Community Over Competition: Why Your Business Dreams Go Faster with Others

Episode 7 of Never Stop Dreaming BIGGIE features Chinenyem of SheBiology on building authentic business relationships

“It was all a dream…” but what if your biggest dreams could become reality faster when you stop competing and start collaborating?

In this week’s episode of Never Stop Dreaming BIGGIE, I’m diving into one of my most passionate topics: why community over competition isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a business strategy that works. Plus, I’m sitting down with Chinenyem of SheBiology, who exemplifies everything I believe about building through collaboration rather than isolation.

The Protection Trap That’s Holding You Back

I understand the protective instincts that kick in when you’ve built something meaningful. You’ve poured your heart, time, and resources into creating something special, and the last thing you want is for someone to come in and take over what you’ve worked so hard to build.

But here’s what I’ve learned through years of community building: when you hold tight to what’s “yours,” you’re actually limiting your ability to receive. There are eight billion people in this world—eight billion. That’s not competition; that’s opportunity. Think about all the people you’ll never meet, never have access to, who could benefit from exactly what you offer.

When you zoom out to see the bigger picture, the idea of “stealing” customers or market share becomes almost laughable. You were made for a specific purpose, with unique gifts that no one else can replicate exactly as you do.

From Scarcity to Abundance: My Personal Journey

When I started building communities in Charleston, I could have viewed every other women’s group as competition. Instead, I chose to see them as extensions of a larger mission. If someone contacts me about Like Minded Charleston and it’s not the right fit—maybe they don’t own their business, which is our requirement, or they’re looking for more of a mom group—I happily refer them to other amazing groups in our city.

This isn’t just nice behavior; it’s strategic. When you become known as someone who genuinely cares about connecting people with their right community, you become a hub. People remember that generosity, and they refer others who are perfect fits for what you offer.

I learned this philosophy early in my hospitality career. Chefs support each other. Restaurants refer customers when they’re fully booked. The entire food and beverage community rallies around each other during tough times because they understand that people don’t want to eat at the same place every night—there’s plenty of business to go around.

The C.O.L.L.A.B.O.R.A.T.E. Framework

After years of building successful partnerships and communities, I’ve developed a framework I call C.O.L.L.A.B.O.R.A.T.E.—nine components that transform competitors into collaborators:

Create Resource Lists Keep a running list in your phone of your favorite tools, services, and resources. When someone asks for recommendations, share freely. You’re positioning yourself as a connector—someone others want to know.

Offer Strategic Partnerships Look for businesses that serve your customers but don’t directly compete. If you do social media management, partner with photographers, designers, or copywriters. Create referral relationships where both parties benefit.

Launch Joint Marketing Reach out to complementary businesses for collaborative marketing efforts. Think win-win rather than what’s in it for you alone. In my experience, nine out of ten people say yes when partnerships make sense for both parties.

List Your Professional Network Maintain a curated list of attorneys, accountants, photographers, coaches you can confidently refer. Being able to connect people with solutions builds tremendous goodwill.

Access Multiple Communities Join groups both locally and nationally. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, create it. That’s exactly what I did with Like Minded Charleston.

Build Authentic Relationships Real community isn’t networking events or business cards. It’s genuine relationships where people support each other’s growth without keeping score.

Open Your Network When someone needs a connection, make the introduction. Your network is one of your most valuable assets—and it grows when you share it.

Refer Business Generously When you’re overbooked or not the right fit, refer that business to someone who is. This builds incredible loyalty and often comes back multiplied.

Trust Your Intuition Not everyone operates from abundance mindset. Trust your instincts about people’s motives and protect your time and energy accordingly.

Taking Action: Your Community-Building Toolkit

Start implementing this framework immediately with these specific steps:

First, create that resource list today. Open your phone’s notes app and list five tools or services you regularly recommend. Update it weekly and reference it when people ask for suggestions.

Second, identify three potential strategic partners this week. Reach out with specific collaboration ideas that benefit both businesses. Don’t just ask for referrals—offer them first.

Third, join one new community this month, whether local or online. Commit to showing up consistently and contributing value before asking for anything in return.

Spotlight: Chinenyem’s Collaboration Success Story

Chinenyem of SheBiology perfectly demonstrates these principles in action. As a software engineer building a CBD skincare line, she could have isolated herself, worried about sharing her formulation secrets or marketing strategies. Instead, she joined both Like Minded Charleston and The Brighter Side Society.

Through our community, she connected with Laura of Little Bird boutique, who welcomed SheBiology products into her store for test marketing. Rather than competing with other skincare brands, Chinenyem collaborates with them, understanding that each serves different customers with different needs.

Her commitment to community over competition has opened doors to opportunities like Essence Festival—connections she never would have made in isolation.

The Real Talk About Boundaries

Let me be honest about something: not everyone operates from the same abundant mindset. As someone who tends to be an over-giver, I’ve been burned by people who took advantage of generosity without reciprocating.

Your intuition is crucial. If something feels off about a person or opportunity, trust that feeling. Be generous, but be wise. Give freely, but set boundaries. Support others, but don’t sacrifice your well-being or family time.

Remember that your time is worth money—it’s the only thing you can never get back. I’ve had to learn to say no to conversations and opportunities I would love to pursue because protecting my time means protecting my ability to show up fully for my priorities.

Your Challenge This Week

Choose one person in your industry who you’ve been viewing as competition. This week, engage with their content positively, share something they’ve created, or reach out with a genuine compliment or referral.

Then report back in our community spaces about what happened. Did they respond? How did it feel to lead with generosity instead of competition? What doors might this simple action open?

Connection to Our Broader Mission

This philosophy of community over competition is exactly what we’re building in The Brighter Side Society and Like Minded Charleston. In The Brighter Side Society, we bring together twenty women from around the world, some doing very similar work. Instead of competing, they share best practices, refer overflow business, and support each other’s growth.

In Like Minded Charleston, our weekly gatherings consistently result in members collaborating, referring business, and celebrating each other’s wins. When photographers Jen and Kayla both joined, they could have seen each other as threats. Instead, they became friends, refer clients to each other when overbooked, and brainstorm about everything from invoicing systems to website platforms.

Truth Bomb: Your Dreams Need Community

Here’s what I know for certain: you cannot build anything significant alone. Your biggest dreams will go faster and farther when you build them alongside others who understand the journey.

The world needs what you have to offer. But it needs it shared in collaboration with others, not hoarded in isolation. When you shift from scarcity to abundance, from competition to community, something remarkable happens. The people you support start supporting you. The referrals you give come back multiplied. The connections you make open doors you never imagined.

Stop competing. Start collaborating. Your dreams—and your industry—will be better for it.

Ready to join a community that believes collaboration over competition? The Brighter Side Society is reopening this summer for ambitious women ready to learn the building blocks for making anything big happen in life. Learn more at sipindipity.com.

Listen to Never Stop Dreaming BIGGIE every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. Connect with Angel Holmes on Instagram @angelpholmes and join our community @neverstopdreamingbiggie.