We're absolutely awesome at sharing. Ain't no shame in admitting it. 

From secrets to leftover quesadillas and guilt to glory, we've earned our Brownie's badge for Sharing thousands of times over.

It's all because of the Farmer in the Dell.

He takes a wife, you see, who in turn takes a child who simply must have a bevy of farm animals. Children memorialize this quaint pastoral phenomenon by sitting in a circle, singing a mind-numbingly repetitive tune. They glom onto each other, one by one, until only one child ultimately remains. The child known as The Cheese.

And, according to legend, The Cheese Stands Alone.

We both grew up in utter terror of being The Cheese. As the final "hi-ho-the-dairy-o"s rang out, stomachs always jack-knifed, adolescent minds screaming, "OH GOSH, PLEASE JUST LET ME BE THE COW!"

The Cheese was singled out, special yet ostracized. Though it was a position some relished, the brief romp around the dell left some poor suckers drained for days.

For a lot of entrepreneurs, Self-Promotion feels a lot like that damn cheese in that damn dell.

You are perfectly capable of standing alone. You deserve to be the center of attention or at least your niche's attention and are a hit at parties. But what about the icky parts? When all eyes are on you and you just want to hide? When choosing to do everything yourself begets a to-do list twice your height? When you need a listening ear, kernel of advice or shoulder to cry on? And what about when standing alone is just plain lonely?

That's when you remember you are NOT The Cheese. You, friend, are The Farmer.

You are the great creator, connector and guide. And the farm – it's yours to populate as you see fit.


No one begrudges the nursery rhyme version for rounding up a farm posse. It's practically your responsibility to reach out and grab as many people as you can.


Rope yourself:

• A workwife/hubbie (like we have found in each other) to raise a work-baby with you. It'll still bear a striking resemblance to you and you'll only have to stay up every other night when it is fussy, frenzied or failing.
  
  
• A companion to mentor. You'll reap the benefit of reminding yourself how much you know and he or she will become an evangelist of everything you do for life.
  
  
• A mastermind group where you can both listen and be heard, where fledging ideas can receive community support and you can be peer-pressured away from costly mistakes.
  
  
• A support staff who understands your brand, your goals, your lifestyle and your ego and is willing to work within your budget. Proactivity, generosity and enthusiasm are musts on both sides of this teeter-totter.
  
  
• As many brilliant brains as you can surround yourself with. They will inspire you daily, promote you relentlessly and, with the right attention and care, deliver you phenomenal networking returns. And it's absolutely easy to do. Don't believe us? There about 100 people in sitting in a community on Facebook, waiting for YOU. Right this minute.
  
  

The Cheese never asked anything of anyone. We daresay he was as terrified of self-promotion. Seriously how hard would it be to find a kid to play The Wine, The Cracker or even The Apple Pie?


But millions of finely school-aged Cheeses around the world have never so much as lifted a finger in their own defense, never protested their solitude or seized the moment with a showstopper.


We forbid you to be The Cheese. Don't you dare go this alone. We beseech you, reach! Grab! Ask! Connect! Cross-promote! Thrive! Be The Farmer when you're feeling able. Hell, be The Cow on days when you'd rather stay in bed and watch Judge Judy – just not the languishing, doomed to mold cheese.


Your businesses and their respective wives, children and farm animal equivalents deserve better. 

We've created Hungry Entrepreneurs, our Entrepreneurship Sucks eBook series, monthly Pitch Yo Sh*t events and more to serve as your virtual farm. We encourage you to dive in, mine the brilliant minds within, reach out to the folks who particularly grab you and throw your own knowledge into the mix. We'll even throw in two free months just for the heck of it. So whaddya say? Are you ready to find your people?


Hi-ho-thedairy-o (whatever that means),

Jennie + Annie

Jennie and Annie are the Founding Chefs of Hungry Entrepreneurs, a support tribe for brave entrepreneurs and freelancers teetering between launch and bankruptcy. http://hungryentrepreneurs.com

Jennie Mustafa-Julock (better known as Coach Jennie) The Audacity Coach, helps pretty awesome people elevate into extraordinary individuals with missions + lifestyles to match. A high-voltage speaker and writer, she is also the author of the illustrated, self-guided coaching program Audacity Rules: A Cathartic Shove Towards Self-Actualized Brilliance. http://coachjennie.com

Annie Passanisi wears many, many (usually sequined) hats. Here is the common thread: as the original Happiness Advocate &
Whimsy Coach (motivational speaker and Positive Psychology coach), Executive Chef of Hungry Entrepreneurs (a support tribe for entrepreneurs, freelancers and artists) and Polymathic’s entire Department of Glitter (marketing, events and brand strategies for startups), Annie has coached hundreds of self-starters through the learning curves, highs and lows of small business. http://worklifebrilliance.com