How To Find Community, Advancement, And Support When Self-Employed

Although being self-employed can provide you with the autonomy and freedom to be your own boss, it can often be isolating. Leapers, a Mental Health organization supporting self-employed individuals, found that 70% of freelancers felt lonely, disconnected, or isolated while being self-employed. 

With Global Data reporting 4.1 million self-employed women across the United States in 2021, having the tools and intuition for women to find community under these circumstances is important to drive balance and fulfilment. 

The Stanford Social Innovation Review recognizes community as “both a feeling and a set of relationships among people. People form and maintain communities to meet common needs.”

Here are some ways for women to find community when self-employed.

People often shy away from attending networking events, but they do not have to be intimidating. The best way to combat fear or negativity around networking is to find the event format or setting that works best for you. 

Some events are free or low-cost and involve relaxed drinks. Others may involve a seminar by a guest speaker or more organized networking formalities to maximise who you meet. Some events may also be specific to interacting with individuals in the same industry. No matter the format, networking events are a great way to meet people at a fast pace or even pitch yourself in front of a new audience.

Co-working spaces are great for self-employed people to find community and establish routine within their day. They are a positive environment for people who dislike working from home. They usually offer all the facilities you would expect at an office, with the added opportunity to socialize throughout the space. Some people even discover clients by meeting regularly at this type of venue. 

If a daily or weekly co-working space is not appealing, a members club may be a great alternative to join. This would not provide the same office space to visit, but a relaxed social venue to network and connect. These clubs often hold many events for members or may have a corresponding app to network online. 

There is some importance in establishing a routine when you are self-employed to make the most of your work day. A way to do this while combating isolation is to attend a regular event or club. Certain groups for professionals occur in person on a weekly or monthly basis, such as a writers room or book club. This is a great way to connect with like-minded professionals without having to forgo productivity or skip a work day. 

It may be an idea to connect online with other professionals who are also self-employed, whether or not you are in the same industry. Some social networks, including LinkedIn, are established specifically for these occupational connections. 

There are also a wide range of groups or group chats across other social platforms, from Facebook to What’s App. Actively participating in a group chat can become a supportive network for advice and help combat loneliness. 

Fill your network with a group of people who are also self-employed and may be facing the same challenges. One way to engage is to organize an online or in-person co-working session. This could be held at home or a café, even on a regular basis. Often, it helps to have someone to run ideas by, share things with, or hold you accountable to your goals. 

Having the time to reach out to old connections may be something you would not engage in with a set group of colleagues at work. Take the opportunity to reach out to old friends or connections you may have lost touch with. 

Being self-employed may leave you with more availability on certain weekdays or evenings. This may support flexibility to organize social occasions once friends finish work if they have family commitments over the weekend.