Some of my best friendships in this industry came from being involved in industry community groups.
There was some confusion after my last issue in some of the replies I received that I was saying community is a bad thing because it creates echo chambers and I flippantly said at the end “when you hear the echo, find a way out”.
So I thought today, for my FIFTIETH issue of superchARJ I’d back track a little on that slightly negative undertone, and talk about why community is so vital to a thriving industry and why in the past I’ve even been part of setting up communities within the industry.
Those who know me know I’m no social butterfly. I’m fairly reclusive and the thought of socialising, for me, gives me the cold sweats (even though I always enjoy it when I get out there). It’s been a life long struggle as an introvert with an inferiority complex.
Back in the early years of my career I was part of a localised Facebook group and we used to meet for drinks every month, and we became a really tight group of actual real-life friends.
Having a group of people, small or large, who you can talk about this job with is so cathartic and really helps remove the loneliness from the sole-trader life – if you find the right group it’ll feel the same as having workmates in an office job and real friendships will form and grow. We all need people to moan to on a tough day, or even people to bail you out when you need it.
Although I have friends in the industry – some of my best friends – I’m not part of any larger groups at the moment. That’s been a personal decision because I don’t cope well with Facebook groups in general or being on a pedestal, but I do miss that sense of camaraderie that bigger groups and communities create.
I’ve always loved the saying “leap and the net will appear” as an analogy for taking risks in creativity and life.
But sometimes you fall and you want to know there’s a net there waiting for you. That’s what community provides. That happened to all of us collectively in 2020 and I loved seeing the way the many communities created a sense of togetherness at a time it was so vitally needed. It brought out the best in some people and I was proud to be running my own group through that time.
I’ve also seen people rally around each other in times of personal need over the years. Shooting weddings for each other when babies were born and helping out in times of personal crisis. I’ve seen people behave in some amazing ways, individually and collectively.
Community behaviour shows the best side of people when the shit hits the fan.
Another underrated benefit of taking part in these communities is that it can create opportunities from nowhere.
I got into destination weddings because of a friendship that started in a Facebook group.
I got into teaching workshops because of other friendships that started in the same Facebook group.
I’ve met some of my best mates during my time taking part in and running these communities. I’ve even been a best man at a wedding and had some amazing road trip holidays – experiences which never would’ve happened had I not been an active member of one or more community-style groups.
These days I know full well by being more reclusive and antisocial I’m limiting my own future opportunities.
So I guess last week when I spoke about echo chambers I connected it a little too much to the idea of communities becoming echo chambers, whereas the point I was trying to make is that we should all be looking outside our comfort zones for inspiration and education as well as within them.
That clears that up then, yeah?
Thanks for reading!
Adam
