My business strategy is being myself

As a social entrepreneur, I am constantly working on my business to make it more sustainable, impactful, and enjoyable to run.

Here are some of my recent reflections, which I hope might be useful for others who are setting up their own shop, be it a business, research lab or nonprofit.  

I am also curious to learn from the experiences of other people running small enterprises.

Recent learnings:

1. Tailor my business to my own nervous system

Fancy folks call this “building a lifestyle business.”

After a decade of working much too hard, I have had to be completely honest about what I require to function productively and remain a vibrant, happy human being. My conditions of success, if you like. For example, if I work more than 45 hours a week, then I lose time and mental space for my creative pursuits and friendships, which immediately makes me miserable. I mostly like to work from home. That way, when I do head out to meet with a client, I am happy, full of energy, and willing to navigate the parking.

2. Value my own contributions

I often give this advice to my research clients: make all your labour visible so that you can account for it. Design everything you do into your strategy so that you can plan for it, charge for it, and communicate its value to partners and funders.

But it has taken me a long time to learn that lesson for myself. I have often relied on stoicism and over-functioning to keep the show on the road. I allow hard things to look effortless. I am now restructuring my business to account for the invisible work of strategic leadership, risk-taking, and relationship management that I provide each day as a founder and director.

3. Broadcast who I am to find the right clients

I once told my Godfather that I work hard at not letting my clients know how weird I am. He laughed and said that I might not be doing as good a job as I think I am.

What I have realised since is that it’s OK to be myself in a professional setting. Part of what makes people safe is authenticity. Many of my research clients are brilliant eccentrics who want to be met and enjoyed for who they are, not put into a box. Working with someone who is “out” as themselves – creative, independent, direct – is often a relief for them.

Rather than appearing conventional, I am putting my energy into being competent and kind. That has turned out to be far more useful. And I hope that my clients and partners feel safe to be themselves with me.

4. Focus on delivery, not image

I recently brought on a second strategy coach, the glorious Jo Mahoney, and suddenly we have capacity to start marketing the Accelerator for the first time.

To date, I have gotten 100% of my business from referrals. Now that our coaching capacity has expanded, we can reach out to new potential clients and tell them what we do. As we go on this marketing journey together, I am reminded that the only real flex in business is consistently delivering value.

If you provide people with radical support, there will always be more people to help, and word will spread. Marketing is just referring yourself.

What are you learning about being yourself in business?

Henri Matisse, Interno con vaso etrusco, 1940 (source: wikimedia commons)