Keeping Company with Those Smarter Than Yourself – A Look at the Shared Economy

Michael (my other half) has always said of his job “I don’t have to know everything, I just have to know the smart people”.

Back in the day, when a paycheck was earned by manual labor and hard work, it truly did “take a village” to raise a family and survive.

When the original mill villages in Fort Mill were built, each house (no bigger than 3-4 rooms) was placed on a lot just large enough for that structure and a little bit extra to grow or raise SOMETHING … but not EVERYTHING. One person might have a small vegetable garden while another might have a chicken house. One might have an animal while another might own the plow for that animal to pull…. but no one had everything. If you wanted to feed your family, you depended on the skills, resources and the willingness of those around you.

This is just like us today. We are capable in our time and mental proficiency to do SOME of the things we need to do to become successful entrepreneurs or to keep a business going, but certainly not EVERYTHING.

DSC_1164Personally, I can handle making website updates but I will admit that I don’t know enough to start one from scratch. I can maintain our accounts and reservation systems online but I depend on the advice of those much more experienced than I am on what software to use to do it. Planning professional development events might be my superhero power, but I can’t do it without the sponsorships and support of local vendors.

Some people call this honesty being vulnerable, admitting you can’t handle everything. I call it being
realistic and smart. Why should we all feel like we have to be everything (marketer, planner, manager, designer, author, etc.) to our clients and our community when there are resources, our neighbors, all around us that can do it quicker and better than we can and make our local economy better in the process?

This also solidifies my belief that having a Coworking community in downtown Fort Mill has been a progressive step towards fostering the symbiotic relationships essential for innovation, fulfillment and success …. professionally and personally. Today’s Coworking communities, a representation of our shared economy, are not just about sharing products and space, but also rather sharing contacts, skills and knowledge. I believe there is nothing wrong with needing others. In fact, that is how we were made. That is how our community, the beautiful Fort Mill, was made … and why it will continue to thrive, if we help it.

So, you think I am smart? You should see who I keep company with!