I recently had the pleasure of catching up with two colleagues of mine.
Trent Penfold, who runs Brisbane design agency www.trentpenfold.com and Daniel Borg, who runs the highly successful Newcastle design business www.psyborg.com.au.
The three of us try to catch up on a regular basis to talk about 3 design businesses which we each run. The wealth of information and advice that is gained by all of us every time is incredible. The 3 of us are always there for each other and offer open advice at every opportunity. It is hard to find others in your industry that will be so honest to you.
I am constantly amazed by the fear of businesses from embracing others in their industry. Many see direct competitors as a threat and do everything they can to protect themselves. The reality is, if you can embrace others in your industry, support and learn from each other, the gains you will make will far out weigh any fears you might have.