Applying Minimalism to Entrepreneurship

Before I even fully understood the concept of minimalism, I suppose you could say I was a minimalist at heart. Too much “stuff” – in any area of my life – overwhelmed me and caused stress. I never had issues with editing down my clothes, shoes, knick-knacks, and other belongings. In fact, I still find joy in not just organizing spaces, but removing all the excess that isn’t needed so that a space can “breathe” and better function. To this day, our house (even with kids) is still a reflection of my minimalist preferences. And my husband and sons have adopted this mindset to a degree as well.

For the longest time, I would tell people that I just think better when I’m in an organized space. In college, even my small dorm room (at least my half) was tight and tidy. I couldn’t get work done in that space unless it was. How we keep our spaces, especially the ones that only we use, is one of the small areas of life we can control. Amidst the chaos that was my college years, it makes sense that my minimalism was my protective barrier from the outside world.

From childhood to my early adult years and now into my current life, I continue to find joy and comfort in living life with less. There have certainly been seasons where my purchases and calendar obligations have not really reflected a minimalist lifestyle. And by no means do I claim to be a minimalist purist, but I do know that the seasons of life in which I have found the most peace and contentment are the seasons where I reduce the “stuff” and do more with less.

What’s most interesting is that through entrepreneurship, I have seen just how valuable a minimalist mindset can be. Where business owners struggle the most is with “shiny object syndrome” so what if we worked to eliminate those shiny objects altogether? Here’s how I think minimalism and entrepreneurship can work together so well.

Clear the Mental Clutter

I’ve been fortunate to meet a lot of fellow entrepreneurs on my journey. What I’ve come to know for certain is that there are countless approaches to entrepreneurship and no single way is the “right way.” It really depends on your personality type, goal lifestyle, and definition of success. But what I do know is that the entrepreneurs and business owners who achieve the highest level of success with the lowest rate of stress and burnout are those who keep their focus simple and streamlined. They are intuitive about how much they can do and do well, and don’t bite off more than they can chew at any one time. You can have it all, just not at the same time, right? Adopting this minimalist mindset when it comes to focusing on clear and concise goals allows you to consistently achieve success at every level you master and complete before moving on to the next thing.

Less to Manage and Mitigate

By keeping your goals, tasks, and overhead minimal and simplified, you have a lot less “stuff” to manage on any given day. I have successfully grown my business as a sole proprietor, meaning I have never had to spread my time or resources across managing employees. This model has worked well for me, but isn’t always possible for every business. If you do take on overhead, make sure it’s absolutely necessary. Scrutinize every investment in people, tools, technology, and outsourcing, because it may take from you more than it gives. And none of these things can truly operate on their own. They still require management and also expose you to risk. Employees quit or fall short of goals, technology fails, outsourcing can leave you high and dry in critical moments. Keeping things simple allows you to keep a better pulse on your business.

A Greater Impact Regardless of Income

I write about this topic a lot and in many different ways. A big income is cool…until you realize it really has little impact on your value as a person. Using money as your only measure of success will always lead to disappointment. Instead, focus on your impact. I know people who are absolutely raking it in financially but have no passion for their work and what they spend all day doing really isn’t delivering a lasting impact. Time is your only true currency. Spend it wisely!

Easier to Adapt

When you keep your business model and to-do list as clean and simple as possible, you are also far better able to adapt to changing circumstances. Big ships cannot turn on a dime. But little speed boats can zip circles around them! When an iceberg emerges in your way, which would you rather be steering? Keep your business model simple, narrow down the “weight” you carry to only the most essential tools and skills, and you never have to fear the need to pivot or change speeds. You maintain far more control than needlessly lugging around a cargo ship of overhead.

The Beauty of Margin

So many businesses run on low to no margin. Everyone’s time is scheduled to the max, tasks are always running behind, and the “carrot” of getting ahead of tasks is one you’ll never reach. This is no way to live! Running a successful business doesn’t mean you have to be running around like your hair is on fire. This should never define our importance or value. In fact, the people I view as the most successful are the ones who work with peaceful confidence, who are in full control of their schedule, and who keep margin so that they can take on passion projects and give back to their community. When you’re not in control of your time, and take on more than you can manage, you’re not running a business. It’s running you.

Where do you fall on the spectrum of minimalism? Is this how your brand is wired or have you struggled in this area? I’d love to hear about your experiences. Join me in the comments!

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