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Natalie Douglas is the founder of RealiTi Health, founder ofLucidity and chairman of the board at Entia. She has been a member of Helm for15 years.
“Helm has helped me achieve so many things over the years. And my needs have changed over that time. It means an awful lot to me. There's a great sense of community and I've met so many great people, and great friends, here. There's a lot of longevity in the club membership, so there are members I have known for a long time. It's a very meaningful community, for entrepreneurs and business people.
Although I've moved around a bit, Helm has always gone with me wherever I've been. Even though I am now based in the US, and I can't spend as much time engaging with members or attending events, the advantage for me is that I am well known within the Club. And the Club comes to me as a subject matter expert and asks me to contribute to online events and so on. The main thing for me is just knowing the Club is there, knowing the resources are available, and knowing who's in the club.
As an entrepreneur, if there's something that crops up or I need to ask a question, and I'm not entirely sure who to go to, I go to the Club. There's always somebody within the community I can talk to about whatever issue I have, or whatever resource I'm looking for.
One of the most valuable parts of the club is Forum. It's incredibly valuable for entrepreneurs. I would encourage members of the Club, if they're not in a Forum, to join one. That's where I've met some amazing people. The advantage is that you see the same people regularly, and they get to know your business and understand your issues. You've got a little community within the broader community. That becomes a useful board of advisors in a very safe environment.
It's always been incredibly rewarding. And since I moved, it's something I miss a lot. Now that I'm embarking on a new venture, which is only a couple of years old, this is when Forum would be really helpful. It's a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to engage on a regular basis with a small team of advisors.
Over the years, I have picked up so much useful insight and wisdom from Helm and I've been able to ask so many questions and find all sorts of solutions in the Club. In general, through Forum what's valuable is having the opportunity to speak openly, freely and confidentially within that community. You can say exactly what's going on, be vulnerable and know you're not going to be judged.
Networking at larger social events is also fantastic. You always bump into people that will at some point be helpful to you or you just build new friendships. There are so many opportunities within Helm to reach out and be proactive about finding a resource or person to talk to. Collectively you can look for solutions for you and your business through Forum and that mini community.
