What to Do When Friends and Family Don’t Support Your Business
By Maureen Adams, Executive & Career Coach and founder of Cumulus CoachingStarting a business is bold. It takes courage, clarity, and an unwavering belief in your vision. But one of the hardest parts - especially for women - is realising that not everyone close to you will understand or support the journey.
You might have launched your business with excitement, only to be met with silence, doubt, or subtle criticism from the very people you expected to cheer you on. And while it stings, their lack of support doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path.
Let’s unpack why this happens - and how to navigate it with confidence and grace.
Why Friends and Family Don’t Always Support Your Business
We often assume our loved ones should be our biggest cheerleaders. But when they struggle to understand your ambition, it’s usually a reflection of their own comfort zone - not your capability.
Many were raised to believe that success looks like a stable 9-to-5, a pension, and a predictable pay check. Entrepreneurship challenges that worldview. To them, it can seem risky, unrealistic - even scary.
It’s not always about jealousy or sabotage. Sometimes, it’s simply unfamiliarity.
This disconnect is what sociologists call habitus - our ingrained beliefs shaped by upbringing and environment. If no one in your family ever ran a business, they may not even have the language to engage with yours.
How to Reframe the Disappointment and Move Forward
1. Lead with Empathy
It’s easy to feel hurt or angry. But try to see it from their perspective. Your leap into entrepreneurship might highlight their own fears or unfulfilled dreams. Instead of taking their doubts personally, acknowledge the discomfort change can bring.
2. Find Validation in the Right Places
Your worth isn’t measured by how many friends share your posts. Your audience lies beyond your personal circle. Seek feedback and encouragement from mentors, customers, or fellow founders who genuinely understand your vision.
3. Stop Waiting for Perfection
Women are often socialised to “have it all together.” But that mindset can hold you back. Instead, aim for the 70% rule - progress over perfection. Show up. Keep building. The right people will notice.
4. Let Your Results Speak for Themselves
Over time, nothing speaks louder than results. Every glowing review, client success story, or sold-out launch becomes your proof. Some doubters may even become quiet admirers once they see your success in action.
How to Build a Support System Beyond Friends and Family
If your inner circle isn’t your biggest support squad, that’s okay. Here’s where to find one that is:
Join Women’s Networking Groups
Look for female business networks like AllBright, Found & Flourish, or Lean In Circles. These spaces are designed for connection, collaboration, and shared growth.
Attend Industry Events or Workshops
Whether virtual or in-person, events can be powerful places to meet women on similar paths - people who get it.
Find Online Communities
Facebook groups, Slack communities, and LinkedIn circles for female entrepreneurs are thriving. They offer a space to vent, celebrate, and ask for support from women walking a similar road.
Hire a Coach or Mentor
Sometimes, the most impactful support comes from someone outside your circle. A coach can hold space for your ambition, offer guidance, and help you move forward when doubts creep in.
How to Support a Friend’s Business (So You Can Ask for the Same)
If the roles were reversed, you’d want your friends to support you. So let’s normalise what that support looks like:
Share their posts
Leave a Google or Etsy review
Recommend them in community groups
Buy from them if you can - or cheer them on if you can’t
Celebrate their milestones (even the small ones)
Supporting a friend’s business doesn’t have to cost money. Sometimes, just saying “I’m proud of you” means the world.
The Takeaway: You Deserve to Be Believed In
Yes, it’s painful when those you love don’t show up for you the way you hoped. But their silence is not a reflection of your value. You are building something powerful - and that takes guts.
Trust your vision. Seek support that fuels you. And remember, every woman who dared to do something different has walked through this too.
Let your journey speak for itself. And let the right people walk alongside you as you rise.
