Originally published at agoraworld.one.
Introducing our monthly blog feature from our Founder, Emma Watkins.
How to Stand Apart but Stand Together
I was speaking to a serious player in the community space earlier, and he said “I mean… this space you’re in, it is SATURATED.” My response… yes, absolutely. As you all know, AGORA began by accident but as I have also said (at our relaunch), collectives of people do not come together by accident, there was and is a shared need, and a willingness and openness to come together — be it for work, for fun, for friendship, for experience.
What AGORA does and will continue to do is plough its own field, plot it’s own path — at all times seeking to stand apart from but simultaneously stand together with other communities, and most importantly, each other.
How… I hear you ask, do we achieve that?
By living and breathing our VALUES:
Our approach to business + life, and our willingness to “give first”, inputting purpose into all that we do. As I write, the global Forbes Women’s Summit is taking place in NY and the message that is being shouted from the Twitter roof tops, is that “we cannot afford not to put a sense of purpose into our business.” As an AGORA member, you have that… otherwise we would not have found you.
By at all times having BELIEF, innovating, evolving and listening:
Anyone in AGORA will be able to associate with this feeling… in fact, any entrepreneur. We have that unescapable niggle… as Michael Acton-Smith said at Secret Leaders last night “when something gets under our skin, we have to do it — it’s the entrepreneur’s mentality.” AGORA started by accident, but it is a business on a mission. We don’t pretend to have cracked the community nut… yet. But wow, are we gonna! Without belief, you have nothing, and if you don’t give your ears to feedback, input and learning, you will not succeed. From Elon Musk and Winston Churchill to Bill Gates… “feedback is the breakfast of champions.” We believe in the power of the collective, in what can be achieved when we champion, support and drive one another. And we don’t believe that any community out there today, has found the foot of the rainbow. We have evolved from a table of 6 having dinner, to a global community of over 1500… and that is just the start.
By being THE community that powers collaboration in every field:
Ha, my favourite word. But power lies in it. And there is the potential to collaborate behind every door you open. Take it, embrace it and succeed together. AGORA does… and as we grow, so every message we relay and business we nurture grow with it.
By being a collective with our own beating heart:
As much as I endorse and encourage the standing together, the solidarity and support that comes with shared values/beliefs/challenges, an independence of thought is of THE utmost importance. We unite the free spirit, and I will seek to nurture + retain that as we grow, and expand globally. No-one wants to create a flock of sheep!
And last but not least… AGORA is a community free of bullsh*t!
