Letting Relationships Fade Cost Me Years of Growth (And What I'm Doing Differently Now)

Solopreneur Letters #6

Five years ago, I started over.

I was in a completely new space.

I’d spent eight years working at UNICEF.

Then five years building a hotel in Colombia.

None of that network felt relevant to digital marketing.

The people I knew from UNICEF weren’t looking for marketing help.

The people I knew from the hotel world were mostly local businesses, and it was the middle of Covid. Everyone was struggling.

So I started from zero.

The Communities I Joined… and Left Behind

One of the first things I did was join a small coaching group.

It was my first big investment in myself, and it gave me access to other people trying to build something similar.

I met some good people.

But when the program ended…I let the relationships fade.

I didn’t stay in touch.

Later, I joined a one-year mastermind.

Again, I met some great people.

But I didn’t nurture that connection either.

Once my time in the group was up, so was the connection.

Why That Was a Mistake

I’ve had long-term clients over the years.

But those relationships haven’t translated into introductions or connections to their networks.

Maybe they don’t want to “share” me. Maybe it’s not even on their radar.

Either way, my client work hasn’t built my network.

And the truth is… I’ve made it harder on myself than it needed to be.

Because I didn’t prioritize building genuine relationships with other creators, freelancers, and solopreneurs who were on the same path.

What I’ve Learned Watching Others

When I look at creators who’ve built big audiences, there’s a pattern:

Most of them had a group of people they were building alongside.

They started at around the same time.
They supported each other.
They shared each other’s work.
They celebrated each other’s wins.

Over time, those relationships became an engine for growth that no algorithm can match.

Why I’m Changing Now

Over the past year and a half, I’ve made a bigger effort to connect.

I’ve been in a few different online communities (shout out to

Jamie Northrup

and his Minimalist Hustler community), and now here on Substack.

It’s still hard to find the time.

It’s still hard to be consistent.

But I know now that genuine connections can provide the support I need to keep going on the tough days.

To get some much-needed feedback when I’m stuck in my own head.

And to open doors I never knew existed.

If I could start over, I’d make this a priority from day one:

• Go deeper with the people I met in groups.

• Stay in touch after the programs end.

• Build alongside people who want to see me win.

Because relationships compound.

But only if you show up and only if you invest in them.

---

This is Letter #6 of 'Solopreneur Letters' – a series I’m writing where I share the hard-earned wisdom I wish I’d had when I started on my solopreneur journey. See the full list: