Building a business can often seem like a solo mission. But founders who thrive know that success doesn’t come from hard work alone — it comes from having the right people in your corner: those who understand your mission and are invested in your growth.

In this Small Business Byte on This is Small Business, host Andrea Marquez dives into how to build, and lean on, a support squad that keeps your business moving forward, and makes the journey a lot less lonely. You’ll hear from Aliett Buttleman of Fazit on finding like-minded peers who truly understand what you’re building, Katie Diasti of Viv on how showing up consistently can turn connections into collaborators, and Maurice Contreras of Volcanica Coffee on how one conference conversation gave him the exact expert he needed to scale his business.

From finding the right peer support, to strategic connections that open doors, these stories show why community is one of your most powerful business tools.

What does your support squad look like? Identify the five archetypes you’d want in your corner, then go find them. Share your map with us in a Spotify comment, Apple Podcasts review, or email ThisIsSmallBusiness@amazon.com. Doing that will not only hold you accountable but could also inspire another entrepreneur to take their next big step.

Sources:

If you want to know more about Fazit Beauty, listen to Aliett Buttelman’s story here: How a Small Business Turned One Celebrity Moment into Long-Term Growth - This is Small Business

If you want to know more about Viv, listen to Katie Diasti’s story here: How a College Student Turned a Class Project into a Scalable Business - This is Small Business

If you want to hear more about Volcanica Coffee, listen to Maurice Contreras’s story here: How Volcanica Coffee Left Comfort Behind - This is Small Business