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Throughout the past two weeks, I've had numerous (lively) conversations about what it means to be a conscious business owner. I've turned this topic inside out to get to the bottom of what conscious business is about. I share these 3 Keys to Conscious Business Success from my own "in the trenches" experience. In order to recognize your business as a conscious business it needs to match three criteria, and if any one of these is missing... it's not a conscious business. It may be a conscious hobby, or a conscious project, but not a conscious BUSINESS. Conscious: fully aware of or sensitive to something; deliberate, intentional. Business: a person, partnership, or corporation engaged in commerce, manufacturing, or a service; profit-seeking enterprise or concern. OK, so now that we know the dictionary definition of conscious business, here are the three key elements necessary for YOUR conscious business success. Make a Difference. A conscious business is one that's committed to making the world a better place. This doesn't mean you have to change the life of every person on the planet (though that may be your aspiration), but you DO need to provide a product or service whose intention is to improve the lives of YOUR clients and customers. Think of it as being dedicated to changing 'your world' and the people who are touched by doing business with you. Whether you own a yoga studio or a deli; offer coaching, financial planning or sales training... the question to ask yourself is, 'Am I truly committed to improving the lives of my customers and clients?' If you answer yes, you're one-third of the way there! Be Profitable. This key has been the most challenging for me. I've been SO committed to making a difference, I had neglected to analyze each of my businesses on its' own 'legs' to see if it's profitable. It had been easy to overlook the specific numbers when, overall, things are in the black. So, I ask you to do the same thing I did. This is especially important if you have multiple businesses and income streams. Here goes! Spend the afternoon with your books. Sorry, I don't mean Conversations with God or Think and Grow Rich; I'm talking about your QuickBooks. Yup. Go ahead and do it. Pull up your profit and loss (PNL) statements and read what they have to say. Is more money going out than coming in? Is one division of your business supporting another division that's costing you money? Does the business look 'on paper' like you thought it would? Is there money leaking out of your business? Are you on track to reach your financial objectives? Hint: One of your objectives needs to be profitability! If your business isn't profitable, it's time to do what it takes to become profitable. And, if you're like me, your commitment to conscious business may cause you to face some difficult decisions. Be Your Best. This key is critical because it involves how you FEEL, everyday, as you go about working 'in' and 'on' your business. I was reading the Abraham-Hicks book, Ask and It Is Given on the treadmill yesterday and the book drives this point home. Abraham-Hicks reminds you that your most important priority in manifesting your dreams is to feel good. The question to ask here is, 'Does my business cause me to feel good? Does it support me in being my best?' Your conscious business should be a source of positive emotions, a vehicle for full self-expression, a way to fulfill your destiny, and fuel for being the best you can be. If your business is not a source of feeling good, identify what doesn't feel good about it. And, then begin to eliminate or transform those aspects that have been pulling down your emotions. Your goal is to have your business fully engage you in experiencing positive emotion! The good news about being a conscious business owner is you're awake and aware to every aspect of your business. From this perspective, you stand in the most powerful position to take action in creating the business (and life) of your dreams. Copyright 2007 Christine Kloser
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