What is a holistic business?
Holistic businesses are ones that support the whole person behind the business, not just their business needs. Spreadsheets and profit margins are important, but so is rest, boundaries and creativity. I am a firm-believer in holistic approaches.
To look at something as a whole, not just the sum of its parts, allows one to make meaningful strides towards any goal.
When we approach our business in this way, we allow the excess to fall away and give ourselves room to grow the things that align with our values. To do this, you have to see the big picture. For example, as a new mom, I had a major shift in priorities, but also in time. I no longer had a full 8 hour day to do my work. And more importantly, I didn’t want to spend 8 hours at my desk. I wanted to squeeze my baby’s cheeks and catch up on much needed sleep. I needed to look at what my priorities were at that time to begin to make changes that related to my business. I also needed to pay my bills, so spending ALL of my time with my baby wasn’t an option either.
I started by looking at what I love to do in my business, what items brought in the most money, and how much time I realistically could spend working in a given week. Using that formula, I was able to delegate some tasks and shift some things around so that my business fit into my life (not the other way around!).
Each item affects another. Our lives are an ecosystem, and a business is one part of that. A holistic business understands this fundamental shift and utilizes a new mindset to cultivate growth, but also joy! It takes intentionality and the understanding that behind every business is the human running it.
