This post is inspired by Chris Brogan’s, “Soul of a New Business“. If you don’t already, you really should subscribe to his blog in a reader. While you’re at it, why don’t you subscribe to my blog as well…
What is the soul of your business?
I created Contemporary Business Solutions because I saw a disconnect between the needs and wants of employees and employers. Having been unemployed for the majority of 2009, I had the opportunity to learn about the unemployment situation firsthand. Employees, for the most part, want full time jobs with benefits. In this economic climate, employers can’t hire full time employees, but they have loads of work that needs to be done. I was also seeing that many folks who were laid off were starting their own businesses. They were frustrated because they couldn’t devote the time they wanted to their new business because they had to do all of the other “stuff” associated with running a business. Unfortunately, they weren’t yet in a position to hire a permanent employee.
I also was driving to create Contemporary Business Solutions because I wanted to enjoy the flexibility of working when I’m most productive and engaged in order to improve my quality of life; and so I can create multiple income streams so that my family’s livelihood isn’t dramatically affected when one stream dries up.
All of these observations over a 9 month period led me to create my own business. I bring my passion for helping others to every client meeting and to every project I work on.
Does Your Business Have a Soul?
“Does your business seek to be helpful? Do you wake up thinking, “How can I do something that will improve the experience of others?” Will people say they’re better off with your business around than not?”
Your business doesn’t have to have a soul, but ask yourself if you’re passionate about what you do and if that passion is communicated to the customer. Will your business stand the test of time without a soul? Without passion?
Chris Brogan defines soul as, “the moral and intentional guidance and ‘life’ of your company.”
What Does Your Business Soul Need to Consider?
Chris hits the nail on the head in his post: “…part of what’s contributed to the economic problems of the western world at least is that companies started seeing people as numbers only.” Having been part of the unemployed population for most of 2009, I can definitely say that organizations are seeing people, the unemployed population at least, as numbers. When you’re one of 300 people applying for a job, of course you’re a number. Unfortunately, the number you acquired during the interview process stays with you when you start working for an organization. Are your employees just numbers?
“Treating people like you want to empower them to succeed instead of wanting them simply to buy is a path towards sustained business. Working out how your business fits into an ecosystem and understanding what else your customers are dealing with helps with this as well.”
Do you ever ask, “How can I help?” Work that sentence into every interaction with a client, prospect and employee and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the response.
