Some years ago, I read Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers. In the book, Gladwell set out to tell the "Story of Success."
He wrote about what caused certain individuals and organizations to win. The book was a big hit. In part, because Gladwell is a master storyteller, but also because the factors that create success aren't always what you think.
To prove his point, Gladwell told the story of Roseto, a small town in Pennsylvania, primarily populated by Italians who immigrated to the United States from Southern Italy.
They named their new American hometown Roseto after their Italian counterpart. At a time when the country and surrounding populations were experiencing epidemic levels of heart disease, Roseto residents were virtually untouched.
Hoping to learn the source of their great health, a study was commissioned to answer that question.
Was it their Mediterranean diet?
Was it physical labor that conditioned their bodies?
Was it genetics, geography, or altitude?
It was none of that. The answer lay in how the people lived. For those who’ve never read the book, this is your Spoiler Alert. Here it comes…
It was community.
The people of Roseto lived in a tight-knit community of extended families, who worked, played, worshiped, had constant fellowship, and lived life together.
Yes, togetherness was the secret sauce. It turns out that communal living—real, human interaction is good for your health. The researchers named this phenomenon The Roseto Effect.
Reading the story of Roseto reminded me of my own childhood in Jamaica, and in the Jamaican immigrant community where I lived when I first came to America.
In my neighborhood people lived in extended families. The more the merrier. It was a cultural norm and a desire that families either cohabited or at least, lived nearby.
This allowed for constant interaction, family support and community building. It also led to impromptu get-togethers, cooking large meals for friends and family, or just hanging out for no reason at all.
In the past couple of years, the pandemic has caused us all to dramatically decrease our social interactions. We were all required to take various aspects of our business, personal, and even our faith lives online.
During this upheaval, millions of Americans have quit their jobs and started over. Some have gone to new companies, while a huge number have started online businesses.
But remember what we learned from Roseto.
A big part of your success is connected to being a part of a community. People thrive in supportive communal environments. With a large part of our business and personal lives now located online, it’s important that we make those connections.
And while we’ve made progress in returning to in-person events and business dealings, the future involves knowing how to win in virtual or remote situations.
So, where do you go to find a winning community online?
That’s a tough question.
The options seem limitless, and life online can feel like a zoo.
I understand why some people stay away all together. 😯
But for most business owners, opting out of digital life isn’t an answer. We require a way to cut through the noise and connect with our tribe.
We need a safe space where we can find a community of like-minded people, who will support each other’s journeys, contribute to each other’s growth, share tips and insights, and help each other to succeed.
Because business is hard.
And it’s tough to go it alone.
That is why I've been pleased to take many online business relationships offline where the real growth occurs.
For some of you who may be unaware, LinkedIn is the largest social network that focuses solely on business.
It has over 830 million members who clock over 1 billion interactions each month! 😯
While other social networks may bog you down with cat videos and politics, LinkedIn has remained focused on being a platform that drives business growth. In short, LinkedIn is where your potential clients are congregating.
If you are a business owner, and you are not employing LinkedIn as a part of your growth strategy, you are missing out.
Thus, one of the objectives of this newsletter is to help you leverage the power of that platform for your business.
With some planning and consistency, you will be able to get to know other business owners, engage with them, learn from each other, as well as receive tips and training on how to grow your business online.
Here’s the bottom line.
You are not alone.
We are meant to thrive together! Entrepreneurs are often driven to self-isolate while we tackle big problems.
But there’s no reason it has to be that way. We all have similar struggles. We all have similar fears. It just feels different to you. Some of us may already have the answers you seek, saving you time, money, and headaches.
The key is that we need to be connected.
Leveraging the platform will enable you to easily:
✅ Connect with entrepreneurs on a similar journey.
✅ Learn tips and strategies about how to market your business.
✅ Learn personal and business productivity hacks.
✅ Ask questions and get support from numerous sources.
✅ Learn how to properly utilize the largest social business network on the planet.
Let’s tap into the power of community!
PS. Please click the links below to explore some of the ways we can work together.
I'll see you back in your inbox next Monday!