Collaboration > Competition, Demi Moore, & More Taters
One of our core tenants at Weak Ties/Strong Bonds is that collaboration is greater than competition. Full stop. Every time.
We've seen this play out time and again in our own businesses - in fact Laura encouraged Lauren to start her business, even though it was potentially competitive! We've partnered with "competitors" to:
♾️ Offer better, more comprehensive services
🏗️ Leverage others' industry-specific knowledge
🥰 Take on the portion of the scope we're each best at or most enjoy
⚾️ Pitch larger clients that prefer a deep bench
So when Sara Blakely (of Spanx fame) shared this post a few months back we were here 👏 for 👏 it! 👏
Not only does the "business is war" mentality strike us as uber-masculine, it's also outdated and, in our experience, not what's best for our businesses, our clients, or our community.
Just as Blakely says in the video, when you focus on making your product or service as good as possible, you don't really have time to "compete." And you don't need to because your work speaks for itself.
Does this mean that you don't promote yourself or set lofty goals? Of course not. But it does mean questioning the idea that in order for you to win or succeed, someone else has to lose or fail. We’re fond of quoting Brene Brown: "Scarcity is a tool of the patriarchy."
There's enough work for all of us. And finding what differentiates your product or service lets you do the work you love while giving others the opportunity to also shine.
After all, plenty of people use both Instagram andSnapchat. Plenty of people listen to Beyonce and Taylor Swift. One day we hope to stock our closets with lots of Oscar de la Renta and Saint Laurent. The pie is infinitely large when you lean into what you love and are good at, and give others the space and encouragement to do the same.
Want to claim a little bit of space and encouragement yourself? Then grab a seat at our table! Our next dinner is October 8th.
🪢 Laura + Lauren
Things We Loved This Week
Laura’s Things
👗 Saoirse Ronan's Emmys look and Anna Sawai's after party look.
😵💫 This mesmerizing time lapse video.
🍟 Less haters more taters.
Lauren’s Things
👑 No seriously, check out this Demi Moore interview. Laura and I both found it, loved it, and included it here independently.
👂🏾 This podcast about the history of the NYPD, especially the latest episode, which feels pertinent to the unacceptable events on the subway this week.
👗 I would rock every single one of these looks. How do I get Cher's abs?
💪 But in reality, my fashion is more like...
🇫🇷 If anyone needs me, you know where to find me.
