The Weird Loneliness of Running a Business
One minute you’re hyping yourself up because a new client inquiry came in. The next you’re standing in your kitchen drinking cold coffee wondering if you even know how to do your job.
Everyone talks about freedom, flexibility, working from anywhere, dream clients, 6-figures years…but they don’t talk about isolation.
Apparently it’s a real thing. Studies are showing more and more entrepreneurs report feeling lonely on a regular basis. Of course they do. Most of us are sitting alone in our homes trying to make invisible work turn into visible money.
There’s no coworker beside you anymore to say, “hey can you look at this before I send it.”
It’s just you & your nervous system absolutely cooking itself because someone replied “Can we chat?” with no other context. (wtf is that about?!)
I went to a networking event this past week and almost talked myself out of going at least six times. I’m terrible at networking. Truly. I walk into rooms and immediately forget how to talk or stand or breathe…
I didn’t hand out a single business card. Most people consider that a waste of time. Whatever. I count showing up as the win.
I saw some of my favorite local women in business and I existed in the room.
Visibility is not always about selling yourself. Sometimes it’s just staying present enough that people remember you exist when your name comes up later.
That’s how real, connected opportunities usually happen. Not from cold pitching strangers while sweating through a blazer.
Some of the best parts of running my business lately have come from familiarity and connection.
Over the past few months, I’ve worked on projects that pulled new people into my life. At first it’s professional, scheduled Zoom calls, shared docs & brainstorming.
Then suddenly you’re texting each other from the grocery store, sending voice notes, calling eachother while driving (handsfree, trust me, I’ve gotten a talking on cellphone while driving ticket before!) and talking about work and kids and burnout and business ideas all in the same conversation.
It’s real connection, not that “boss babe mastermind” cringe.
I think that’s why showing up matters so much, even for introverts like me who would honestly rather fake their own death than cold approach someone at an event.
You don’t need to become the loudest person in the room, you just need to keep your face and your name in spaces they wouldn’t otherwise be in. And eventually someone calls and you get to answer with a casual “hey” because you’re connected in some way…and it isn’t overly formal, its familiar.
