Business owners spend a lot of time talking about growth, sales, strategy and performance. Carefully choosing the highlights for social media posts.
What we talk about far less is loneliness.
That might seem like an unusual topic for a room full of business owners, but it became one of the most powerful themes to emerge during our latest Vibrant Supper Club, where we welcomed communication expert and former hostage negotiator Nicky Perfect.
Drawing on decades of experience handling high-pressure conversations and crises, Nicky shared lessons on communication, leadership and human connection that resonated deeply with everyone around the table.
One comment in particular seemed to strike a chord.
“Leadership is one of the most isolating jobs that you can have, unless you find a group like this where you have a safe space.”
Looking around the room, there were plenty of nodding heads.
Because whilst leadership can be incredibly rewarding, it can also be incredibly lonely.
Many business owners carry challenges they don’t share with their teams. They shield others from difficult decisions. They worry about cashflow, staffing, growth and responsibility. They feel pressure to have the answers.
And often, they feel they have to carry those burdens alone.
Communication Isn’t a Soft Skill
One of the first points Nicky made was a simple but powerful challenge to conventional thinking.
“People always say that communication is a soft skill. I don’t think it is. I think it’s a life-changing skill.”
It’s easy to view communication as something that sits alongside leadership.
The reality is that communication often is leadership.
The quality of our conversations shapes our relationships with clients, our teams, our families and ourselves.
The conversations we avoid can be just as important as the conversations we have.
You Don’t Have to Have All the Answers
Another message that resonated strongly with attendees was Nicky’s reminder that leaders don’t need to solve everything immediately.
“You don’t have to solve the problem in one conversation, and you don’t have to have all the answers.”
For business owners, this can be a difficult lesson to embrace.
Many leaders feel responsible for fixing problems, providing certainty and making decisions quickly.
But sometimes the most important thing isn’t having the answer.
Sometimes it’s creating the space for the conversation.
Why We Created Supper Club
At Vibrant, we created Supper Club because we believe business owners need more than networking events.
They need places where they can connect with other people who understand the realities of leadership.
Places where conversations can go beyond sales, referrals and elevator pitches.
Places where people can share experiences, challenges and ideas openly.
As Bev Wakefield explained during the evening:
“Business ownership can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be incredibly lonely. Supper Club was created to give people the opportunity to step away from the day-to-day pressures of running a business, connect with others who understand those challenges, and have conversations they don’t often get to have elsewhere.”
The Most Powerful Thing a Business Owner Can Hear
The evening concluded with one final thought from Nicky.
According to her, one of the most meaningful things a person can hear is:
“Thanks for listening.”
Because in those three words, people feel heard.
They feel valued.
They feel understood.
For a room full of business owners, leaders and decision-makers, it was a simple reminder that communication isn’t just about speaking.
It’s about creating connection.
And perhaps that’s why the evening resonated so strongly.
If you’d like to join us at a future Supper Club or Pathway to Chuffing Success event, you can view upcoming events here: Vibrant Events
