Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Characteristics of the Heart Centered Entrepreneur

By Susie Beiler

Many business owners wonder if it is possible to run a successful business from the heart. Not only is it possible, it is the best way to build your reputation and your business. In my view a successful entrepreneur embodies the following characteristics.

1. HCE’s (heart centered entrepreneurs) are in tune with their own heart and what they want. What they offer in their business is an outflow of what is already in their hearts. They could be a plumber, a dog-walker, or a massage therapist. The key is that they are doing what they love.
2. HCE’s value themselves first. They value their time, energy, and resources and set up healthy boundaries to communicate this to customers. They teach their customers how they would like to be treated by how they treat themselves and their customers. Instead of doing things to put up an appearance of being nice, they are nice to themselves first and can then do business in true integrity. In this way being nice to others is easy because they are 100% in alignment with themselves and their actions are a reflection of this fact.
3. HCE’s know what they are worth. Truly, there is a time when compassion guides an entrepreneur to give the person on a limited income a break in the fee. As a rule, however, they charge a fair price for the value of what they provide. Just as important, their heart is open to receive the payments in the amount of the price they are charging.
4. HCE’s know when to “let it go”. Sometimes clients ask too much or want to get more than what they are paying for. An HCE listens to the request with compassion and healthy nonattachment and determines whether they are the right person to provide the requested service. Even if there are no new customers in the pipeline, the savvy HCE trusts that in letting go of the difficult client, new and better ones arrive on time.
5. HCE’s reward committed clients. A devoted client deserves the best. HCE’s give everything they have to give and trust in the ripple effect… they are impacting more than just one person when they have a satisfied client. HCE’s know that word of mouth is the most effective form of attracting clients that are a good match for them.
6. HCE’s know they are here to serve. Again, regardless of the profession, an HCE is in business to provide a service that is a demonstration of their life purpose. In this vein, HCE’s care more about the customer than making money from that customer. HCE’s know how to balance the need to make money with the desire to meet the customer’s needs and their own needs.

It has been my experience that there is a universal support system that is created around the Heart Centered Entrepreneur. When the HCE is truly in business for the right reasons, they always have what they need. An open heart is in the graceful flow of giving and receiving with trust and gratitude.

©Susie Beiler 2009

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