there’s one thing i miss about working in corporate.

This might come as a surprise, but there are days where I miss working for a company.

It’s not necessarily the stability or the consistent paycheck or even the built-in health insurance. It’s not about being in an office space or being a boss or getting special perks like free lunch or massages.

It’s about the people.

The one thing I haven’t cultivated for myself as an entrepreneur—yet—is a team, a group of people that I collaborate with, bounce ideas off of, and ultimately co-create projects with.

One of my favorite things to do is sit down for a long brainstorm session with a crew of brilliant minds. It’s so fun to hash out ideas together, leverage each other’s strengths to take those ideas higher, and to celebrate them coming to life.

Yet, when you’re on your own, especially in the beginning, you’re a one-woman show and it can get pretty darn lonely.

I’m a firm believer that two brains are better than one, and that in order to evolve and grow at want you do, it’s key to get feedback and insight from others. Especially when you’re stumped on something and can’t quite to seem to get it right on your own.

One day, I plan on having a stellar team of creative geniuses alongside Blair Badenhop, Inc. as it expands and becomes even more dynamic than it is today.

But for now, here are the things I do to take the pressure off and cultivate that “team” feeling when I need it most.

1. Schedule work dates. As someone who writes pretty much 24/7, getting out of my apartment and into a fresh, new space is vital to my creativity. And when I can have a friend with me, working on her own thing, available for quick ideas or suggestions, I feel like I’m able to find that little bit of camaraderie I miss from former co-workers. On these work dates, we find a cool space with chill music, strong wifi, and some delicious food so we are set to put our heads down and work for hours.
2. Park myself at a café to do work. There are times where having a “colleague” by my side isn’t what I need; just being around the higher energy that bustling cafés offer does the trick. I only do this on days where I’m not on deadline so that I can be ok without an outlet or decent wifi. For some reason, sitting amongst people allows me to access a different kind of creative space within me and the ideas start pouring in. It’s almost like I’m tapping into their brilliant ideas by simply being in their presence.
3. Ask for feedback from friends and mentors. If there one’s thing I’ve invested in over the past three years, it’s been in coaches and other marketing experts to give me feedback on my copywriting. I know I’m not perfect at what I do, and while I hit the mark most of the time, I can’t assume that there is never room for improvement. Paying others to help me strategize or even edit work has been such a lifesaver when I’m swamped with projects.
4. Summon my spirit team. Yep, I said it. This may sound ridiculous and woo-woo to some, but there was one day that I decided to pretend that I already had a team of awesome people helping me write copy. And I imagined myself surrounded by brilliant angels and guides who were both connected to me and my client so that the perfect message could be channeled onto the page. In some of the most stressful moments, this has been my saving grace because it reminds me that I’m never the only one writing; it’s me and the Universe co-creating for others. That’s what I believe anyway.

Whether you’re sitting behind a desk at a corporate job or starting out as an entrepreneur, never forget the power of collaboration. Working together is much more powerful than solo ventures. And as my business grows and expands, I can’t wait to build a team of beautiful minds to take everything to a big, beautiful next level.

In the comments below, I’d love to hear how you cultivate collaboration and community at work or in your business.