Now that I’m nearly five years into my entrepreneurship journey, I’ve learned something about being a business owner that no one really warns you about — how lonely it can be.
Like many entrepreneurs, I started my small business based on something I was deeply passionate about. That’s how most ventures begin — a big idea, a passion you can’t ignore or simply the realization that if this thing is going to exist, you’re going to have to be the one to build it. And from the very beginning, whether by circumstance or choice, you become everything. CEO, marketer, accountant, sales representative, creative director, customer service…the list goes on.
You’re the one holding the vision, making the decisions and carrying the weight of the outcome. Friends and family may cheer you on, but they’re not always equipped to offer honest, business-minded feedback. And over time, that gap becomes clear: you’re surrounded by support, but still navigating the hardest parts alone.
That’s why something different becomes essential. Every entrepreneur needs a tribe. In my case, that’s my mastermind group.
A mastermind group is a small, committed group of peers who meet regularly to support one another through the real work of building a business. It’s not networking, and it’s not coaching. It’s a space built on trust, where members bring challenges, ideas and goals to the table and in return receive honest feedback and accountability. It’s where you can say, “I don’t know what I’m doing here,” and instead of judgment, you’re met with insight, perspective and support.
A couple of months ago, my mastermind group gathered for a one-night retreat. We shared space, a cacao ceremony and opened our hearts to intentional, honest reflection about our businesses and lives. We journaled, dug deep into planning, faced fears, celebrated wins and held space for the kind of vulnerability that isn’t really seen in traditional business circles.
I was lucky enough to meet these three remarkable women right after I started my business, when I enrolled in the Women’s Business Center of Utah’s Next Step program. The program itself is structured and practical, designed to help first-time business owners refine operations, clarify their value and strengthen financial systems. But the real impact, at least for me, came from the people in the room.
One of the women suggested that when the program ended, we should continue meeting as a mastermind group. At the time, none of us really knew what a mastermind was, but we said yes anyway. Nearly five years later, that simple decision has become one of the most valuable parts of my entrepreneurial journey.
Because when you’re in the trenches of building a business, having peers who truly understand what you’re navigating changes everything. The isolation doesn’t disappear entirely, but it softens. Challenges feel more manageable when you can talk them through with people who have faced something similar. Decisions become clearer when you have thoughtful, honest input from those who aren’t emotionally entangled in the outcome.
There’s also a level of accountability that naturally emerges. When you share your goals with a group of people who are invested in your growth, you show up differently. You follow through. You stay connected to the bigger picture. And just as importantly, you have people who will celebrate your wins—sometimes before you even realize they’re worth celebrating.
Looking back, the Next Step program didn’t just give me tools to grow my business. It introduced me to a group of women who have become collaborators, challengers, cheerleaders, and some of my best friends.
So my advice to you, if you’re building something that matters, find your people. Find the ones who understand the weight of what you’re carrying, who will challenge your thinking, and who will stand beside you when things feel uncertain.
Because entrepreneurship may start as a solo journey, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
About Kimberly Flores, Co-Founder and CEO, fulFILLed Lifestyle Co.
Kimberly Flores is the Co-Founder and CEO of fulFILLed Lifestyle Co., a sustainable lifestyle company located in Park City, Utah, dedicated to making low-waste, toxin-free living easy and elevated. Before diving head-on into entrepreneurship, Flores served as the public relations manager at Waterford.org, a Utah-based early education nonprofit. Prior to her role at Waterford.org, she was the Director of Public Relations and Communication at the Salt Lake Chamber, where she led impactful campaigns on issues like the housing gap, tax modernization, and the gender wage gap. For nearly 15 years, Flores was a television news journalist who won multiple awards for her breaking news and environmentally-focused investigative reports.
*Any reference obtained from this blog to a specific initiative, issue or topic does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the Salt Lake Chamber. The views and opinions expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect those of the Salt Lake Chamber.
