When I started my first company, business was simple — brick, mortar, inventory, and hustle. We opened one store, then two, then a few more. Back then, “community” meant the people you saw in your office every day. You didn’t think about national masterminds or global networks. You just worked. Business communities were malls!
But as business evolved, I noticed something powerful: the people who grew the fastest weren’t just working harder. They were plugged in. They surrounded themselves with entrepreneurs who challenged their ideas, opened new doors, and expanded their perspective, they were part of communities.
That’s when I realized the future of entrepreneurship isn’t built alone. It’s built in business communities.
The Shift from Isolation to Connection
Entrepreneurship used to be lonely. Founders were expected to figure everything out on their own — financing, hiring, scaling, strategy. You’d get advice from someone in your same industry, but everyone was fighting their own fires.
Now, information is everywhere. AI can write a business plan, build a logo, or forecast your revenue. But what it can’t replace is trust. Relationships. Shared experience.
In the AI era, knowledge is free. Wisdom is rare. And wisdom comes from people who have lived it.
That’s why business communities like Board of Advisors are becoming the next evolution of entrepreneurship — they’re force multipliers that compress decades of learning into days.
Why Communities Outperform Lone-Wolf Founders
Every founder eventually hits a ceiling. It’s not about effort; it’s about perspective.
When you’re surrounded by people doing what you’re doing, you develop tunnel vision. You make decisions based on your limited experience. Communities break that cycle by surrounding you with operators from completely different industries who bring fresh eyes to your problems.
At Board of Advisors, we have members from real estate, tech, consumer goods, marketing, healthcare, AI — you name it. That diversity isn’t accidental. It’s strategic.
When someone in software helps a retail CEO re-think logistics, or a real-estate investor helps a tech founder structure equity, that’s where growth happens. That’s the force multiplier effect — collaboration that amplifies everyone’s results.
Give, Give, Give
Every successful community needs a foundation, and ours is simple: Give. Give. Give.
When entrepreneurs enter BA, we ask them to lead with value. Before you ask for anything, contribute. Share your insights, your network, your wins and your mistakes.
That spirit of giving is what makes BA so powerful. It’s why deals happen faster. It’s why trust is built instantly. And it’s why people keep coming back — because it’s not transactional, it’s transformational.
Why AI Makes Communities More Important, Not Less
Some think AI will replace networking, mentorship, and collaboration. I see it the opposite way.
AI is leveling the playing field. Anyone can now access data, tools, and playbooks that used to take decades to learn. So what separates the great from the average? Execution speed and human connection.
In the next five years, your biggest competitive advantage won’t be code or capital — it’ll be relationships. The people who know you, believe in you, and open doors for you.
Business communities give you those relationships. They’re accelerators of trust in a digital world that’s increasingly impersonal.
The Board of Advisors Model
When I joined Board of Advisors nearly a decade ago, it wasn’t because I needed another business contact. It was because I wanted a circle that pushed me to think bigger, faster, and smarter.
Now, as CEO, I get to help curate that same experience for others. BA isn’t just a mastermind — it’s a movement. A collective of high-caliber leaders who understand that iron sharpens iron.
At our events, you’ll see something rare in business: people who already have it all still showing up to help others win. That’s what community is. That’s what entrepreneurship should be.
Relationships Are the Real ROI
I’ve built companies that hit nine figures. But the most valuable thing I’ve ever built is a network of people I’d go to war with.
The truth is, relationships outlast revenue. Your products will evolve, your markets will shift, your team will change — but your relationships, if built right, become your safety net and your growth engine.
That’s why business communities matter. They’re not a luxury. They’re a necessity for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Final Thought
Technology may be changing everything, but business will always be about people.
The smartest founders I know are no longer asking, “How can I do this alone?” They’re asking, “Who can I do this with?”
That’s the question that unlocks everything.
Because when you surround yourself with the right people, in the right room, with the right intent — anything is possible. So if I can inspire one thing, business communities help you grow, become a part of one. If it’s right for you, check out boardofadvisors.com and bainvite.com to learn more about Board of Advisors. BA isn’t the only one, but it’s certainly the best of all business communities, it’s far beyond a mastermind!
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