What is Support?

Why is it hard to show support to your Friends & Family? Is it your duty to support your friends?

Honestly, No it’s not your duty, but it should be important to you as their friend or family, to show them support as best as you can especially in today’s world! When it comes to them creating, sharing and pursuing their dreams, you should be front and center, cheering them on, it shouldn’t be only when they ask you to.

Unfortunately, I know so many artists, entrepreneurs, innovators, teachers, etc. who don’t get the support that they need and deserve from the people who say that they love and support them the most. It’s too often I see so many creatives trying to find the support that they need even though they have “many” friends. And quite frankly, it makes NO sense to me.

I can’t even count how many times I’ve had this conversation with people in my own industry & just Entrepreneurs in general. People are so quick to support the well-known famous artists that they don’t even know personally, before showing up for the entrepreneur in their immediate or not so immediate circle.

My question is Why not? Why not support your loved ones?

How can you claim to be someone’s friend and not support, but you’re quick to spend your dollars, time, energy, and support to someone you don’t know at all? It’s beyond me & it truly pisses me off. I used to stay quiet but I just don’t even care to offend anyone cause if this offends you then you know this message is for you!

As their friend & family, you should be beyond proud to, firstly, have them as your friend, & to have a friend that is going after what they were put in this world to do! You get to see the struggle, the growth, the failures & all the triumphs first hand, that is something you yourself should be proud of! You get the “behind the scenes” footage into their life & work. You see the progress and that alone should inspire you to SUPPORT YOUR FRIENDS.

Then again “Maybe people don’t know how they can support their friends”.

To make it easier I’ll share a few reasons and ways to show support below:

WHY SUPPORT:

1. Believe it or not, being an Entrepreneur is HARRRRD AF! We are basically giving our all for everyone to see over and over again, and sometimes it goes unnoticed!
2. It takes A LOT of guts to share our passion, to follow and pursue our dreams, to fall on our faces and get back up again.
3. They are your FRIENDS (Enough Said)

WAYS TO SUPPORT:

1. LISTEN to them, READ their work, POST their achievements, SHARE their business pages, BLAST their Music, TRY their Products, PROVIDE Feedback, GET invested… PHYSICALLY ACT LIKE YOU CARE!
2. Share their work!
   •  You can “repost” on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram & that’s FREE!
3. Stop Asking for Discounts/Free Work – “NO MORE FREE SHIT” 
   • If you value the work or art, why are you asking for discounts? Chances are, your friend feels conflicted about charging you anyway. Help them help themselves.
4. Hire Them. 
   • If money is an issue, when you finally get the money to support their business, art, etc., Hire Them! Treat them as the professionals that they are.
5. Believe in and Encourage Them. 
   • To hear from a friend, “I see you. I believe in you. I support you. You’re doing great. You’re growing. You’re learning. You’ll get up again.” Means the WORLD.
6. Support them more than you would a well-known person. 
   • Why is it so easy to support artists and businesses that you have no personal connection to whatsoever? You have some dope friends: businesswomen/men, hair stylists, make-up artists, writers, photographers, professionals, event planners and coordinators, videographers, counselors, designers, dancers, technicians… all in your own circle.  Why not represent them just as hard?

For all of my fellow entrepreneurs, artists, businesses, and everything in between; we need to support one another. If anyone knows the struggle, it’s us. There is enough room for all of us to make it, especially when we link together and use all of our resources.

I can’t stress this enough, please, support your friends. It’s so vital and so important. If you really believe in them and love their craft, show them!