Mastering the Art of Conscious Business: Insights from My Live MetaBusiness Mastermind
Erin Patten
Empowering leaders for 100X business growth with a proprietary MetaBusiness method | Keynote speaker & CEO
As a metaphysical master in a millennial age, I've made it my life's purpose to guide individuals and organizations along an enlightened path. Through my MetaBusiness Millennial podcast, I explore leading-edge concepts that integrate metaphysical principles, personal growth, and sustainable practices into the business world.
In a recent Live Mastermind episode, I addressed several key topics that I believe are crucial for leaders and entrepreneurs looking to thrive in this new era of conscious business. I'd like to share some of these insights with you, offering my perspective on scaling businesses, managing stress, and fostering positive work cultures.
Before we dive in, I want to emphasize that this journey towards conscious business is not just about implementing new strategies or techniques. It's about a fundamental shift in how we perceive and approach business. It's about recognizing that our businesses are not separate from our personal growth and spiritual journeys, but rather an integral part of them.
1. The Purpose-Driven Approach to Scaling
When it comes to scaling a business, I've noticed that many leaders immediately think about hiring more staff or increasing their marketing budget. However, I suggest a more thoughtful, purpose-driven approach:
First and foremost, identify and clarify your purpose before scaling. This isn't just about having a mission statement that sounds good on paper. It's about deeply understanding why your business exists and what impact you want to have in the world. I've found that when leaders take the time to really connect with their purpose, it becomes a powerful guiding force for all business decisions.
Ensure your team understands the vision you're working towards. This is crucial. Your team needs to be as passionate about your purpose as you are. I've seen businesses struggle when there's a disconnect between the leader's vision and the team's understanding of it. Regular communication and alignment sessions can help keep everyone on the same page.
Develop flexible, adaptive strategies aligned with your purpose. The business world is constantly changing, and your strategies need to be able to change with it. However, your core purpose should remain constant. I encourage leaders to think of their purpose as the North Star , guiding them even as the path to reach it may shift.
Assess your current resources before hiring new staff. Often, we have untapped potential within our existing team. Before you rush to hire, look at how you can optimize your current resources. This might involve additional training, restructuring roles, or implementing new systems to increase efficiency.
Remember, scale gradually, adjusting your strategy as you grow. Scaling too quickly can lead to a loss of quality or a dilution of your core values. I've seen businesses lose their essence in the pursuit of rapid growth. Instead, I advocate for mindful, purposeful scaling that allows you to maintain your integrity and quality as you expand.
I can't emphasize enough that scaling should be driven by a clear purpose rather than just the desire for more revenue. By focusing on your "why," you can create more sustainable growth and avoid unnecessary expenses or premature hiring. This purpose-driven approach not only leads to more sustainable business growth but also tends to result in greater fulfillment for you and your team.
2. Reimagining Business in a New World
As our global consciousness evolves, so too must our approach to business. I firmly believe we need new paradigms in business and monetization. The old models of profit at any cost are no longer sustainable or fulfilling. Instead, I propose a more holistic approach:
Design your business around your personal values and desires. This might seem counterintuitive to those trained in traditional business thinking, but I've found it to be incredibly powerful. When your business aligns with your personal values, you bring more passion and authenticity to your work. This, in turn, attracts like-minded customers and team members.
Prioritize quality of life and work-life balance. This isn't just about having flexible working hours (although that can be part of it). It's about creating a business that supports a fulfilling life for you and your team. In my own business, I've structured things so that I can do keynote speaking a few times a month, leaving plenty of time for content creation, family, and self-care. This balance allows me to show up fully when I do work.
Create spaciousness in your workday for creativity and flow. We've been conditioned to equate busyness with productivity, but I've found the opposite to be true. When we allow space in our day for reflection, inspiration, and spontaneity, we often find innovative solutions and ideas that wouldn't have come in a packed schedule.
Build organizations that reflect your ideal lifestyle. If you value travel, how can you build that into your business model? If you're passionate about continuous learning, how can you incorporate that into your company culture? By aligning your business with your ideal lifestyle, you create a more sustainable and enjoyable work environment.
Focus on efficiency and impact rather than constant busyness. It's not about how many hours you work, but what you accomplish in those hours. I encourage leaders to regularly assess their activities and focus on high-impact tasks that truly move the needle.
I challenge you to question traditional business models and create structures that align with your personal values and visions of success. This might mean prioritizing flexibility, focusing on high-impact activities, or reimagining what productivity looks like in your organization. Remember, you have the power to create a business that not only succeeds financially but also contributes to your personal growth and fulfillment.
3. Fostering a Positive Work Culture While Ensuring Growth & Profitability
One of my listeners asked about balancing profitability and growth with employee well-being. This is a crucial question in today's business landscape. Here's my take on this:
Implement open communication channels. Transparency is key to building trust and engagement. In my organization, we have regular team meetings where everyone is encouraged to share their thoughts and concerns. This open dialogue helps us address issues before they become problems and fosters a sense of ownership among team members.
Consider adopting self-management and self-governance structures (like Holacracy ). Traditional hierarchical structures can often stifle creativity and slow down decision-making. By implementing more fluid, self-managed structures, you empower your team to take ownership of their work and contribute their best ideas.
Clearly define roles and responsibilities. This might seem at odds with self-management, but it's actually complementary. When everyone understands their role and how it contributes to the overall mission, it creates a sense of purpose and reduces confusion.
Create systems for resolving tensions and challenges. Conflict is inevitable in any organization, but how you handle it can make all the difference. I've implemented a system where team members can raise tensions in a structured way, ensuring that issues are addressed promptly and fairly.
Focus on minimizing inefficiencies rather than pushing for more hours worked. Often, stress and burnout come not from the work itself, but from inefficient processes or unclear expectations. By streamlining your operations and clarifying goals, you can often achieve more with less strain on your team.
I've found that by creating an environment of transparency, accountability, and open communication, leaders can reduce burnout and increase overall productivity. This approach not only improves employee satisfaction but also positively impacts the bottom line. Happy, engaged employees are more productive and innovative, which naturally leads to better business outcomes.
Moreover, when your team feels valued and heard, they become natural ambassadors for your brand. They're more likely to go above and beyond in their work and to speak positively about your company to others. This positive word-of-mouth can be invaluable for attracting both customers and top talent.
4. Developing Leadership Discernment
One of the biggest challenges I've faced as a leader is developing strong discernment. This skill is crucial for making sound decisions, building the right team, and navigating complex business situations. I'd like to share some lessons I've learned:
Be cautious about overly trusting or relying on others. This doesn't mean being paranoid or mistrustful, but rather taking the time to verify claims and promises. I've learned this lesson the hard way, having been taken advantage of in the past due to my trusting nature.
Take time to thoroughly vet potential hires or partners. Don't rush into partnerships or hiring decisions, no matter how promising they may seem at first glance. Do your due diligence, check references, and trust your intuition.
Pay attention to red flags in professional relationships. Often, our gut tells us when something isn't right, but we ignore it in favor of optimism or expediency. I've learned to honor those internal warning signals and investigate further when something doesn't feel right.
View mistakes as valuable (if sometimes expensive) learning experiences. Every misstep is an opportunity for growth. Instead of beating yourself up over past mistakes, ask yourself what lessons you can take from the experience.
Cultivate confidence in your own vision and leadership. This has been a journey for me. In the past, I often deferred to others' opinions, even when they conflicted with my own instincts. I've learned that while it's important to listen to advice, ultimately, you need to trust your own judgment.
I can't stress enough how crucial it is for leaders to discern between genuine opportunities and potential pitfalls. I encourage a balanced approach of optimism tempered with careful consideration and due diligence. Remember, as a leader, your decisions impact not just you, but your entire team and organization.
Developing discernment is an ongoing process. It requires self-reflection, a willingness to learn from mistakes, and the courage to make tough decisions. But as you hone this skill, you'll find that it serves you well in all aspects of your life, not just in business.
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5. Owning Your Business Vision
A key piece of advice I always give is the importance of fully owning your business vision . This is about more than just having a clear idea of what you want to achieve. It's about truly embodying your vision and maintaining control over its direction. Here's what I've learned:
Be cautious about using the term "partner" too freely. In the excitement of starting or growing a business, it's easy to want to bring others in as partners. But partnership implies shared ownership and decision-making power. Be very clear about what you mean when you use this term.
Maintain control over your business vision and direction. While it's important to be open to input and ideas from others, ultimately, you need to be the one steering the ship. Don't let others sway you from your core vision.
Cultivate the confidence to lead without needing to share ownership. This ties back to the issue of discernment. Often, we bring in partners because we lack confidence in our own abilities. Work on building that confidence so you can lead effectively on your own.
Appreciate team members' contributions without giving away control. You can value and reward your team's hard work and dedication without compromising your ownership of the business. Find other ways to show appreciation and create a sense of ownership among your team.
Learn from past experiences of giving away too much ownership. I learned this lesson the hard way when I gave away 50% of a previous business. It taught me the importance of maintaining control over my vision and being confident in my leadership.
Owning your vision doesn't mean you have to do everything alone. It's about being clear on your role as the visionary leader and spokesperson of your business. You can still collaborate, delegate, and build a strong team. But at the end of the day, you need to be the one making the key decisions that shape your business's future.
6. Managing Stress in Personal and Professional Life
When it comes to managing stress when both personal and professional aspects of life feel challenging, here's what I've found helpful:
Recognize that challenges are opportunities for soul growth. This perspective shift can be transformative. Instead of seeing difficulties as obstacles, view them as chances to evolve and become stronger.
Practice mindfulness and self-awareness. Regular meditation or mindfulness practices can help you stay centered amidst chaos. I start each day with a meditation practice, which helps me approach challenges with more clarity and calm.
Seek support from mentors, teachers, or healers. We all need guidance sometimes. Don't be afraid to reach out for support when you're feeling overwhelmed. I've found tremendous value in working with spiritual teachers and mentors throughout my journey.
Engage in intentional healing work. This might involve therapy, energy healing, or other modalities that resonate with you. The key is to actively work on healing past traumas and limiting beliefs that may be contributing to your stress.
Focus on uncovering and living your soul's purpose. When you're aligned with your purpose, you'll find that you have more resilience in the face of challenges. Regularly check in with yourself to ensure you're on the right path.
I've come to understand that dealing with stress and challenges is an essential part of personal and professional growth. By reframing difficulties as opportunities for learning and evolution, we can approach them with more resilience and grace.
Remember, stress management isn't about eliminating stress entirely – that's not realistic. It's about developing the tools and mindset to navigate stressful situations more effectively. As you do this work, you'll likely find that you not only handle stress better but also become more effective in your leadership.
7. The Importance of Healing Work for Leaders
A recurring theme in my work is the critical role of personal healing and growth for effective leadership. This isn't just about managing stress or improving productivity. It's about becoming the best version of yourself so you can lead from a place of authenticity and power.
Through my own journey, I've experienced the benefits of healing work:
Increased clarity about your purpose and vision. As you heal old wounds and limiting beliefs, you'll find greater clarity about why you're here and what you're meant to do.
Greater confidence and security in your leadership. Healing work helps you overcome imposter syndrome and step fully into your role as a leader.
Improved ability to handle stress and challenges. As you heal, you'll develop greater emotional resilience and the ability to stay centered in difficult situations.
Enhanced discernment in decision-making. Healing work often involves developing greater self-awareness and intuition, which can significantly improve your decision-making abilities.
More authentic and powerful presence as a leader. As you become more aligned with your true self, you'll naturally exude a more authentic and powerful presence.
I firmly believe that intentional healing work is fundamental for anyone in a leadership position or aspiring to create positive change in the world. This work isn't always easy – it often involves confronting uncomfortable truths about ourselves and our past. But the rewards are immeasurable, both personally and professionally.
Conclusion
Through my MetaBusiness Millennial podcast and my work as a whole, I aim to offer a fresh perspective on business leadership. I emphasize the integration of personal growth, metaphysical principles, and sustainable practices. By focusing on purpose-driven scaling, reimagining traditional business models, fostering positive work cultures, developing leadership discernment, owning your vision, managing stress effectively, and prioritizing personal healing, I believe leaders can create more impactful and fulfilling businesses.
As we navigate the complexities of the modern business world, I hope these insights provide you with a roadmap for conscious leadership and sustainable success. By embracing these principles, we can create organizations that not only thrive financially but also contribute positively to the world and support the well-being of all stakeholders.
Remember, the journey of conscious business leadership is ongoing. I encourage you to stay open to learning, be willing to adapt, and always strive to align your business practices with your highest values and vision for the world. As you do this work, you'll not only transform your business but also contribute to the evolution of consciousness in the business world as a whole.
In closing, I invite you to reflect on how you can implement these principles in your own life and business. What one step can you take today towards more conscious leadership? How can you bring more of your authentic self into your work? As you ponder these questions, know that you're part of a growing community of conscious leaders who are changing the face of business for the better. Together, we can create a world where business is a force for good, supporting both individual growth and collective evolution.
And if you’re interested in working with me, book a MetaClarity call with me to get started!
Much love + light,
Erin Patten
Chief Enlightened Officer, The MetaBusiness World
@iamerinpatten - IG, FaceBook, YouTube