Redefining your business: keep learning
We have reached the end of 2020! Thankfully! After an extraordinary pandemic year in our lives, we entered a period of much reflection. Regardless of where we are in the world, our beliefs, what nation we come from and are living in, this time of the year rescues something deeper in each of us that, in a way, directly or indirectly, prepares us to be more available to others.
Covid-19 has impacted many businesses. Many closed while others had to redefine themselves. Difficult decisions had to be made. Mais Verde Mais Vida is one of the businesses that had to reinvent itself. The journey for this small company continues despite the unknown and remains confident in its purpose and continuous learning.
Building terrariums is an analogy to my coaching process (see Cintia H. Orsi coaching analogy with terrarium making). And it has a whole personal story and meaning behind it. I learned how to build terrariums with one of the teachers and founders of Mais Verde Mais Vida during long winters spent indoors. It was a great gift to me and many who know me (blog article Have Fun Building Terrariums).
“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.”
Back to Mais Verde Mais Vida, the business redefinition process that involves decisions in a complex scenario and the continuous reflection through experimentation and learning is reaching more people than before.
Agility
Mais Verde Mais Vida had to be redefined quickly. Difficult decisions were made to transform the business that consisted of a physical space for terrarium building and face-to-face classes into a virtual company.
As you read in this short paragraph above, it would seem that it was pretty easy. Still, if we dive into the decision process and actions are taken, we will notice that the entrepreneurs had to change how they were thinking about their business. It had to happen in a short window of time:
Please recognize that the world they knew was no more
Accept change and the complex world
Deciding to continue with the business despite the uncertainties
Search for options and define the first step to be taken in the direction of maintaining the business.
Resilience
"I fell and got up, fell again, got up again. I will fall and get up as many times as necessary because I know that my role requires me to stand." Encouraged by students and motivated to find new ways to serve them, the businesswomen focused their efforts on learning and discovering new ways to use their talents and skills while respecting social distance, even if financial recovery was not immediate. This was another critical decision that required discernment and courage.
Eagerness to Learn and Persistence
"We don't know what we don't know." Recognizing that there is always something to be learned has a significant impact on how we view any situation. We listen better, show more interest and curiosity, open our minds to perspectives different from ours. With this way of thinking, the businesswomen dedicated themselves to building a new way of engaging and teaching. They are discovering that learning has no end and that the most important thing is always to keep in mind why they are doing what they are doing. Why do we exist as a business? For what purpose?
Confidence in the Purpose
Why is this business important to you? How do you see the various parts of your identity in this business? For what purpose? Then entrepreneurs have gone through and continue to go through a process of discovery. In this complex world, the openness and availability to adapt, continue to grow, and understand their role in everything they commit to doing have fueled the flame of trust resulting in strength and courage to face the challenges.
Confidence in the value they bring to people
With the need for change and the space for reflection and learning that they created, the businesswomen learned that what they offer to their customers does not necessarily have a direct relationship with what customers receive from their services. One key awareness moment happened when they realized that they were distinct. While the offer is rooted on their mission and purpose, like sharing a piece of who they are, the impact on customers has been much more expansive, encouraging and with the potential of systemic effect: opportunity as a source of income for some, well-being and mental health for others, appreciation of nature for all. How many people are already directly benefiting from the work of Mais Verde Mais Vida, and how many more people may be helping indirectly?
Reconnecting with something beautiful is worth it. Reconnecting with your purpose is wonderful and empowering. Our life is full of metaphors that reveal something much bigger than ourselves and than life per se.
