Hi Astrid, I am new to your newsletter, but the opening paragraph took me back to my early entrepreneurial days (I'm 79, so I have a lot of years and experiences to remember).
Your 'gentle' approach to business management is aspirational for many. One thing that I discovered that blocked achievement of those 'soft desires' was: PEOPLE. I found it very challenging to dedicate time / effort to select, train, motivate people who were not as passionate about the success of the business as I was. Investing time dealing with employees took my energies away from my major strengths--performing for the company goals.
My solution: minimize employees and hire external services. That may not be ideal for all, but this plan worked for me.
Thank you for leaving this comment Phil! I can imagine that following your values—whether it’s running a “gentle” business or anything else—can be especially difficult with personnel, and that it’s indeed easier to outsource lots; there’s simply a different dynamic. Hope you continue to enjoy the newsletter!
Hi Astrid, I am new to your newsletter, but the opening paragraph took me back to my early entrepreneurial days (I'm 79, so I have a lot of years and experiences to remember).
Your 'gentle' approach to business management is aspirational for many. One thing that I discovered that blocked achievement of those 'soft desires' was: PEOPLE. I found it very challenging to dedicate time / effort to select, train, motivate people who were not as passionate about the success of the business as I was. Investing time dealing with employees took my energies away from my major strengths--performing for the company goals.
My solution: minimize employees and hire external services. That may not be ideal for all, but this plan worked for me.
Best to 'ya.
Phil
Thank you for leaving this comment Phil! I can imagine that following your values—whether it’s running a “gentle” business or anything else—can be especially difficult with personnel, and that it’s indeed easier to outsource lots; there’s simply a different dynamic. Hope you continue to enjoy the newsletter!