Why Founders Need A Tribe - And Where I Found Mine

Why Founders Need a Tribe (And Where I Actually Found Mine)

I get it. I really do.

You've got the metrics sorted, team's buzzing, investors are chuffed. But underneath all that success, there's this isolation that's harder to name than solve.

One founder nailed it: "I'm drowning in 'relationships' but I've never felt more alone."

You're well-networked but chronically under-supported. In meetings all day but no one really knows how you're doing. Getting visibility on LinkedIn but missing real connection.

In an age where AI can handle more of our tasks, the need for genuine human connection becomes even more crucial. We're not just networking anymore - we're seeking something deeper.

Here's the thing: More coffee chats won't fix this. More LinkedIn connections definitely won't. They just make you feel like you're playing the game while sitting on the bench, scrolling through feeds that make everyone else's life look perfect.

That's why I stopped chasing "connections" and started building a tribe - a mix of mentors who've walked the path, coaches who call out my blind spots, and peers who truly get the journey.

Where I Actually Found My People

No Lonely Founders Started as an experiment. Turned into proof that founders need space for real talk, not small talk. It's closing in its current format end of June, but a reset's coming - more intentional, more committed, way deeper.

The Q4 Game Changer Retreat Cabilla Cornwall Myself, Callum Wilson and Sam Smith are running our first 3-day founder retreat in September. Think of it as our minimum viable retreat for maximum value outcomes - click here for more information

We're not doing this because the world needs another "mastermind." We're doing it because Q4 creeps up fast and too many founders are reacting instead of resetting.

It's a beta experiment in a temperate rainforest at Cabilla Cornwall. Strategic coaching, movement, breathwork, cold exposure, deep connection. No forced networking. No fluff. Just clarity.

NOT to be missed.

The OP (with Sam Smith & Callum Andrew Wilson ) Brotherhood meets accountability. You show up to grow or you don't show up at all. Rules are clear, expectations high. We support each other's biggest visions, not each other's excuses.

If you flake? You're out. Sounds harsh? Growth doesn't happen in comfort zones.

CSpace Newquay Coastal co-working where I can wrap up a pitch deck, make real connections over lunch, and still grab my board for a sunset surf. Work doesn't have to feel like a grind.

Blue Balls: Cold Water, Real Connection Ross and Tom turned personal breakdowns into community breakthroughs. Men's cold-water swimming with a mission: swap self-destruction for brotherhood, bravery, and breathwork.

The Vehicle: Surf, Sanity & Brotherhood Saturday mornings at Surf Sanctuary. Dom and Jamie run sessions that give you a full-body reset and progression coaching. You'll move your body, sharpen your focus, connect with like-minded blokes who get it.

EQFT Goonhavern My local gym where I've learned that trying to keep up with the fittest person in there is a broken system at 45. Now I listen to my body more, train smarter, and appreciate that consistency beats intensity every time.

My family Elise Rowntree BSc Hons and Ruby they're involved in every decision I make. They keep me grounded, remind me what matters, and sometimes coach me better than I coach others.

Why Isolation is the Silent Business Killer

The biggest threat to your business isn't cash flow - it's founder isolation.

When you don't have a trusted circle:

• You overthink decisions because there's no one to reality-check you
• You play small because no one's there to call bullshit on your limiting beliefs
• You burn out quietly because vulnerability feels risky
• You get stuck spiraling through worst-case scenarios at 2am

Eventually? You either blow up or quietly tap out while pretending you're still all-in.

Neither serves your vision. Both are avoidable.

Who's Actually In Your Corner?

You can be surrounded by people and still be completely alone.

The biggest truth I've learned: You don't rise to the level of your strategy. You rise to the level of your support.

Here's your challenge: Take 10 minutes today. List the people you could call if everything went sideways tomorrow.

If that list is short, don't feel bad. 

But don't ignore it either.

Every founder I've worked with who made the leap from surviving to scaling did one thing first: 

They built their corner crew.

Not connections. Not followers. Actual community.

Find your people. Whether it's a retreat in the woods, a WhatsApp message at midnight, or a Monday morning reality check - build your tribe.

Because when the next pivot comes, the next pitch, the next panic attack at 2am, that's what will carry you through.

Don't know where to start? 

Reach out....