It’s February, the month of love. And contrary to popular belief, matters of the heart aren’t just for rom com’s and folks coupled up in relationships.
If you are a business owner, a solopreneur, or an independent empire builder, it’s time for you to think about love, as it relates to you and your business.
I’ve got a few questions to help you determine if it’s a fling, or The One.
What type of a relationship are you and your business in?
Can you answer that question clearly and honestly? The majority of business owners I talk to, can’t say exactly what type of relationship they’re in, and that’s a problem. Are you in a long term relationship? Is it casual? Are you already married? Is it an open relationship? There’s no hierarchy of what type of business relationship is better or worse, but you need to know exactly what the deal is with you and your business, so you can decide if that’s what you really want or if you want to take things to the next level.
What’s your future look like?
Knowing your desired future also helps you plan your exit strategy. Say you don’t want to marry your business, perhaps it’s a ‘just for now’ kinda thing. When will you know it’s time to end it? How do you want to end it? Do you want to sell it, hand over the reins or close the doors? These are important questions to consider for the future of your business relationship so that you can be using the present to plan for it.
How much do you love your business?
Really truly, how much? I see a lot of new business owners make the mistake of looking outside themselves to decide what their business should be. Without that deep internal connection, aka love, that drives your business, you might be run yourself into the ground. Love is the fuel that keeps you going when the going gets tough. Love is the reason you put up with all the hard stuff to get to the good parts. Love is the reason you took the risk to start your own business in the first place.
What would help you love your business more?
Perhaps you’ve never considered if you love your business. Maybe you have, and you don’t feel like you deeply love your business, maybe you’re just in ‘like-like’. Take some time to understand why you started it in the first place, and what you’re looking to get out of your business experience. Not everyone needs to marry their businesses, but if you’re looking for external validation to make you feel positively about it, then it’s time to dig deeper and find the love connection.
Not every business needs to be The One, but it sure helps to know where you stand and what your future looks like, so you can get the very most out of your relationship with your business.
Here’s to a business (and life) that you love!
xo
Ellen
