Starting a business often begins quietly.
One idea. One person. One decision to give it a go.

When I first started MGT, that was exactly how it looked. One laptop, a small group of students, and a lot of uncertainty. Like many solopreneurs, I was wearing every hat at once — tutor, marketer, administrator, problem-solver.

In those early stages, the biggest challenge wasn’t workload or competition.
It was isolation.

The myth of doing it alone

There’s a popular narrative in business that success comes from grit alone. That if you work hard enough, stay focused enough, and push through long enough, things will eventually fall into place.

Grit matters.
But grit on its own has limits.

As MGT began to grow, new challenges emerged:

• Hiring and trusting others
• Maintaining quality as demand increased
• Making decisions that affected staff, families, and finances
• Letting go of control in order to scale

These weren’t problems I could solve in isolation. They required perspective, conversation, and support.

Growth introduces new challenges

Expanding MGT from a small operation into a multi-site business didn’t remove uncertainty — it changed its shape.

With growth came questions like:

• Am I making the right decisions for the long term?
• How do I protect culture while expanding?
• How do I lead well when the stakes are higher?

At each stage, progress came faster and felt lighter when I wasn’t trying to figure everything out alone. Talking openly with other business owners, mentors, and community leaders provided clarity I simply couldn’t reach in isolation.

The challenges didn’t disappear — but they became manageable.

Why support accelerates progress

Support doesn’t mean outsourcing responsibility.
It means sharing perspective.

When business owners connect with others who are facing similar challenges, three things happen:

• Problems feel less personal and less overwhelming
• Solutions become clearer through shared experience
• Confidence grows through collective understanding

This is where many solopreneurs get stuck. Not because they lack ability, but because they lack a space where honest conversations can happen.

From solo to supported

This is exactly why Rotary Connect exists.

Rotary Connect is built around a simple idea:

Businesses grow better when people don’t have to build them alone.

Our first meeting, From Solo to Supported, is about recognising that challenge is a normal part of business — and that support is not a weakness, but a strength.

Whether you’re just starting out or finding your feet at the next stage of growth, connection matters. Not for selling. Not for status. But for perspective, encouragement, and shared momentum.

The takeaway

Every successful business journey has moments of doubt, pressure, and challenge. What makes the difference isn’t avoiding those moments — it’s how supported you feel while moving through them.

No business grows alone.
And no business should have to.

All the best,

Jason