What’s your view on asking friends and family to support your brand? We asked members of the community to open up and share their views on this controversial topic. Check out some highlights below.
Princess Williams
It’s completely fine to ask family and friends to support your business by sharing post, giving referrals and honest reviews. However, I do not feel it is appropriate to demand someone to invest in your business or hire you. This may ruffle a few feathers but I do not believe you should support someone’s business based on your relationship with them. As an entrepreneur, you should prove that your product or service brings value to your clients whether you know them personally or not. Read more>>
Lauryn Bass
My family is super supportive of me and anything that I do. So are my friends—let’s be clear that the friendship title is a big deal because not everyone is your true friend. But, that’s a totally different conversation. I don’t think there’s anything that could go inappropriately as far as my content goes because I create lifestyle and skincare content online. All I typically look for is engagement or interaction with my work, but keep in mind that because I am in media—a lot of my family is not always online. Read more>>
Nicky Jose
I feel that when starting any business adventure, people tend to start with their circle of family and friends. It does help to get started and get the word of your business out there, but it’s even better when you have their full support and they become your biggest cheerleaders. I started my business because I was bored and I absolutely love to create things. Read more>>
Travis May Sr.
Asking friends and family to support you or your business can be a delicate matter. It’s often a balancing act between leveraging personal relationships for professional growth and maintaining the integrity of those relationship. As a financial advisor building a financial planning practice, its a bit different. When I reach out to family or friends for support, it’s not just me asking them to help my business. Read more>>
Erin Vaccaro
This is always been a tricky question for me. I thought when people found out I had a small business they would just jump at the chance to be like “ Hey I have some clothes I don’t wear anymore so do you want them?!”. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for me. And that’s okay. Do I wish it was different, yes. Are there things I could do differently? Of course ! I tend to keep my business pretty separate from my personal life. Read more>>
Erica Diloreto
The biggest thing I have learned since becoming a business owner is that it’s never your friends and family who support your business, its complete strangers. Relaying on friends and family to support your business is not a smart business move either in my opinion, this day in age people feel very entitled and expect a free service / discount because they are family/friend etc. Read more>>