There are varying degrees of freedom in business.
On one end of the extreme is the soloprenuer – the person who does all the work themselves. If they don’t show up work doesn’t get done.
On the other end of the extreme is the owner who has structured a business that runs and grows without them. They don’t have to show up at all for work to get done.
Everyone talks about the second option as being a ‘real’ business – that it should be the ultimate goal of every business owner. And that if you fall into the first category you don’t have a business you have a “glorified job”.
That’s such BS.
Being in business is all about the freedom of CHOICE. The choice to do what we want. When we want to do it. And with the people we want to work with.
I was a soloprener for the first 10 years of my business and I loved it! Yes, I had to show up to do the work or I didn’t get paid. But it was on my terms. I set my own schedule. I (mostly) did things I wanted to be doing. I got to work with some amazing clients.
Beats a job any day imo!
I shifted to a leveraged business model in 2009 and had to learn (the hard way) how to shift my role in the company. How to get the right support and structure in place so I could do LESS of certain things and MORE of others. How to become a CEO.
But I am still working. I am still doing. Yes, I take weekends off and don’t work myself to the bone. I have an amazing team who takes care of the day to day running of my business. We have worked hard to setup solid systems to create ease for all of us. I can take an unplugged vacation and my business runs fine while I’m away.
But I’m still here. I’m showing up in my business.
I want to work. I like to work! And I dare say most of us feel the same… eating bon bons on the beach all day would bore the life out of me in short order. (what the hell is a bon bon anyhow?)
It’s more about doing the right things – and knowing that what we do makes the impact we want to make – vs doing nothing at all.
It’s also about recognizing that great missions require a great deal of support.
When you are looking a bigger mission in the eye, you are also being called to create a deeper level of support.
This can be especially challenging for powerful women who are rock-stars at making it happen and getting stuff done. Our default mode is carry it all and push through… which works up to a point, and then it doesn’t anymore.
Put simply, we can only take things so far on our own. We aren’t meant to carry the weight alone (believe me, I’ve tried!)
Great missions require a great deal of support.
I’ve got a few things brewing in this space and would love to connect if this speaks to you. Send us an email and we will get you the inside scoop.
Freedom looks like having workshops set up for me! It looks like a team quite skilled at organizing my kids yoga training so I concentrate on the content with participants. Freedom feels like myself-with yogic habits, committed to consciousness building by participating in communities to foster greater partnerships and learning
The ability to take Friday afternoon off (unplanned) and go see a movie because I want to….that’s me today!
I really do love this post Tina! There are so many things being said “out there” that end up making people feel bad or wrong about the choices they make…and it’s their choice! Now it’s one thing if we’re hiding or not willing to give up any control, etc. We get to break through that stuff. But there is no one right business model for anyone, and that’s what makes being an entrepreneur so much fun!
I used to feel “guilty” that I didn’t want to build a 7 figure coaching business where I was the “figurehead” (my word) and a team basically did most of the work. Now I know I don’t want that because it’s not how I want to live! I love knowing every one of my clients, where they are and what they need support around. I couldn’t possibly do that if I was running a group program with tons of people in it.
I always start with vision. When we are really clear on what we want our LIFE to look like, and the income it will take to support that, it’s so much easier to build a business that fits into that life (versus the business taking over your life and FEELING like a JOB we don’t like!
Keep the conversation going!
Ah women to that! I am interested in partnering with others, finding true love in business and life, living easily and sustainable, prosperous by attending to what is happening in my heart space. Learning to write into the vision of life and healing the voices inside that says focus must be on this or that desire, to be the change, I’m living in the present