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Whether you like it or not, you are the heart of your business. But how does an owner remain engaged in that role and not become self-centered?
It may seem new-age or "woo-woo" to traffic in this term, but to me, the key is in alignment. Someone trying to force it, who is possibly not in alignment with who they are or their core values, is what that type of person means to me. They might have thought that Gordon Gecko's "Greed is good" slogan was all that was required, but with the benefit of hindsight, perhaps we can see the fallacies at work. It is more than likely that these behaviors were used to cope with real values.
It is important to understand who we are and who we want to be before we can assess how a business will help us get there.
Take charge of your life by focusing on the 3 areas of your mindset.
There is an often overlooked reason for failure.
According to Fundsquire, 20% of companies in the UK fail in their first year, and around 60% will go bust within their first three. The main reason for failure is that there is no market need for their services or product. That cause might seem obvious, but the fact is that there was a very good chance these owners were not personally aligned with their business and customers.
Whoever is reading this has probably met someone like this, who has pursued an entrepreneurial endeavor long beyond its sell by date, convinced that its idea/product is so ingenious and well conceived that a market for it will simply appear. It is a story that is as old as time. A different outcome could have been had if this person had done the work of creating a brilliant product but also understanding who that product should be helping them to become.
Impostor Syndrome can affect your worth.
An example would be if a person created a company devoted to making great wrenches, applying years of knowledge and experience to make them better than any other. If that is the only guiding principal, what is it doing for their future? If the wrench concept encourages growth, an owner will make better decisions in how to direct the company. If a business idea isn't working, this approach to intention could save years of struggle and debt. A lot of decisions will fall into place when you start from a place of wanting to grow yourself, and see your business as an extension of that.
When people ask who your product or service is for, your answer should be "me". That is not to say that you only want to create something that you want, but that this task is part of your personal growth, not just in monetary terms, but as a whole.
A good business idea should have a strong purpose.
Get a vague answer when you ask a question.
You cannot expect a specific answer if you are not specific in what you are asking for. What are the odds that you will get what you want when you ask for fish at a restaurant? The same is true for a business. It's not enough to say that I want to make the best wrenches and be rich. Why do you want to be rich? Who will you be when you achieve that, and why do you want to be that person? If you are clear about this, your business will support you. If you think that the whole thing will take care of itself, you are mistaken.
How to keep alignment.
You might be thinking, "but what are the pathways of achieving such clarity?" You need to listen to yourself. I make it a point to check in with myself on a daily basis, clearing the decks and getting back in tune with my body and how I am feeling. A practice like meditation, yoga or guided visualization can help us get present, bring awareness to what our body is telling us, and be of maximum service, because we are trying to force something that we are not really aligned with. Ensuring that day-to-day operations are better monitored will fuel clarity in decision-making and improve alignment with the overall vision of your business. That clarity will allow you to communicate with a team in a clear way, giving them the focus they need to deliver.
Being the heart of your business and recognizing that it is there to help you grow is not about ego or selfishness, it is about being an effective leader who can communicate articulately and instill confidence in every aspect of operations.
The rest will fall into line if you become that person.
