share your ideas and success strategies. For those individuals who are either part of, or have recently left corporate America, the idea of giving away their "secret of success" is dangerous. They've been immersed in an environment where people--especially women--have had to fight tooth and nail to earn their place on the career ladder. The concept of arming another person with the skills that could enable her to take your job is absurd… unless you're preparing to take another's job yourself.

When you're a home-based entrepreneur, you have more freedoms than people in the corporate world can imagine. But there's danger in trying to work in a silo. The enormous benefits that come when we exchange ideas and build a network with other business owners makes helping others succeed a must.

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." ~George Bernard Shaw

The most successful women I've met in the past few years have adopted a policy of sharing their wisdom with anyone who wants to succeed. Rather than operating out of fear that others will encroach on their potential client base or "steal" an idea, they operate with a spirit of abundance and the results speak for themselves.

Jenna moved to the top level in her direct selling organization in record time. Her work ethic and long-range vision were critical to her success, but equally as important was her willingness to share with--and learn from--others. Because she had no previous experience, she listened carefully to what successful women in her company were doing. She applied their wisdom to her business and in doing so, taught hundreds of other women to do the same. And their success propelled her success.

Today, as a leader in her organization, Jenna continues to host events with other consultants in her area. She sets an example of generosity by inviting anyone in the area to attend--even if she's not earning a commission on them. For those willing to watch, listen and apply Jenna's wisdom to their businesses, they, too, have the potential to take others with them as they soar to the top.

Take Action Now!

• Success comes when you help others succeed. Share a success tip with someone outside your personal business this week.

• Attend a local networking meeting and tap into resources (like awhw.org) others' wisdom by learning from their success stories--and share your own!

• Develop a network of people with whom you can brainstorm and collaborate. One practical example of working with others for mutual benefit is to host client prospecting events with other entrepreneurs in your area. By working together you can defray costs (location rental, snacks, supplies, etc.) and increase results. A joint effort brings together more potential customers which creates an exciting, fun atmosphere. At the same time, it can reduce your level of responsibility--and stress.