I got into business because I wanted to do something I cared about.

Besides that, I had been reading books on living your purpose which made me realized I wasn’t living mine.

So when I hit bottom, tired of having to hide part of who I was, I took the leap to follow my passion.

Maybe you resonate with that too.

Looking at it in hindsight, it all sounds a bit selfish now, don’t you think?

Yes, because I built my biz focusing on what I wanted, what I felt inspired to do, what I was passionate about.

I know that’s how most people get started in business too.

But I wonder, isn’t that a bit self-centric?

The reality of why your business is not just about you.

This idea that passion is all it takes to build a successful business has caused a lot of trouble.

Of course, you need the right motivation, or you won’t be able to push through the tough moments that you will encounter,  but it completely ignores one of the foundational principles of business:

“The true nature of any business is to be of service.”

Your business is as much about your clients -if not more- than it is about you.

Fail to provide something other people are willing to pay for and you don’t have a business,  as simple as that.

So your business is not just about you, the solopreneur, even if that’s what this name implies.

I’m afraid we are getting too many emails which foster this type of thinking, and lots of branding experts sustain this approach too.  

But by doing that, we are creating a very narcissistic biz culture, totally disconnected from those who most need our help.

We are naturally biased to focus on our issues.

Because running a business involves so many tasks, and mental energy is a limited resource, we easily get caught up in the business building frenzy:

• you have content to create,
• calls to make,
• that new program you need to put together,
• and let’s not forget this new marketing technique you need to learn now…

As I said, we tend to focus on our own problems.

That is also true for your clients!

They have their own challenges, goals, -and you’re NOT on their priority list!

You’d be surprised at how few people would really miss your biz for more than a month if you decided to close your virtual door.

A sad thought I know.

But true nevertheless.

And a necessary one,  because it puts you in the right mindset when it comes to living your passion and branding your business.

Remember this:
The most valuable thing you can do for your business -and for the world-  is to understand your clients. See what it is they really want, what they aspire to achieve, how they see the world and then put your passion -and your brand- in service to creating a solution to their problems.

My question for you today  is this:

What can you do to gain a better understanding of your clients?