The Power of Community

In my final blog, I share my reflections on a powerful idea: community. It’s something that has shaped my career and life - and my time at Co- has been a profound reminder of what's possible when people come together with a shared purpose.

belonging

I grew up on a farm in a rural village and, from a young age, can remember the feeling of belonging that came from community. We benefited from the support of the community greatly, and also created and gave back. One of my great memories is the November fundraising events my parents held at the farm. I can still picture the scene… my dad and uncle racing around in the pitch black lighting fireworks, the sound of kids running everywhere, and family and friends eating their way through a mountain of jacket potatoes.

I believe it was these early experiences that set a common thread for my career and life - a constant draw towards community. They taught me an amazing thing about community: it isn’t one single thing. It shows up in many different guises, and the opportunity to find it, or build it, is always there if you are looking for it.

Co- accounting

I remember exactly where I was when I first saw the opportunity to join Co-. It felt like an incredible stroke of luck to find someone looking for my mix of skills and experiences, where I could make a difference in the South London community where I’d lived or worked for 15 years. When I first met the Co- team, it was clear that their mission to help business owners thrive wasn't just marketing copy. Their passion for this community was genuine, and I knew I had to be a part of it.

the community

One of the most unforgettable things about my time at Co- is the way that our community has always shown up. I can remember the nerves before the night of our first workshop, only 8 weeks into the job, having not yet met most of the attendees. But I can also remember the excitement and delight seeing people connect, share ideas, and benefit from the space we had provided. Fast forward to today and we are in our third year of the programme having welcomed near 200 people to 20 events. It could never have been such a success without each one of you that has joined us!

From our partners that have supported us and our clients, to our clients who have trusted us with their businesses, and the team who have worked alongside me, I can say a very heartfelt thank you. It has been a greater privilege than I could have imagined.

the next steps

The connection I’ve built with our community has made it one of the hardest decisions of my career to move on to another role. I will miss the work greatly, but won’t be far away - helping a locally founded community business with their financial growth. I’m also excited to see what the Co- community does next! The mission of Co- is really compelling and the support provided to business owners is second to none. If you're a business owner who hasn't had the chance to join one of our events, I truly hope you will - the support you'll find is something special.

My final thought is to wonder what community in business looks like for you? Whatever it is, I encourage you to find and nurture it.