Find Your Tribe & Earn Your Worth

Building Your Village, Building Your Base

Building a Tribe will change your life and business.  The fact is, we all need a  tribe. Tribes are nothing new, they date back to the dawn of time formed from  a basic human need to belong and survive in a world that seems to continually challenge that survival.

Why is a tribe so important? There is an African proverb believed to have originated with the N’gambai people that i feel sums up the importance of a tribe,

“IF YOU WANT TO TRAVEL FAST, GO ALONE.
IF YOU WANT TO TRAVEL FAR, GO TOGETHER.”

As human beings we are desire to  “be part of something,” we seek a good support system, a sense of family and camaraderie.  Comfort comes from surrounding oneself with people that are on similar journeys  in life; especially when pursuing a dream, a purpose, a vision or a calling. 

It today’s modern world, a “Tribe” as evolved to mean a community of fans, friends, and followers who identify with the vision you have painted and therefore seek guidance and mentorship from you. What matters most is the trust you establish with these people.

You are probably already part of several tribes without even realizing it.

If you attend a church or a fitness studio, a member of a network marketing company,  part of a social media group, by virtue of this connectivity you are  already part of a community that in essence, is a modern tribe.

When it comes to business, a tribe is essential. People don’t buy a product or service, they buy what you represent, your values and ideals...on some level

they buy you.

But don’t be fooled.

Having a community alone does not guarantee that you have an actual tribe. I’ll walk you through how YOU can create a strong community and tribe, one that can take your business to new levels and impact YOUR life at the same time.

There's a science to building your tribe & leveraging your audience

When I had my first son in 2009, although it was one of the happiest moments in my life, and I always dreamed of being a mom, I found myself struggling with such a big life change. I reveled in the fact that my son was a gift from above and he brought so much joy to our life.

I still struggled with being 60 lbs over-weight, feeling frumpy, suffering from a bit of PPD (post-partum depression) and not really sure what to do with myself.

Pile that on top of going from a 9-5 corporate career to out on maternity leave staring at the wall amidst this new baby eating, pooping and sleeping for hours on end (if you're a mom you know what I’m talking about). For some women, it's a dream to be a stay at home mom, for me, I wanted both. I wanted time with my son and my career.  I went to college, grad school and thrived on success and wasn’t ready to let all that go. So here I was thinking about my choices and facing the realities of having to go back to a career that didn't fulfill me and left me leaving my new son at daycare.  I could keep the self-induced pity-party going or I could do what I do best and solve my own problem.

It was at this juncture in my life that I had my  “ah ha moment,” the one that ultimately led my family to the where we are today;  being stay at home parents and running a million dollar fitness enterprise.

It was at that moment I sought out local postpartum fitness groups and was shocked to find absolutely nothing existed.

My brain started turning, I knew I could combine my MBA with my passion for fitness and create a business that helped me and women like me feel like themselves again. At the time this was going to be my Plan B business, one that I would build on the side while I was home on maternity leave and which might provide an out from the corporate world down the road.

That day my first business was born “Mommy-Baby Fitness of NY.” I started an outdoor boot camp business for new moms where they could bring their babies while getting fit. I stared a group on MeetUp.com and  went to work spreading the word and figured even if just one or two other moms joined me, then heck at least I’d have a workout buddy and it would satisfy two of my personal struggles. It wasn’t about the money, my husband and I had decent jobs.

It was about surrounding myself with other like minded women on similar paths in life. It was about creating a tribe.

Word spread, and hundreds of other moms locally were excited about the solution I was providing. Our little tribe grew to 80+ moms in a few short months. I then took my journey online and started connecting with women across the globe! This was just the start. I knew I had value to offer busy women, mothers and professionals  who wanted the same things I craved, and since it didn’t exist, I decided to create it!

After your first big step, the evolution unfurls with ferocious, and often very profitable speed

Mommy-Baby Fitness Morphed into Team Fit Mom, Girl and Bride, serving even more women and scaling across the globe and locally into a boutique fitness studio serving locals! Our tribe is massive and incredible and I feel humbled that so many have allowed me into their life and fitness journey!

As you start to think about building your own tribe, I’ve compiled 3 steps that will ensure your success.  You need a message that is personal, relevant, and anticipated.

1.

Act like a human, be YOU!

• Talk like a real person, no one is perfect, people are not seeking perfection, they are simply seeking normal and approachable.
• Be accessible (people want the real you, not a robot)
• Show your scars (don’t be afraid to be a little vulnerable)

If you allow your fans and readers to feel comfortable, they’ll open up to you and start feeling comfortable. As they do, you’ll earn their trust, and confidence.

2.

Deliver Relevant Content to your Audience

People want the ability to connect with each other. Your content has to be relevant to what they care about, want to learn about and hear about…not what you care about. Deliver content that is of value to them and you’ll have your fans eager to be part of your tribe. 

Tribe building is NOT about converting people to your way of thinking, rather, it is gathering those who already have the need or challenge you address.

A tribe helps like-minded people find each other. It gives them a story to tell and something to talk about.

How do you become relevant in a world full of noise or a crowded space?

• Find a niche (or go create one). In my case it was fitness solutions for busy women and moms
• Speak directly to just those people. If you try to be everything to everyone, your purpose and mantra because less relatable and won’t solicit a strong connection
• Provide Exclusivity, make your tribe feel special by focusing on just them with certain initiatives and efforts. #exclusivity #pride

3.

Create a movement

As Seth Godin, author of Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us says: 

People like talking to each other. We evolved to want to do that. So one of the most highly leveraged and powerful ways to grow a tribe is to connect people to each other. But if you just have that, you have nothing but a coffee shop.

On top of that, there needs to be a message from you, the leader, about where you want to go–about the change that you want to make in your world.

You need a mission, a movement, a place that people want to get to.

Tribes are powerful because of what they can do, “It’s tribes—not money, not factories—that that can change our world, that can change politics, that can align large numbers of people. Not because you force them to do something against their will, but because they wanted to connect,” Godin says in a TED talk. “What we do for a living now, all of us, I think, is find something worth changing, and then assemble tribes that assemble tribes that spread the idea and spread the idea. And it becomes something far bigger than ourselves: It becomes a movement.”

Build a tribe and you’ll never have to worry about marketing or self-promotion again.

You’ll be the kind of voice that people look forward to hearing from. You’ll have the audience you always wanted and along the way it will bring tremendous value to your life seeing the impact your tribes have on the lives that you connect.

Remember that people don’t buy products, they buy an experience! Is your business offering just better health and wellness or an “Experience”? Think about it…

Leave a Comment below or Connect with me, I’d love to hear where you are at, your struggles, if this resonates with you and if you are ready to start building your tribe!

Our Team here at Liz Cort Consulting is ready to lock arms with YOU!

“A Mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you. I’m excited to help you put your talents and gifts to work.” – Liz Cort