How to find your entrepreneurial ecosystem

Happy Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)!

In its 11th year, the GEW is here to celebrate entrepreneurial activity, connecting business owners with potential collaborators, mentors and even investors.

As one such organisation, we hope to support more entrepreneurs than ever in managing their mental health and wellbeing.

Four themes of GEW

This year’s GEW is centred around four themes:

  1. Women

  2. Youth

  3. Inclusion

  4. Connecting ecosystems

Here are Calmer, we’re putting a particular focus on entrepreneurial ecosystems this week.

For those of you in London, Tania Diggory will be leading a free seminar in partnership with The Brew co-working space, focusing on the theme of how you can build your own entrepreneurial ecosystem whilst nurturing good mental wellbeing.

If you’re unable to make the event, we would still like to impart some useful knowledge so you can grow your own entrepreneurial ecosystem!

What is an entrepreneurial ecosystem?

An entrepreneurial ecosystem is a network of start-ups and support organisations that facilitate collaborations and connections.

The Global Entrepreneurship Network notes that entrepreneurial ecosystems are being founded in many promising mid-tier cities.

Within these networks, entrepreneurs can share knowledge and connect with each other and similar local leaders to create a healthy and thriving entrepreneurial community.

Why is an entrepreneurial ecosystem important?

The business journey is not supposed to be a lonely experience, and connecting with others and nurturing an ecosystem that supports the wellbeing of you and your team, is essential for long-term success.

Being part of an ecosystem will help you to stay up-to-date with advancements in your industry, learn from others in the same position as you, and connect with potential collaborators.

For those hoping to grow their business, being part of a network can provide new ideas on how to hire staff, diversify the portfolio, and in the case of Calmer, improve you and your business’ wellbeing.


How to find your entrepreneurial ecosystem

You needn’t start your entrepreneurial ecosystem from scratch. In fact, there are lots of ways you can engage with other networks in order to create your own:

  • When attending events, be aware of people who may be of use to you - in both a pastoral and business sense. If you enjoy their company, keep in touch!

  • Find digital communities that facilitate useful online connections. Twitter chats and Facebook Groups (such as the Calmer Community, and the Calmer Professionals FB Group) are a great place to make connections.

  • Stay up-to-date by subscribing to industry-specific media, as well as entrepreneur-specific media. We love Courier, Forbes, and the Impact Hustlers Podcast - make sure you listen to Tania’s episode!

Taking a mindful approach

Of course, in an ideal world, all of these situations would be easy to navigate. However, it takes inner strength to be confident when networking, and even more to articulately project your business’ mission in all situations.

If you need support when it comes to confidence in social situations, and ways to take a mindful approach to connecting with others, we recommend taking our Digital Wellbeing Training, or coming along to one of our events, where we will lay the foundation to mindfully create a network that works for you.