Don't Carry Your Calling Solo

Shared Experiences – We Need Others

There are many unique callings that we find ourselves in throughout our lifetimes. Here's an example of mine from today that I hope encourages you. 

Being an entrepreneur is a unique calling.  It's a distinctive form of leadership that is hard to understand unless you've walked in it. I’ve held leadership roles at established companies, but nothing compares to the weight of owning a business. When you’re the one at the helm, the buck doesn’t just stop with you — it lives with you. The responsibility, the risk, the relationships, all yours to carry.

For those of us striving to be great business leaders, it’s not just about profit. We pour ourselves out for our teams and our customers. We want excellence for the people who count on us. That kind of care can be exhilarating. It can also be exhausting.

And that’s why we need each other.

We need people who understand the weight — not just in theory, but because they’re rowing their own boat through the same kind of water.

Today, I got a taste of that. I stopped by North Pointe Auto Group in Plain City, OH — the place I take all my cars. Been going there for years. Why? Because years ago, when I needed a quick repair on my grandpa’s old truck, I met the owner. Not only was he kind and engaging, but he was clearly grinding — doing his best to go above and beyond. You could feel the effort. It was contagious. It still is.

Today we caught up. We encouraged one another. Two men in different industries, but with the same mindset: serve people well. That’s a shared experience. And it lifted my spirit.

It reminded me of David and Jonathan in Scripture.

“The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”  1 Samuel 18:1

Their bond wasn’t casual. It was forged in pressure. Both were warriors. Both bore the weight of leadership. Both knew what it meant to walk in calling under fire.

Jonathan, the king’s son, saw God’s hand on David. Rather than resist it, he embraced it. He gave David his robe, sword, and armor — symbols of power and trust (1 Samuel 18:4). It was his way of saying, “I see what God is doing in you. And I’m with you.”

Later, as David fled from Saul’s wrath, Jonathan sought him out:

“Jonathan went to David at Horesh and strengthened his hand in God.”  1 Samuel 23:16

That’s what real support looks like — not someone showing up to fix everything, but someone showing up to lift your eyes back to God, and to remind you that you’re not alone.

As entrepreneurs, as leaders, as believers — we need that.
We need others in our corner, walking similar paths, carrying similar weights. When we find each other, we find strength.

So if you're in the grind, keep going. But don’t go alone.
Encourage someone today. Let someone encourage you.
We were never meant to carry this calling solo.

Always forward. Together.

-Mark