SMALL BUSINESS SQUAD

THE PHILOSOPHY

I created the Small Business Squad within The Inspiration Lab to be a soft place to land in the harsh reality of running a company these days. I also created it to be a strong place to launch — whether you’re launching a business, product, service, or second location — because we know how challenging growth can be for business owners. 

Our squad is specifically for Inspiration Lab members who own their business and have an Employer Identification Number (EIN). We use the government’s definition of small business, which is why we require EINs to confirm eligibility. It’s important to note our Small Business Squad is not a networking group or a place for you to grow your list of prospects or sell your products.

I encourage participants to think of this squad like a peer-based support group and a college class mixed together. We read books, listen to podcasts, share articles and resources, etc. Whether you are looking for support personally or professionally, we’d love to help. If we don’t have what you need within the Small Business Squad, we won’t stop until we can point you in the right direction.

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Cheering for you,

FOUNDER

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE SMALL BUSINESS SQUAD

• We embrace the mindset and practices of a lifelong learner. 

• We commit to maintaining a nurturing and supportive culture that is free of being “sold to” or “pitched.” 

• We encourage members to talk about their personal and professional lives because we believe you bring your whole self to work and your whole self home. 

• We don’t believe you can have it all, but we know you can have a reasonable portion. It’s about work-life rhythm, not work-life balance. 

• We like to pour ourselves a cup of ambition every morning and then wrap our goals in grace at night. 

• We believe self-care is strategic, not selfish. 

• We realize one of the hardest parts of owning a business is developing skills for leading other people. Nobody told us when we started how many times our hearts would be broken by the people we led. The squad can’t stop this from happening, but we can help one another learn and press on. 

• We have a bias toward action.

• We welcome delegation and see it as a critical tool for leveraging our most precious asset: time. 

WHY THE SQUAD EXISTS

We know the journey of owning a business can be lonely and the search for true peers can be a challenge. The more your business grows, the more complexity you have to manage — and the learning curve is steep. We know the stress of managing cash flow and dealing with accounts receivable. We are well-acquainted with making sacrifices so our customers and employees can be taken care of. We’ll always cheer for one another on this path because not only is it brave, it also matters. Your business, large or small, is making an impact and the world needs your voice. We are here to help you find it, and once you do, shine as bright a light as we can find… on you!

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE SMALL BUSINESS SQUAD?

WE'RE HONORED!

The first step is to become an Inspiration Lab member — click here for details. Once you're a member, you simply fill out a simple application and then, if you meet the qualifications, we welcome you to our squad and our monthly meetings!

BEFORE YOU GO!

HERE'S A FREE RESOURCE

Download our COVID-19 edition of our Self-Care Strategies & Checklist for Small Business Owners workbook for free.