There is often more than one right answer, and this seems to be particularly true for the question of whether folks should lean on family and friends for support with the brands. Your circumstances, relationships and other factors can determine what’s right for you – but we wanted to get a conversation going on the topic as it’s something that comes up often in our chats with entrepreneurs and creatives in the community.

Ashley Pardee

I think it’s perfectly appropriate to let them know about your business and invite them to support you if they wish. I’m always grateful for any support they can offer, whether it’s through word-of-mouth referrals, social media shares, or even becoming clients themselves. I believe that friends and family can be fantastic supporters of your business, as long as the support is mutual and respects the boundaries of your personal relationships. Read more>>

Jalyn Glasco

I love my family because when I need help with my Catering jobs they are always there for me to help to complete my orders and get them delivered on time and smoothly. Without them, I wouldn’t have come as far. Read more>>

Nickole Ashlock

When it comes to tattooing, especially when you first start out, it’s really important to have friends and family to support you. Who better to do your first tattoos on than the people that love and support you already and know that you probably won’t be brilliant straight out of the gate. To those people, even though the tattoo may not be the best, it will always be a token to look back on and see how far you’ve come later on in life. I have plenty of family and friends that I tattooed in the beginning who love those tattoos and love to compare to my current work. It truly is really cool to see how much I’ve personally improved over the years. Read more>>

Samantha Epperson

Opening a coffee shop was a very intimidating process, and I 100% asked my friends and family to support! To be honest I really leaned on my village just to get the shop up and running, We really couldn’t have done it without the incredible support I received from them. At times it can seem really overwhelming to start or run a business, but in the end you only get the help you reach out for. I think you do need to draw the line at not respecting other peoples time, it’s your business, and in the end the responsibility is on you! I honestly believe that your friends and family do want to help, you just need to make sure your asks make sense for who you are asking! Read more>>