Fountain 44
First a note to honour all the brave men and women who have fought, served and supported their countries today (Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran’s Day in the United States). Thank you for all of your service. Ria’s grandpa was in World War II. So Before we get together around The Fountain we would like to acknowledge that today is November 11 and we are wishing all a blessed and thoughtful day.
Switching to another honour and wearing the Maple Leaf: this weekend I was at the Baseball Canada annual general meeting in my new board member role. Got the opportunity to visit Winnipeg, and reading my book “The Daily Dad” a page was titled “Finding Your People”; as I sat in a room of baseball people it reminded me how energized I get when I’m around “my people”.
When I’m around baseball nerds, entrepreneurs, or people into art and cars, they are all groups of people that I like to be around.
Or when you are a concert with 20,000 people, you know you all have at least one cool thing in common.
We all need communities and people that give us energy.
So today is about where and how to find them.
When to find them.
⏳️ Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes
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Finding Your Community
Where you can find a new community
Instagram - is where I find a lot of cool events about Classic Porsche’s, then I go to an event - say a swap meet, and learn a little bit amongst a bunch of passionate enthusiasts.
Local Shops - I am always taking pics of local shops bulletin boards.
Clubs, Card Shows, and Concerts - I could go on but those are a few doors to open.
You want to be surrounded by people who are interesting, people whose presence unlocks something in you, groups that are like minded, hopefully open minded.
You do not have to abandon everyone you care about or find more community. It is simply about choosing where your attention and energy goes.
17 year old Trent playing for Team Canada
How to find your people
Start by noticing where you feel a spark. In a room full of people, who do you naturally navigate towards. When I was at Grad School I joined “The Real Estate Club” and I was with my people. When I see Paisley do pottery with her pottery crew of friends she is with her people.
Are you at your kids’ sports game talking to the yoga moms, or the pet dads, or the book club moms?
The right people make you feel awake and engaged, even in small moments.
You feel a little more curious
You feel understood
You feel like they can educate you
Those interactions are worth following because they point you toward environments that match who you are (or are becoming).
Also some time in our ride along the river of life, Loneliness is real, or something occurs and a community changes, and none of this is meant to dismiss that.
I’ve been lonely, far away from home, sad a close group has drifted apart over time, yet with new days comes new interests and possibilities and people.
Sometimes it starts with one person. One conversation. One shared interest.
If you cannot find your people right away, find your person, or find a new activity.
My niece has just gone off to University, she is gaining new community, with independence and confidence. She knew no one a few months ago and now she’s got a new job, has joined some clubs, and is achieving it all on her own. She is closer to her people in many over lapping ways.
Some may say easier when your at University - so here is cool video of how to make friends as Adults
Another way to find your people is through subtraction.
Sometimes you do not know exactly who your people are, but you know who they are not.
For example: You do know you’re not a metal person or a country person; so we can take those types of concerts off the calendar. That means you should go to another type of show and maybe you’re actually a house music person.
These small truths can help land you. They can help you from forcing yourself into environments or routines that might not match who you are, where you’re headed.
Some people may make you feel judged. I had this for my faith for example, but church always makes me feel inspired and grounded. Singing and listening to stories with my family and people who share a common thread.
Your people do not make you shrink or hide. They make you feel more like yourself. Subtraction is a direction. Every time you acknowledge what does not fit, you get closer to what does.
Every new stage in life is a funnel that moves you closer to the people meant for you.
Invest in Your New Community
When I joined Baseball Canada community it immediately clicked for me because I didn’t just show up.
I gave.
I volunteered.
I tried to offer skills they did not have, because I loved it.
I brought time and energy into the group, and people seemed to respond.
Ria echoed this too. When you step into a subculture or a small ecosystem that aligns with your values, you meet others who share those same interests, and investing in those groups become easy and rewarding.
Pottery nights. Yoga classes. Church communities. MBA clubs. Comic book groups. Gardening. Volunteering. The Fountain ;).
Whatever it is, these places are fertile ground because you already care about the same things. And sometimes you meet the people who change your life through what feels like coincidence.
Other times you seek them on purpose. Either way, your values leave a trail that leads you to the right rooms.
You also do not need to be the best at something to belong.
Say you love rugby, but aren’t physically able to play all that well. You can manage the team or help run the bar or support the group in small ways.
Belonging is not for the stars. It is for the people who show up with sincerity. You can be part of a club without being Michael Jordan. Presence matters more than performance.
Creating What You Cannot Find
For the incredible people around the Fountain reading this, there is another important point.
If the community you need does not exist like you want it to, you can create it (The Fountain!)
lowna started small - I invited him to hike up Knox when he was new to town so that I could welcome him to the city. That spark became a group. That group became momentum. That momentum eventually shaped thousands of lives. It shows what can happen when you find even one aligned person and decide to build something around the connection.
And through it all, it is important to stay yourself. Find your people, but do not become a copy of them. Community should never cost you your identity. It should help you evolve, improve, and learn, but always from a place of authenticity.
The goal is not to fit in. The goal is to feel at home. When you are in the right community, you feel that. You will also live longer being part of a community.
This is a great article: The Japanese Concept of Ikigai—Why Purpose Might be a Better Goal Than Happiness
You feel it in the conversations, in your confidence, and in the way you show up in your own life.
Other Amazing Communities for Entrepreneurs I’m a part of:
League of Innovators: is Canada’s largest community and accelerator for founders under 30. 100% free, equity-free, and built to help you learn faster, fail smarter, and grow with a crew that actually gets it. I talk to their cohort every year and we will share some video in the coming weeks.
Make a Million Bucks? Win this contest - I have been learning some AI filmaking tools and wanted to share this opportunity.
Breakthough Prize winner David Liu - won $3m and might save your life from his research in the future. Buckle up your mind for this video and thank you to all the researchers our there doing the work and funding science.
Reply with the community you feel the most grateful for - we love learning about others.
Here’s a song we are playing on repeat:
As we wrap up this issue, I keep coming back to the idea that finding your people is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.
The right community makes you braver, more curious, more yourself. Most of us are just looking for a place where we can show up as we are and feel understood without trying so hard.
My hope is that the Fountain becomes a great community for you. A place you can check in each week and feel a little less alone in whatever season you are in. A place to learn, reflect, and grow alongside people who care about the same things you do. A place where we share honestly, think out loud together, and try to make each other better.
If something in here resonated, I would love for you to share it with a couple people who might feel at home in this community too. That is how good groups grow, one connection at a time.
Thanks for reading and for being here, I am grateful you are part of this.
Trent & Ria
