In the business of bringing joy

I am so often amazed by the many women business owners that I meet. I am fascinated by their product or service, the uniqueness of that product or service, and captivated by their distinctive talent and gifting.

What surprises me even more after spending more time with these remarkable entrepreneurs is the reticence of their vision and the reserve of their ambition, for more often than not, many of them do not perceive the merit or significance of their business vision to clients and society at large– beyond that of selling.

But I always find myself reminding women entrepreneurs that whatever they do, they are in the business of bringing joy; and because they are in the business of bringing joy, they have a responsibility to continue to bring joy, and are bound to succeed in the long term. Far fetched? Well, let me explain.

Suppose you are a female entrepreneur in the restaurant business. You have a medium sized restaurant which provides eat in and take-out services Monday through till Friday, serving specifically the busy business sector in a particular catchment area. Your concentration and unique selling point is fusion cooking – a mix of local dishes with some continental infusions to the menu. Your cuisine is simply delicious. Client after client give you positive feedback. They look forward to coming into your restaurant every lunch time for gastronomical respite, and the scrumptious taste of homemade food. They can always rely on your food to satisfy their appetite and to allow them to forget the stress they left in the office. Aren’t you then in the business of bringing joy?

“Oh no,” you say,” but you don’t know the stress that I go through. My cooks steal supplies from me, my third party suppliers are not reliable, the cost of doing business is just so high.” Very well, but you still remain in the business of bringing joy – bringing joy to your clients. The fact that your clients, your primary stakeholders are happy and keep returning should be enough incentive for you to work at the business running efficiently and effectively to deliver scrumptious meals, whilst you take time to understand how your cooks are stealing, and how you can procure more reliable suppliers. A troublesome child is not abandoned – rather more time is spent on him/her to understand the underlying issues causing the disruptive behavior.

And what about the business woman who sells jewelry? Tired of the going through the motions of the daily grind, she also forgets that she is in the business of bringing joy. She overlooks the many occasions she has brought joy to numerous brides, bridesmaids and mothers-of-the-bride. She forgets that comment that a client made to her about feeling like a million dollars after putting on the stringed pearl necklace she bought from your store for her 20th wedding anniversary. She also forgets the comments she often receives from clients that her jewelry and accessories has given them more confidence and self-assurance. But no, this business woman is tired. Tired of the same old, same old and wants to pack it all in for something new.

What I say is this. In times like these, it’s not time to quit. It’s time to look for value adding goods and services that will further endear your clients to your business. For remember, you are in the business of bringing joy. What you need to do is to ensure that your systems and process, customer service, price and products are intact, constantly delivering for your clients and ultimately to the business.

There are many places and many businesses that I escape to when I need some ease. That lovely café down the corner selling brewed coffee and home made cakes (not forgetting their welcoming staff). That resort a little out of town with breathtaking views that I can escape to for some quiet and inspiration when I need to write – believe me, if being in these environments didn’t bring me some comfort and joy I certainly would not patronize them.

So, ladies, remember that you are in the business of bringing joy, and remember that many look to your business as a little way of easing the day to day tensions that we all face. Give them a reason to return – day in and day out.