The Paradox of Talent and Struggle
I’ve always been a person of many talents, yet simultaneously, I struggle with certain aspects of life. This duality is something we all experience to some degree. My career path has been far from linear, resembling more of a winding road than a straight highway. For various reasons, I’ve found myself echoing U2’s sentiment: “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” Or have I?
Finding My Path
If you’ve read my post about freelancing, you’ll understand my vision and journey. It encapsulates who I am and what I stand for. This platform—be it my newsletter or blog—is intended to be a space where people can be authentic, read about real experiences (warts and all), learn from my mistakes, and perhaps find inspiration in what I do well.
The Challenge of Getting Started
Recently, I’ve struggled with getting projects off the ground. Is it ADHD? Fear of failure after a challenging four-year period? Perhaps. But it also stems from being proficient in many areas but not having the energy I used to. Currently, I’m not in a position to be the “boss babe” or the person who seemingly does it all.
The journey back from unexpected financial hardship is long and frustrating. However, I’ve recently learned about the concepts of scarcity mindset versus abundance mindset, and manifestation. While I subscribe to much of this thinking, I also believe in the power of hard work and synergy.
The Power of Partnership and Collaboration
My business partner and best friend, Sarah, is another incredible woman. We work well together and continue to build on our synergy. However, we’re both extremely busy, and life has thrown us some significant curveballs in the last two years.
We’ve realized that we can’t do everything ourselves. Our solution? Collaboration.
Embracing a Collaborative Approach
For my passion projects that have the potential to become sustainable, I’ve recognized the need for outside collaboration. I excel at project management—I can effectively lead a large team to move objectives forward when everyone is committed.
Instead of Sarah and I stretching ourselves thin as freelancers, we’ve begun seeking outside collaborators on a project-by-project basis. For instance, I’ve connected with other comedians for Comedy Plot Twist (coming soon), while Sarah has partnered with two photographers to support her work and grow those opportunities. Sarah has a collaborator for an amazing show, Monster Mash, and I am not involved, but still support. She has a business partner for it and has made a fun social media campaign that has gotten traction and been fun. That’s synergy, but also allows her to have outside collaborators, who to be honest, are now inside collaborators, that’s what happens when a community grows!
Building a Community Through Collaboration
This collaborative approach is how we’ve built our community. Rather than trying to fit anyone into available positions, we’re finding the right people for each project. Some collaborators come from within our community, others from outside. Gradually, those who collaborate often become members of the Polykindred Market community.
It’s important to note that we’re not focused on promoting polyamory or any specific agenda. Our goal is to create a supportive, inclusive community (refer to my previous article for more details on our objectives). We ARE polyamorous, which means a lot of different things to different people and not what this is about, but I add to show that it’s about connection and friendship more than anything else and in work.
What I Look for in Collaborators
1. Shared vision
2. Shared responsibility and accountability
3. Minimal risk
4. Creativity and fun
5. Abundance mindset coupled with a strong work ethic
6. And did I mention fun?
Moving Forward
My next steps involve connecting with people and truly listening to their needs. I’ll continue my work, and if some of my small projects grow, I’ll be prepared thanks to these collaborations. This approach allows for shared and managed workflows with many people, enabling us to take on larger projects when opportunities arise. What is fun is the open call for collaboration has at times just made me new friends. A project may not be imminent, but I am also open for new friends, so it’s never time wasted!
This collaborative model benefits more than just us—it allows us to follow our individual paths while supporting each other. Together with Sarah, Josh, and Adam, we’ve chosen to live communally, share resources, and navigate this choppy path together. We have many who do not live with us that are considered community. Not all of us are closely connected, but we have a spirit of work benefitting all and a shared vision of making a difference in this world through creation and connection.
For me, the next step is opening myself up to more people and projects that fuel my soul, help others, and align with both contemporary values (like paying bills) and traditional values (like putting food on the table).
In embracing collaboration, we’re not just building businesses—we’re cultivating a community and a way of life that honours individuality while celebrating the power of working together.
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