One of the best things I ever did for my business was join the Rising Tide Society. If you haven’t heard of the Rising Tide Society, well, your world is about to be changed. It’s AWESOME. 

The Rising Tide Society is a community of creative entrepreneurs across the globe that support each other, help each other, encourage each other, and learn from each other. It was founded by members of Honeybook, which is an amazing CRM for small business owners. 

Community over Competition

The name “Rising Tide Society” comes from the phrase “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Meaning that there is space for everyone. There are newbies and seasoned professionals all in the same group, and we all cheer each other one in the spirit of “community over competition” 

Every month, groups all across the world meet up at what are called TuesdaysTogether meetings. Local creative small business owners get together and learn about a new topic each month. The best part is that no one is there to compete with each other but to support each other. We will also often do other meetups outside of the monthly meeting like coworking sessions!

I don’t even remember the first time I went to a TuesdaysTogether meeting, but I am SO glad I did. It is one of the BEST resource for my business HANDS DOWN.

Business Resources from the Rising Tide Society

I have met some of my best friends in the industry there. Not only that, the resources they provide are AMAZING. Each month, we receive a guide in our inboxes on that month’s topic The topics can range anywhere from marketing and SEO to social media to financial planning to automation and outsourcing and MORE. And then at the monthly meetings, someone will present on the topic and we get to have a discussion together.

I started attending in my hometown of Greenville, SC. But since it’s a global community, I joined a TuesdaysTogether group the very first month after moving to California. I was so excited to have instant community in my new city! I am now a regular member of the San Jose TuesdaysTogether meetups and also occasionally attend the Silicon Valley meetups. 

Building Community through the Rising Tide Society

Moving to a new place is scary, and it’s so hard to build community. But when I went to the first meeting, I instantly felt like I was at home. I knew I was with my people. It was so wonderful to be able to feel that way so soon after moving to a brand new place! 

But the community extends so much farther than just meeting new people and feeling at home. Almost everything I’ve learned professionally in my business I can point back to a seed that started in a TuesdaysTogether meeting. It’s where I learned about Katelyn James, it’s where I first heard about CRMs and automation. It’s where I first learned that there were actually places I could get help with on social media marketing. 

Speaking and Teaching Opportunities

Not only that, there are opportunities to speak or share your expertise in the Rising Tide Society. I had the opportunity to speak at the TuesdaysTogether Anderson meeting on automation and CRMs. And they also give you the opportunity to write for their monthly guides if you know you are an expert on a certain topic!

Building Relationships

The relationships I’ve built in the group are even better than the knowledge I’ve received. I’ve found some of my best second shooters at TuesdaysTogether. The membership community I’m a part of right now which is SO life giving is led by our San Jose TuesdaysTogether leader. I’ve put together styled shoots with members of the group and SO MUCH MORE. It’s so nice to know that I can always find an amazing team of professionals for anything. 

As a wedding photographer, that was so important. I was able to refer my brides to amazing vendors that I knew would take good care of them because I knew they had many of the same values that I did. The value that my client deserves the best experience possible. And when I decided to transition into editing where did I find my mentor? Yep, from my local Rising Tide chapter. And from there, many of my current editing clients are members of the Rising Tide Society either in Greenville or here in the Bay Area. 

Killer Education Topics

I already missed this, but it deserves to be said again. The guides we receive in our emails are PRICELESS, but we get them completely free. They are life-giving, easy to follow articles from successful creative entrepreneurs around the world. Not only do we get teaching in our inboxes, but we often have speakers at our meetings as well.

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Last month, before COVID-19, I got to attend the mega meetup at the Honeybook headquarters in San Francisco. All of the bay area chapters came together for one incredible night and we had an amazing panel discussion on Brand Strategy. Meetings like this happened around the country as Natalie Franke, the founder and an all around amazing person, took a road trip from coast to coast and stopped at local chapters along the way.

I’m not kidding when I say the resources we receive are TOP NOTCH. I know that if I need to learn something in my business, I can get the best advice from the guides, from the speakers, and from my fellow business owners in the group. It is amazing!!!

I can’t say enough good things about the community. Why am I telling you all of this?? Because if you are a small business owner and you haven’t joined the Rising Tide Society, what are you waiting for?? You can join here: https://www.honeybook.com/join-risingtide

Summary: We need community as small business owners!!

But I’m also telling you this because I think that community is SO important to the success of a business. Sharing is so important. We all started as newbies – we all started somewhere, and we had to learn things to get to where we are now. The person you are right now was wrought after years of experience, yes, but also years of getting advice from others and learning from others. To hoard your knowledge is so selfish, in my opinion. Having a community to lean on and learn from and grow from will get you so much farther than you would on your own. 

Not only that, most of us are solopreneurs and we NEED community! We don’t go to the office every day and see the same coworkers. But with the Rising Tide society, I’ve actually been able to make friends that I consider my coworkers and my colleagues. It has made me happier, smarter, and a better business owner. When I go out to coffee with a small business owner, you can bet that it will be someone I know through Rising Tide. And I’m so grateful!! 

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So if you feel alone in your business or you feel stuck and don’t know where to go, find a community that you can be a part of!! It may be the Rising Tide Society, or it may be something else. But whatever it is, make sure it’s somewhere where you can be free to ask your questions, be free to be yourself, and somewhere where the tide lifts all boats.

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