Find Your People and Build a Fence: Why the Right Support Matters When You're Starting a Business
The people you surround yourself with can either strengthen your confidence or make you question it. Sometimes, finding your people begins with changing your mindset, and protecting your energy
Find Your People and Build a Fence: Why the Right Support Matters in Business
Building a business can be exciting, rewarding, and full of opportunity—but it can also feel incredibly lonely. When I decided to start a business, I don’t think I truly understood that then
There are days when you feel confident, motivated, and certain that you are moving in the right direction. Then there are days when you question yourself, compare your progress to others, or wonder whether all your hard work will eventually pay off.
That is why finding your people matters.
A Realization I Had to Make
At one point in my own business journey, I realized that some of the relationships around me were holding me back.
That was not an easy thing to admit.
These were not bad people, but I began to pay closer attention to how I felt after certain conversations. Instead of feeling supported or encouraged, I often walked away second-guessing my ideas, minimizing my goals, and questioning whether I was capable of more.
This really got to me. I reached out to family and peers, feeling like I was crazy and questioning everything.
What am I doing? Why am I doing this? Who do I think I am? Why can’t I just leave things the way they are and be happy?
My daily internal monologues were deafening and I didn’t know what to do with it. But it kept me frozen- professionally and personally. It impacted me in ways I didn’t realize then- how I stood, how I spoke, and how I entered the room
I called a mentor of mine- quite flustered and overwhelmed. I vented and rambled about the stream of thoughts playing in my head. He stopped me, mid sentence and said-
“ Ok- just stop there! How much of this is coming from you, and how much of this is coming from other people's opinions on what they believe you should be doing? You need to really decipher which of these beliefs is actually yours, and which is not. Then you need to put up some very real boundaries around those people - because they are not your cheerleaders”
BOOM!
At that moment, on that call - I really took a pause. It
Over time, I realized that I was allowing other people’s fears, doubts, and limitations to influence my own mindset.
The biggest change did not happen because everyone around me suddenly became more positive. It happened because I decided to change the way I thought. I had to stop feeling as though I had to explain or justify every goal. I also stopped making myself smaller simply to make other people feel more comfortable.
You Need People Who Believe in You
Your people are the ones who remind you of your strengths when you temporarily forget them.
They celebrate your wins without turning them into a competition. They listen to your ideas without immediately pointing out everything that could go wrong. They understand that building something meaningful takes time, courage, consistency, and patience.
These are your cheerleaders.
That does not mean they agree with every decision you make. The right people will still be honest with you. They will challenge you, offer another perspective, and encourage you to grow—but they will do it from a place of support rather than negativity.
There is a big difference between someone who asks thoughtful questions because they want to help you succeed and someone who constantly makes you doubt yourself.
The energy around you matters more than you may realize.
When you spend time with people who are positive, motivated, and focused on growth, it begins to influence the way you approach your own business. Their mindset encourages you to think bigger, keep moving forward, and look for possibilities instead of only focusing on obstacles.
On the other hand, constantly being surrounded by negativity, criticism, or a scarcity mindset can slowly affect your confidence.
Business already comes with enough uncertainty. You do not need the added weight of relationships that make you feel guilty for growing, uncomfortable for succeeding, or foolish for trying something new.
Protecting your mindset is not selfish. It is part of protecting what you are building.
Choose Your Circle Intentionally
Not everyone will understand your goals, and that is okay.
Not everyone will support the direction you are moving in, and that is okay too.
You do not need everyone’s approval. You need people who respect your values, encourage your growth, and remind you of what is possible.
Sometimes finding your people also means being honest about the relationships that are holding you back. That realization can feel uncomfortable, but it can also be the beginning of stronger confidence, a healthier mindset, and an entirely new season of growth.
Find the people who inspire you. Find the people who challenge you in a positive way. Find the people who celebrate your growth. Find the people who remind you why you started. Find your people. Support them well. Keep building together.
