Episode 369: It Takes a Village, Cultivating Connections on Your Pet Business Journey

Have you ever felt like you were struggling alone in your pet business? Do you wish you had more of a "village" to rely on? I've been there too. In this week's empowering episode, I share my reflections on the power of community and why having the right support network is critical not just in business but in life. What if I told you that surrounding yourself with positivity could unlock more success than working alone behind closed doors ever could? I dive into the science and psychology on why community shapes our mindset, performance, and even our brain itself. You'll hear inspiring research on village living and how our ancestors collaborated within tribal support circles rather than isolating themselves. I share my thoughts on how the physical architecture in modern neighborhoods discourages human connection despite our innate need for community. Want to know the single most important thing you can do today to grow your pet business? I'll reveal it in this game-changing talk. You won't believe how a simple shift in mindset can attract new opportunities practically overnight. I'll also get candid on how I personally overcame dark times by tapping into community and why I owe so much to the power of shared experiences. Join me for a thoughtful, uplifting discussion on why we thrive when we support others without losing our sense of self. Make sure you check out this episode of Bella In Your Business! Topics & Key Points: Community impact and building support networks Community support and village living The importance of communities for emotional support The power of community and mindset for success Community support and isolation in modern society Timestamps: [ 2:06] Support and village living [3:45] The importance of communities for emotional support [5:04] The power of community and mindset for success [6:36] Community support and isolation in modern society [11:31] Personal growth and transitions in life [15:26] Building and maintaining a supportive community Notable Quotes: [2:32] " The problem is, is that this day and age, we've kind of gotten away from that. And, you know, our humanity essentially has been, has been, has been built off of villages off of communities." [4:18] "communities provide a critical physical, emotional and psychological support system that helped get us through life's toughest moments." [17:44] "A mistake we often make is waiting until the crisis hits before seeking community. I can't stress this enough, but you are who you surround yourself with." Resources: Podcast: Bella in Your Business: Pet Industry Business Podcast Join Mastermind Email Bella: bella@jumpconsulting.net Sign up for a 20 mins call  Better Marketing with Bella Episode 367: Breaking Free from Isolation, Strategies for Pet Industry Entrepreneurs Connect with Bella Website Facebook YouTube Did you love this episode? If you liked this episode, please head on over to iTunes and leave a five-star rating and review. Every single review helps get this community bigger, stronger, and better. It gets other jumpers just like you into the community. Always remember when life gets down, always keep jumping. Transcript: Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta. And today, today today, oh my gosh, you guys had such an overwhelming response to all the isolation podcasts, the one that we had on with Tracy and Kathy, the one that I told you and my CEO board and what I did and do to stay out of isolation. That was powerful. And so because of your response, I thought we would end the year with more things about, you know, just impacts of community on people, which is what we're going to talk about today. And building community within your business, which is what we're going to talk about lat next week, to round out the final episode of 2023. I struck a nerve. I hear you guys, I see you guys. Thank you so much for reposting and resharing Leia, and Becky, there were a couple of others of you right now. I just really appreciate it. You know, it means a lot to know, that this stuff is striking a chord with you. So I want to keep going with it. I know we talked about hiring last week. But no, we're going to change the course and listen and give the people what they want. So I I want to get into it today, um, you hear me speak so much about the importance of who you surround yourself with and to step out from isolation and lean on others. So I want you to like honestly, like think back. And oftentimes when I have like a really big idea or decision or thing that I'm trying to wrap my head around, what I do is I catastrophize it, and I make it like big. And then I also minimalize it to like the most simple, very version of it, that's what I'm about to do, I want you to think back to like, like caveman days, I want you to think back to the beginning of civilizations, and just, you know, prehistoric stuff. And when people lived in villages, where the entire community helped each other out, you know, one person would have a skill, and that would be what they contributed to the community. Right? Oftentimes, it wasn't just, you know, these are my children and only my children, it was like the whole village raised the children, which is where that whole saying, you know, it takes a village, right? The problem is, is that in this day and age, we've kind of gotten away from that. And, you know, our humanity essentially has been, has been, has been built off of villages off of communities. And I think that after 2020, and even before 2020, honestly. But I think 2020 kind of shifted that balance, I think that it kind of made us aware of how important community work was. But I think it also, you know, made people go into a tailspin and also made us kind of start thinking about what are we looking for? Who do we need to be around, or some of us just got knocked down and never got back up? Or never made the intention to build back up that community. And you know, in my own micro life, and that would be the CEOs that I was talking to you about two episodes ago. But you know, what if we still lived in villages where the entire community helped raise our children or help support us, or someone went out and hunted all the meat, and someone else made the baskets to carry the meat back? You know, what if we never felt alone, when we are handling hard parts of our business today? What if you did have a group of people to help support you and not make you feel so alone? And it's not just excuse the French ear muffs if your kids are listening, it's not just a bitch fest online. It's not people complaining about stuff. It's people saying, Hey, I have this challenge. And here's a couple of ways I think I could do it. How should I do it tagging and knowing what people's strengths and weaknesses are? Have you ever thought about communities being so important to your business? Well, communities provide a critical physical, emotional, and psychological support system that helps get us through life's toughest moments. And as business owners, tough moments can come by often. And this doesn't just have to be in business. This can be a mom's group or dad's group. This could be a support group for addiction. This could be a support group for maybe a family member who has Alzheimer's. There are so many different, there's a group or community for everything. I used to be a Facebook group expert, where I was on a lot of really big stages talking about this very thing. How there's a Facebook group for everything. You'd be surprised. You'd be really surprised actually, the Super Bowl um was touting Facebook or Meta take a Superbowl ad out? I think it was in 2020. Actually, or no 2019. It was. And they were talking all about? No, wait, let me say no, it was 2020 because I was on stage at Social Media Marketing World in San Diego, in March of 2020. Talking about this, yes, it was, it was February 2020. And, they featured a whole bunch of Facebook groups, and they were the most obscure bizarre Facebook groups ever. It was like, I have a wart on my left arm Facebook group like it was so crazy. But because of the randomness of that all of those people felt supported and seen and heard, and, and they had a common thread, you know. And so I feel like, when you have a community, you don't feel alone. And the most powerful tool that every single one of us possesses no matter how much money time, or resources we have, we all have the same tool, and it is called your brain, it is called your mind. If we all have it, then it is the power, the most powerful thing ever. It can trick you into 50 ways to Sunday, or you can leverage it and you can grow with it. And you could harness it, and you can understand it and you can be conscious of it. And you can mold and you can create these new neural pathways and be extremely successful. There is a reason why some people are successful, and some people aren't. There's a reason why. And I'm not talking about business guys, right now I'm talking about anything, talking about mental strength I'm talking about mental toughness something that I keep reminding myself, of every time I get down about stuff. But let's bring this back down into our micro group. And that is why pet business owners need their communal quote-unquote villages. In the past tight-knit communities cared for each other during the good and the bad. This village mentality ensured no one suffered alone, especially during vulnerable times. It wasn't like they got to go sit in their heart and be alone. Like people were in your business literally and figuratively. community shared joy and milestones and mourned losses, they got together around the fire and, and, and sang songs and beat on the drums and all of that stuff. All right, I'm talking so basic. And I hope I'm not minimalizing it because there are lots of different ways.