I was at a conference last weekend with about 70 other business owners, all brought together by their connection to Human Resources (HR).

They are a great bunch of people, and the room was abuzz with ideas and connections. Most of the business owners are solo operators, while some of them have support staff and consultants to assist with their business.  A large member organisation runs the conference and supports the development of HR in the SME sector in Australia.

What I love about being with these people is that they really learn from each other.  It reminds me how important it is to have people around you who can provide objective feedback and qualify your own ideas about what’s best for your business.  It proves the concept, “the power of three minds is the equivalent of five solo minds”.  You can learn and accomplish so much more with others who are passionate and motivated to succeed: just like you.

It’s tough sometimes as a solo business owner to get the same level of stimulation you might get working in an office with many others, each with their pros and cons. All the sessions and topics presented were informative and useful, yet I realised that most of these people come to the conference simply to mix with others and hence learn from each other. The jewel in the event is the ability to network in a group of like-minded individuals who can help you on your journey.

Too many business owners forget the benefits of mixing with other business owners. Sure, we have competitors who we may not want to be close to, and we are busy and focussed on our business responsibilities… but we all need opportunities to mix with others like us.  Personal development, professional development, networking, mastermind groups: there’s lots of ways to do it.  Just be sure you do – it’s really important!