Power of Community: How Connection Can Grow Your Business with Meg McAleer | #280

What if you could leave your corporate career and build a business that gives you professional fulfillment AND the flexibility to be present for your family?

In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, host and business coach Shannon Russell sits down with Meg McAleer, founder of Coasst, a community built around connection, collaboration, and supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

After spending approximately 15 years in financial services, including Morgan Stanley and private equity and hedge funds, Meg stepped away from her corporate career after becoming a mom.

But she quickly realized that being professionally fulfilled was still an important part of who she was.

Her career transition took her through virtual assistant work, franchise marketing, franchise sales, and owning a boutique fitness business. Along the way, Meg discovered her passion for connecting people and helping small businesses grow.

Eventually, she took everything she had learned and launched Coasst, which has grown into a collaborative business community with its own coworking experience, The Residency, at Anderson Market in Red Bank, New Jersey.

Meg also happens to be one of Shannon's former business coaching clients, making this conversation a special opportunity to look back at how her business idea became a reality.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How to transition from a corporate career into entrepreneurshipWhy your transferable skills can become the foundation of a new businessHow to find a business idea that aligns with your passions and strengthsWhy starting small and testing your idea can lead to bigger opportunitiesHow Meg turned networking events into a growing business communityWhy collaboration and community are essential for small business growthHow to balance motherhood, entrepreneurship, and professional fulfillmentWhy the messy beginning of starting a business is a normal part of the processHow to build relationships that can lead to unexpected business opportunities

You don't need to have your entire business figured out before you begin. Sometimes you discover your direction by taking the first step.

🔗 Read the Full Show Notes & Resources for This Episode 

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