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4 Pillars of a Civil Society by @SBSLEducSoltns

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The ‘Holidays’ …

 

… offer entrepreneurs a renewed opportunity to serve, solve, & be civil, especially in hyper competitive industries.

 

With this mindset, we can ask ourselves a key question:

 

How can business owners strengthen the pillars of our civil society?

 

Please think & then brainstorm ways to turn thoughts into energy; consider this post both informative AND actionable.

 

Defining civil society

This topic echoes last month’s post, many definitions exist, leaving us with another question to ponder that’s also well worth our time. Which to pick?

 

Here’s my chosen one.

 

Yet, if you settle on another, there isn’t a ‘wrong’ answer; your choice is likely tied to your unique perspective, lens, and/or life experiences.

 

Civil societies, in the 19th century, often included a ‘sister’ term, a component, [a] mutual aid society …

 

[they] prefigure most functions of the modern state. They’re at least as old as armies, but their mission is life, not death. For millennia, people have banded together to provide each other with health care, pensions, … and livelihoods. They have also leveraged their numbers to elicit some of these same benefits from those other two institutions, business and the government. Mutual aid extends the bonds of kinship and makes individuals into citizens.

― Anya Kamenetz

 

1st pillar :  The Family   

The holidays & families often are rightfully intertwined: so, too, the first pillar of civil society is emblazoned with the word ‘family’ & it’s an earned label.

 

Maybe you’re a family business? Nearby where I live, the Conway Center is a terrific resource for them & the other businesses who seek to serve this demographic. Quite likely, there are ‘like’ organizations elsewhere in America, as family businesses are very common.

 

Perhaps some/all of your clients/customers are families?

 

No matter how we look at it, it’s rather challenging to separate family from civil society, and a civil society from entrepreneurship.

 

2nd pillar : Non Profits ( inc. social enterprise )  

As the 19th century transitioned into the 20th, mutual aid societies began to fade; previously thriving organizations were often overshadowed as America became more centralized, corporatized, & urbanized.

 

We’ve now begun (  this post offers backgrounder ) turning back, with a modern flair, to where we once were as a civil society. Rough edges & burrs on the saddle of the Gig (Sharing/Youpreneur) Economy can, without question, be ‘buffed’ by devolving & delegating societal challenges & thorny problems to non profit institutions, especially social enterprises.

 

What’s a social enterprise? As stated in this annual report, they’re ‘easy to understand’ & more necessary to renewing our nation than many might realize.

 

3rd pillar : Faith institutions 

Faith in the entrepreneurial ‘square’, our common culture, let alone civil society, often stirs up emotions & thorny debates.

 

To avoid needless arguments, I humbly encourage everyone to consider multiple definitions:

Perhaps you’ll pick ‘faith’ as defined by the venerable Napoleon Hill in his masterwork, ‘Think & Grow Rich’ , or maybe you’ll instead lean into a Judeo-Christian foundational definition, as espoused by organizations like Truth At Work.

 

No matter your decision, this pillar’s densely strong, earning its place as one of the key four; it props up each & every business owner at some point(s) in her journey from ideating a business, to launch/startup phase, thru ebb & flood tides, linear or exponential growth,  & further ahead into an as of yet unknown future.

 

How so? Faith oft times can act as the antithesis of fear; it can buttress your failures & keep you anchored to your purpose & mission.

 

4th & final pillar:  Entrepreneurs

And now, the spotlight shines brightly on Y-o-u:  The business founder/owner, the entrepreneur.

 

If by now it wasn’t crystal clear, it now will be: Entrepreneurship, in all its forms/types , is absolutely a pillar.

 

You’ve likely seen/heard statistics about small businesses’ vast importance to our nation’s vitality.

Or, maybe you’ve encouraged someone to start their own business at some point: maybe a family member?; neighbor?; a past co-worker?; or as a mentor for a future graduate or recent alumna from your alma mater?

 

Action(s) as common as keeping your business viable, including delegating task(s) to someone like Karissa , or expanding your product line, are each useful in ensuring that this fourth pillar will always be foundational for generations of Americans in the 2020’s & well beyond.

 

Further context to the first question

The first three pillars have boundless potential: leveraging 1, 2, or all 3 can enable your business(es) to morph from a pure ‘S’ [ self employed ]; to at least a hybrid ‘ S/B’, or even a straight ‘B’.  It’s the latter state where you’ve reached the nirvana of time freedom; you’re definitely working “on” & NOT “in” your venture, thereby freeing the owner to participate more actively in civil society.

 

Profiles Worth Following

NapHill.org

Social Ventures

Truth@Work

DSC

Sivers

YEA USA

Conway Center

 

Please invest further…

… in your thinking.

You’ve read & trustfully sensed the heart, soul, & spirit of this created content; now, will you commit to dig into this curated content from other valuable resources?

 

Civil Society

Mutual Aid Societies & the Gig Economy

Social Capital Primer

Root

B2C v B2B 

Working “ON” & not “IN” a Business

 

In short

  • The holidays offer a chance to reflect
  • Civil society: Quotable quote & definition[s]
  • First two:  Family & Non profits
  • Second 2 : Faith & Entrepreneurs
  • Further context
  • Follow these Social profiles
  • As always, take action: curated content from add’t resources

 

Thank YOU for reading!

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Spiritual Entrepreneurs: 5 Tips To Help You Succeed by @valjonescoach

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by Valerie Jones | Featured Contributor

‘Being an entrepreneur simply means being someone who wants to make a difference to other people’s lives.’ -Richard Branson

Are you a spiritual entrepreneur? This has become a bit of a buzz word lately and has many definitions. However, in a nutshell, you are a spiritual entrepreneur if you are in business to make a difference in the world. Therefore, we could call Mother Theresa a spiritual entrepreneur, or, by his own words, Richard Branson. If you are making a living out of improving the lives of others, then you, my dear, are a spiritual entrepreneur.

Here are some other characteristics of a spiritual entrepreneur:

  • You are heart centered and incorporate your emotions into your work.
  • You have a strong spiritual belief, and it drives your purpose.
  • You are in the business of helping others. Maybe you’re a coach, a therapist, a healer, or someone who sends love and positive energy with each shipment you send out.
  • Self growth is a priority for you. You actively seek ways to better yourself and your life.
  • You are motivated by money. You are also motivated by seeing people’s lives change and improve because of the work that you do. 

These are just a few hallmarks of a spiritual entrepreneur. I call myself one. As a Coach, I work with people on a daily basis who are being brave and showing up for themselves and going after their healing so that they can live a free, fulfilled and passionate life. My work is my calling, my vocation, and my passion. There is nothing I love more than to witness the transformation of a client. It’s what excites me, motivates me, and gets me out of bed in the morning.

Gabrielle Bernstein has made huge inroads into giving others permission to build a career around their passions. The author of ‘May Cause Miracles,’ she has become a huge success simply by being authentic and sharing her spiritual practices and principles with others. She is a big believer that it’s not only okay to charge for your services, as a spiritual entrepreneur, it’s essential. Why? Because when you can make a living doing what you feel called to do, it changes everything. It energizes you, excites you, and motivates you. It makes you happy. She even has her own course for spiritual entrepreneurs, Spirit Junkie Masterclass, where you can learn how to do this for yourself.

So, if you know you’re a spiritual entrepreneur, or you think you might be one, I have a few things for you to consider. It’s not always a cake walk out there when you are creating a business around you and your authentic self. It can be scary and vulnerable and uncertain. Here are a few things that might help you on your sacred journey:

  1. Own It. That’s right, my friends. You must own who you are, what you believe, and why you’re doing what you do. If you don’t, nobody else will. People sense when someone is standing in their power and will innately trust them. People also sense when someone is unsure and that energy will pass to them and they will not hire you. So, do the work to stand in your power. Take a course. Hire a coach. Do the work you need to do, on you, so that you can be confident and strong in your message.
  2. Know your Why. People don’t buy a service or product because of what it gives them; they buy because of why you’re offering it. They want to know what you believe, and why you do what you do. Then they will believe it too. This might require some digging on your part, to really get to the nitty gritty of why you want to do your work. Once you get in touch with your Why, it becomes much easier to talk about the What.
  3. Know Your Message. Get super clear on who your ideal client is, what they are struggling with, and how you can help them. Once you have that nailed down, you will know who to market to. Your message, as a spiritual entrepreneur, is YOU. It’s all about your story, your journey, and what you can offer to others.
  4. Own Your Pricing. This is a tough one for many of you. I see it all the time; women who have a valuable service to offer, and yet are nervous to ask for money, or insecure about what they are charging. Get over it! I’m telling you right now, what you’re doing is valuable and the world needs you. You have every right to charge for what you do. Decide on a price that doesn’t feel too easy, and doesn’t make you want to throw up. It should feel like a stretch but also doable. Then practice telling people what you charge, without justifying or trying to explain it. Just stand in your power!
  5.  Find Your Tribe. You need support, and you need a tribe of others who are on the same path as you. It makes a world of difference! Join a Facebook group, or another online group of women who are also putting themselves out there. It’s amazing how many of us are out there, and we all need each other. I have been surprised at the number of real, solid friendships I’ve built online. Get involved and reach out.

Being a spiritual entrepreneur is a calling. It’s a gift. It’s who you were created to be, and, as I said before, the world needs you. We need you to be brave, to own who you are, and to do the work so that you can share your gifts with us. Be consistent and persistent, stay positive, and don’t ever give up. There is more than enough out there for all of us. Enough money, enough clients, enough opportunities. Stand up and claim what’s rightfully yours.

If you are looking for a place to find your tribe, check out my brand new Facebook group! It’s created for women just like you,and  I think you’ll find it a great source of support and encouragement. Just click on the link below to sign up. xo

https://www.facebook.com/groups/233451907049457/

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Valerie JonesValerie Jones is a Life & Transition Coach. She is passionate about helping women create the lives they’ve always wanted – not the lives they think they ‘should’ be living, but a genuine, authentic life that is a full expression of their birthright.  She brings humour, compassion and wisdom to her coaching and to her writing, and creates a safe space for others to express their truth. She is also a corporate coach, working with the United Nations and eBay.  She lives in British Columbia, Canada, and has three amazing children who are bridging into adulthood, which is a whole new ball game as a parent. Valerie loves good red wine and travelling whenever and wherever the opportunity arises.
You can connect with Valerie on social media here: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram