slow & simple business inspiration from the mountains

I am not the most patient person when building a slower and simpler business, in fact patience is one thing I am decidedly impatient with! As much as I try and embrace the present and a slo business philosophy, it is still something that I know I need to relax into more as my aim is to build a slow and intentionally minimalist business. I’ve noticed my impatience show up quite a lot in my business and life this year and when I’m struggling I look to nature and in this case, the mountains, for answers. 

 

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Slowing Down & Being patient in your business

I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer and I have a vision of how I want my business and life to be. I am constantly thinking of this vision and then beating myself up that I’m not there yet. Building a slow business takes patience as you aren’t looking for quick, unsustainable growth that often leads to business burnout.

This constant negative impatient chatter had led me to feel so ungrateful and frustrated with business progress and life progress and I’d gotten off path and away from my dream of a slow and simple business business. So, the past few days I’ve tried to stop, breathe, relax and TRUST that everything will happen at the right time. Taking this space and taking a breath is key to building a slow business.

I’ve branched out a little this year and launched a course, workshop, and a design shop to make branding accessible to all. I’ve also shifted to offering more in-depth branding experiences, taking on fewer projects and also raised my prices. This has taken a LOT more patience than I realised. 

not expecting instant growth as a slow, simple business owner

I’ve seen how my ‘dreams’ and sometimes unrealistic expectations result in unhealthy self-criticism and frustration. Products and courses are a new area, and I am the first to admit that I thought ‘oh I’ll just put my course up on my website and people will buy!’ How very wrong and I think I listened far too much to the online gurus on how successful their courses were. 

These gurus aren’t building ‘slow businesses’ so taken advice from them had thrown me off path. Slow business is all about planting seeds, nurturing them, having faith and not expecting instant success.

building a slow, minimalist business is like climbing a mountain

As ever my slow business lessons came from nature and in the wilderness. I climbed the mighty Crib Goch ridge (shown above) a few weeks ago and completed a personal challenge to do something that scared me.

And on the mountain I realised that everything in business takes time.

There were very tough points on the climb, but I just kept on putting one foot in front in of the other, not looking at other people and just focussing on my own journey. And now I see I need to do this in my slow business and not just when I’m out in nature.

Perhaps I’m planting seeds for change, but these seeds may take time to grow. I remember that glimmer of why I started, to not give up, to focus less on the numbers to make me feel successful and more on the taking one step at a time and trusting in the process. And then I feel a little more patient.

I hope reading this helped if you are feeling that impatience, brimming with ideas and things you want to do but feeling frustrated with your progress.

All good things take time and you will get there in the end. That’s the aim of building a slow and simple business!

You can screenshot this quote and save it as your phone wallpaper to remind you to be patient and set that intention!

want to learn more? Keep on reading below…

• Re-brand, brand refresh what’s the difference and do you need it?
• Find out more about my ‘Finding your Brand WOW!’ Workshop
• Learn how to build an memorable brand on my Brand Builder Course