Check out FocusMate. It has been helping me for the past few weeks. focusmate.com
it seems to be totally free? how do they make money?
Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
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Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
And with one comment on Hacker News I think I understand why people do work at Starbucks. Not sure why that never dawned on me.
So all those people sitting there because they're lonely and want to be around other people ... But they never talk to one another. Weird.
I've been a regular at a couple of different Starbucks locations over the past few years, and surprisingly, communities of people do develop over time. There are other regulars that you start to recognize, say hi to as you stand in line, and catch up with. I've met fascinating people by working at Starbucks. Engineers, managers, musicians, nurses, all friendly and equally happy to have someone else to talk to. Plus, there's the baristas, who I've also found pleasant to talk to.
Some days, though, you are alone at Starbucks, but it's a different kind of alone than working at home all day every day. You're surrounded by people, and when the alternative is zero social contact during your work day, it can make a difference.
Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#73What you're feeling is so very common among solo founders. I'm glad you're talking about it here. It is one of the most important conversations founders need to be having. Isolation has the power to undo you and your business.
Like others have said co-working, masterminds, volunteering- those are all helpful ways to connect to other founders. We at https://zenfounder.com/ run ZenTribe groups for founders. Our groups are small and co-facilitated by me (a psychologist) and an experienced founder. There's also https://mastermindjam.com/ which helps people find a mastermind.
Smallish conferences are a helpful way to make some friends that you can keep in touch with: https://rhodiumweekend.com/ and http://www.microconf.com/ are oriented toward connecting people and encourage people to form masterminds.
It's so important to reach out. Don't stop trying to figure out how to get connected.
Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#74Dynamite Circle is far from cheap, but I enjoy my membership. They’ll set you up with Mastermind groups of four or five other people in the same time zone for regular video calls, and there are frequent in-person meet ups worldwide. Bit of a tilt towards affiliate marketer and SEO types, but there are plenty of us with normal businesses too. Many members seem to feel that it’s their larger support group because they don’t know many people outside of it building their own businesses.
Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#75Personally, whenever I feel lonely I would go volunteer and help people. It makes you feel connected and really puts things into perspective (like, even if your startup doesn't do well, you would still be surrounded by people who enjoys you as a person). Every Saturday, my wife and I volunteer at our local library (northside branch in santa clara) to teach people how to code. We've been doing that for almost a year w…
this is a bit of an awkward question but.. have you ever come across anyone who you tried to teach but in the end was just not suited for coding? can everyone learn to code?
As long they are interested in coding, they can code.
It may take longer if they're not as adept. They can try some strategies to assist coding, such as books, checklists, pair programming, etc.
Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#76Personally, whenever I feel lonely I would go volunteer and help people. It makes you feel connected and really puts things into perspective (like, even if your startup doesn't do well, you would still be surrounded by people who enjoys you as a person). Every Saturday, my wife and I volunteer at our local library (northside branch in santa clara) to teach people how to code. We've been doing that for almost a year w…
this is a bit of an awkward question but.. have you ever come across anyone who you tried to teach but in the end was just not suited for coding? can everyone learn to code?
Not everyone can learn to code (well), imo. But, that's not an elitist coding-is-harder-than-other-things statement -- it's just the truth for any discipline.
Not everyone can draw/paint; not everyone can sing; not everyone can learn new languages proficiently; not everyone is good with numbers; not everyone is good at teaching; not everyone is good with working with other people; not everyone is athletic. And by this I mean that some will naturally be good at learning and ultimately mastering the above list of things, while others have to work much harder to get even close, with a lower ceiling.
Most importantly though, it's not up to someone else to decide whether you're good at something or not. Everyone should have an opportunity to take class or learn a subject and find out for themselves if that's something that they're good at or naturally inclined to. And if they're not good at it, it's not the end of the world because there is something else that's probably more suitable for them that's just as important to this world as coding.
The trouble we run into is that we often think of programming or coding as something more important or more sacred than other disciplines, when in reality it's just another in a long line of disciplines that takes practice and a little bit of natural talent.
Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#77I’m not sure if this is the right place to share this, but loneliness as an entrepreneur was painful and was extremely bad for my mental health. When I give it another go, it will be after having secured a much better set of relationships.
Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#78Thank you for posting this. I've five weeks into working for myself and avoiding loneliness has become a key task for me every day. I wouldn't say I'm succeeding at it, to be honest. I know I could join a coworking space but I question whether it's worth $400+ a month when I wouldn't be able to attend the networking events since I have a family and need to be home at night. (And I don't need meeting space, and have a…
And with one comment on Hacker News I think I understand why people do work at Starbucks. Not sure why that never dawned on me.
Not only SB, but that is a significant part of the WeWork business imo. I feel it myself.
Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#79Talk to your customers. They should be your best friends.
Re: Ask HN: I'm lonely. Are there any video chat support groups for solo founders?
#80Personally, whenever I feel lonely I would go volunteer and help people. It makes you feel connected and really puts things into perspective (like, even if your startup doesn't do well, you would still be surrounded by people who enjoys you as a person). Every Saturday, my wife and I volunteer at our local library (northside branch in santa clara) to teach people how to code. We've been doing that for almost a year w…
Volunteering is awesome and I'm glad you have found a niche and are recommending it.
For me, it's been excellent too but I chose something physical, challenging, outdoors and completely unrelated to tech. Selfishly, it's a needed change from sitting in front of a computer but still gives the satisfaction of helping people in deep ways.
But yes, directly helping people is deeply rewarding and satisfying.