Beyond Business Podcast Ep 9
Episode 9
Crafting an impactful business for a better world
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EPISODE SUMMARY
Join me in this exploration of designing a business that gives back more than it takes, and in doing so benefits our planet, society, and personal well-being. We unpack the idea of crafting a business that is not just profitable but purposeful too, emphasising how our work can thrive by aligning with a deeper sense of meaning—be it environmental consciousness, societal contribution, or nourishing ourself after periods of burnout.
Listen in as I talk about the importance of incorporating natural cycles into business practices, and the mountain-climbing metaphor that brings clarity to designing a business that resonates deeply with clients. This conversation is not just about the mechanics of running a company, but also about the heart—connecting with customers on a level that goes beyond transactions and fosters a self-sustaining model through genuine, positive experiences.
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION
00:03 - Debbie (Host)
Welcome to Beyond Business, the podcast, the show for impact driven ecopreneurs who want to be part of a bigger change and make a difference that reaches beyond your business alone.
Hello and a very warm welcome to another episode of the Beyond Business podcast. It is such a pleasure to be here with you and thank you for choosing to chin in today. I have to say it feels a bit odd for me to be looking into a microphone without someone else on the other side. If you fancy reaching out and joining the conversation to let me know how you enjoyed the episode, what you took away, if you've got any reflections or takeaways to share, I would be super grateful to hear. I've been doing a lot of guest interviews over these last few weeks and I feel really grateful to have had such an awesome selection of wonderful guests. There's been so many rich and vibrant conversations on quite a wide range of topics, so if you haven't already listened to any of those, then I'd really encourage you to go back and check them out, and I can almost guarantee there'll be something there for you. Anyway, today what I wanted to talk to you about was what it means to design and build a business that gives back more than it takes, because this is a theme that has become really central to my work, and I notice it being something that is common to so many of the business owners that I work with, both as peers and as clients, either early on in their business or, equally like later, when their business is more established but just doesn't feel sustainable in whatever capacity. And I would say that this like building a business that gives back more than it takes. Other people might describe this as wanting to do good in the world, let's say, and I feel really incredibly privileged to be surrounded by so many people with this deep sense of purpose and I see it being so vital to so many people in enabling them and then their communities, to really thrive in business. And this is why I feel so passionate about, like spreading the word that there is an alternative out there to mainstream business practices and it works. So, yeah, where does this like deep sense of purpose come from?
02:36
I think for some people, it comes from wanting to do good for the planet. Like we see so many challenges environmental challenges all around us today, and some people they have this real ego conscious approach on wanting to do good to the environment and the planet. Then for other people, it's that they want to support other people directly I have a real impact on society and then for other people still, it's really a personal thing where they they want to do good by their own personal well being, and this is often after a period of burnout or high stress or time spent working in an environment that just wasn't in their, their best interest, and so they really desire the sense of like, replenishment and nourishing and taking care of themselves for a little bit. And every one of these things is your main motivation, or maybe it's a combination of more than one. Then there's some, I'd say, key elements to plan into your business such that it becomes like inherent in your business that it will give back more than it takes, like give back more to you, to the planet and to other people. Before we dive into that, I think it's worth pointing out that this isn't the mainstream way of doing business. So, you know, if you feel that with this you're going against the grain a little bit, it's probably because you are in many ways, I think that are many, let's say, of our more traditional businesses.
04:32
Business practices can be traced back to the industrial revolution, really Similarly with schooling as well, where it was a period of rapid growth in manufacturing and other highly extractive industries where the whole ethos was centered around or reliant upon extracting raw materials from the earth, making them into a usable product, selling that product for profit and then, after it had been used for a little while, letting it become waste. And I think, somewhat surprisingly, even today, most industries, like most big commercial industries, still operate in this way, where it's accepted that certain things like cars or buildings will eventually become waste, like they'll reach the end of their usable life and then that's it. And like, when that's the case, they're then depleting the earth's resources at an exponential rate and depleting them but not replenishing them in any way. But it's not just these like big commercial industries which are the ones that are sort of easy to point a finger at, let's say. But even if we look at more modern business practices that have been developed more recently in the startup world, where, like, for example, lean and agile working practices are like super common, these like working yeah, working practices. They're designed to shorten the product development cycle, so, you know, to design a minimal and viable product that can be taken to market as quickly as possible in order to start generating revenue.
06:35
Really, and you know, maybe these like companies could be developing products that are better for the environment, but the ways of working behind those are almost at odds with that sustainable motivation, let's say so. They promote ways of working where there's a requirement to be always on and relentlessly sprinting towards the next goal. And you, as human beings, who are just not designed to work in the way the machines are, we need downtime, we need to replenish our own resources and we need time to recharge and refuel. So yeah, all of that to say that designing and building a business that gives back more than it takes and really puts emphasis on that replenishment and downtime and integration time is it's often at odds with the more mainstream way of doing things. And so, like I said, if it feels like you're fighting against the tide, let's say, or going out in a limb, then it's because it is you are.
07:56
So if we accept that a lot of businesses are based on this extractive model of using up resources that aren't properly replenished, then the opposite of this is building a business that is self replenishing, like a life affirming business, and I like to think of a forest as a model for this. So, within a forest, there are annual cycles where the leaves fall off the trees, they decay, they eventually turn into soil, and that soil then becomes fertile ground from which new life can emerge. And in a way, this is the aim to design our business like a forest, so that nothing is wasted and instead everything and every learning can be turned into something useful that can be used time and time again. And I think that even if we just approach our business with this mindset alone, then that in itself can be instrumental. I know for me it's felt like incredibly supportive. It's helped me feel like a deeper connection to nature and really work with cycles in a different way in my work, and so today I'm going to talk through what I see as like the five elements, let's say, to building a business that gives back more than it takes.
09:27
And the first one is what I just mentioned there intentionally working in cycles of activity. Because we see cycles all around us in nature. There's the seasons, there's, yeah, the way trees grow and replenish, there's the way plants grow, there's the cycles of the moon and so many more. But some key features of any cycle are intentionally building in time for rest and reflection and what I like to think of as letting ideas percolate.
10:11
So if we take a very typical cycle, let's say, when it comes to doing a business project, it would be starting off with a planning phase, like scooping out the work, deciding what the goals are, what resources are in hand in terms of like, who will be working on it, if we need to bring in any outside support that really like planning phase, akin to what spring would be in the Northern Hemisphere and then we move into a period of doing and high activity that's the Northern Hemisphere summer, where, yeah, there's this real like outward energy to it and the emphasis is on getting stuff done. And then we move into the reflection and integration phase. So this would be autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, where we integrate learnings, look back at what worked well, what didn't, what we might want to do differently next time. And then, most importantly, comes what would be winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and this is the time for intentional rest and what I like to think of as letting things percolate, and this is the key bit. I would say the autumn and winter is really the key bit that is missing in so many of our practices, or really not given the weight, maybe, or the weight of importance that it needs to be, because I think that, finally, this is often when the best insights come, like when you've done a big sprint of work and then go out for a walk, for example, and then suddenly like something just like drops in or becomes clear, those real light bulb moments. Or it can happen if you're on a holiday too, or walking in the hills. It's almost like you switch off that conscious thinking mind and something bubbles up to the surface.
12:15
And then another part of cyclical working that I think is key is just accepting that you don't, we won't, have all of the answers first time around, and actually it may. We may need to go through several cycles of evolution, taking like small steps each time and sometimes making like frustratingly slow progress, but all in support of like a greater end product. And I see this so often in those early stages of business where there's a real pressure to make it work. You know, in order to prove that it was a good choice to start this business, we want to have all the ideas figured out and perfect and like polished first time around, whereas actually I think what is most supportive or most helpful for long-term success is like starting small and imperfect and doing that work and just getting things out there and getting conversations started and connecting with people who really align or on board to the bigger mission of your business. So this is the first element of the business design and it really covers how we work, whereas the four I'm going to talk about next are more about what we do like, what our business aims to do, and, put really simply, these are who, why, what, how.
13:48
And the most simple or easiest to remember way I think of this is using the metaphor of climbing a mountain. So imagine that you, as the business owner, you're helping someone to climb a mountain. The things you want to understand are who this person is, where do they live, where do they come from, what do they care about? What's their family setup, etc. Etc. Why do they want to climb the mountain? Why do you want to help them? Why do you care about them getting to the top of this mountain? What help do they need to in order to be able to make it to the top, and how are you going to let them know that you are the person who can help them? So that's the who. Who's the person? Why? Why are they doing it and why do you care what? What help do they need and how? How are you going to let them know that you're the person who can help them. And once you can figure out those four things and really implement them strongly, let's say, it almost becomes like a self-perpetuating circle where you are able to support the people who you're most suited to in a way that works for you and for them, so they're getting a really high quality product and service and you are really thriving doing it, and the result of that is that they speak to more people like them and word of mouth starts really taking hold of your business.
15:30
So let's go back to that mountain analogy and just flesh out each of those four elements a little bit more. So, firstly, who is the person? We've talked about this already, but this is defining that person, both in terms of their external descriptors, those that we might be more familiar with, knowing where they live, what age they are, what their family setup is, what job they might work in, but also, importantly, in terms of their internal world as well, and knowing what their personal values are, what matters to them and what's important to them and what might lead them, what they might be seeking at a deeper level when they reach out to a business provider. And the second element about why. So why do they want to climb this mountain. Let's say, is it, for example, a personal fitness school? Is it maybe representative of them overcoming a bigger obstacle in life? And so there's an added challenge in that. Is it because they're really into wildlife and want to spot wildlife on the way up this hill? Are they a climber and do they want to push their comfort zone and rock climb the steepest route to the top of the hill, so getting some sort of sense of what it is that they actually want to climb? Because we think all those people could, in theory, be climbing exactly the same mountain, but for very different reasons, like with different objectives, different challenges and looking for different solutions on the other side.
17:29
So that's, why do they care? But why do you care about this? And this is often. This can often be linked back to, like, our own personal story or our personal experience or, yeah, a journey or a challenge that we have been on ourselves and that connecting us with this like wider mission or bigger mission in the world. So if we relate it back to this example, why do you care about it? Like, is it that you really care about seeing more women out on the hills and you want to support them getting into the outdoors and feeling like competent and strong. There Is it that you find personal freedom and like unleash your creative element, for example in the mountains, and you want to support others to experience the same. So this bit really speaks back to like your personal values and your vision and your mission. And yeah, it's something about the brand that you're creating.
18:35
Then the next part is about what. What is it that they need? Let's take the example of the climber. Let's say that's one close to my own heart. Maybe it's a climber who's they've only ever climbed indoors and they want someone to show them how to do it outside, for example. So it's really literally showing them the ropes as to how how all this gear works outside and what they do with it, and taking them through the, the basics that will really stand them a good stead for a long time to come. Or maybe they are already a super experienced climber and they're fully competent, they have a sense of independence, but they just don't have any climbing partners and they want somebody to accompany them and have this route.
19:30
Or similarly, let's say, without the wildlife enthusiasts, maybe they're just getting into bird spotting and they want to know the basics. Or maybe they're a seasoned expert and they just want, they want your help to find, like, the best spots on the hill with, like, the highest chances of spotting the rarest birds. Let's say, so, this bit about what they need, it's really about finding that sweet spot between what they need and what you feel confident and competent in offering. Yeah, so that's about. And then, lastly, how are you going to let them know that you, or your product or your service, is the way that they can get what they need? So how do you market in a way that's ethical, it's not mean manipulative, it's not dishonest, and but, and let's say, and it also allows you to build a sustainable business model that meets your own needs and where you feel like you're really getting compensated and rewarded for the time and energy and effort you put in. So, yeah, that.
20:46
That concludes those four different bits.
20:48
And when we let out like this, then hopefully you can see how you might need to go through this cycle several times, like through several iterations of learning and in order for it to become self sustaining.
21:03
But the aim is that when your business is running in this way, then your customers really connect with that deeper purpose that you bring to your work and they, they, in turn, then tell other people about you. So I'd say like, maybe to conclude, it's something that is easy in practice and it sounds really simple when we lay out this way, but I also recognize that there are many, many layers and this is, I guess, like a large part of my work distilling. I really take it as my job to take the complexities and distill them into something that makes it easier for you to do your job as the business owner. So if you'd like to know more or if you have any questions or any reflections, then please do reach out to me. I'm on Instagram or LinkedIn or you can also reach me on email and I'll be super, super happy to answer With that. I shall be back again next week with another guest interview with Nicole Drummond on really honing and using our intuition in business. So until then, bye for now.
Thank you so much for listening to this episode of beyond business. If you've loved what you've heard, I would be incredibly grateful if you could rate and review the podcast so that together we can create a global ecosystem of change makers, pioneering business as a force for good. Until then, I look forward to speaking to you in the next episode.