WHY YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR BUSINESS PLAN?

Authenticity in business has become something of a dirty word these days. Over utilizedand thrown around so casually that one begins to think what even does it mean?

Authenticity is defined as being genuine or oneself, which all in all seems pretty easy but how is it one of the hardest things to embrace about being in business? We all started our business journey with a mission - a problem to solve. Ultimately it is a problem we have felt ourselves or something that has moved us to act. During that journey we have also discovered that feeling of imposter syndrome. The inadequacy of ability to perform a task.

"So how do we move past our chronic self-doubt and forward to that ultimate goal of true authenticity in business?"

The most important factor in business is you. Embracing your you-ness, your quirks, passions, drives, misgivings and all that in-between is what sets your business apart from another. For me finding my path to my authentic business self took a few years, but I hope to give you a few tools that I stumbled upon over the years.

Your Style.

Everyone has an individual style, be it creative or otherwise. Our nuance in our methods is like our own personal signature. Discovering our style is where things come easily, when you don’t have to force the point or feel like you need to look to others at all times for guidance.

Which brings me to;

Stop looking over the fence.

Having your tribe of business buddies helps a lot. They lift you up, they celebrate your wins and they challenge you to move forward. But if you find yourself constantly comparing your business to theirs, feeling like you have missed out. Or are trailing their concepts with your own version this is the point you need to ask yourself. Are you still on the path that best fits your needs?

Invest

Take the time to grow and develop. Read those blogs, do those workshops and attend those seminars. We as humans do not grow in isolation. Healthy inspiration, influence and growth happens when we put ourselves out there and invest in you.

If your business needed an upgrade to a piece of equipment you would budget that into your plan? Treat yourself the same. You, your individuality, your drive your you-ness is the key element that sets your business apart from everyone else. Finding your you and embracing is exactly what they mean when someone claims authentic business practices. And you, are the most important piece of your business model.

Alex StallingArtist | Maker