I would love to support other businesses ‘with a heart’ by highlighting you on this blog, but there are a couple of criteria (please don’t take this as judgment!).
Success
Now don’t worry if you aren’t there yet, so many business owners are doing well, but still have some barriers to break through – come and join me in my ‘Business With A Heart‘ Facebook group and maybe we can support you to finish off the ones still to be done (I’m still working on them too)!
- Are you paid more than your employees and fairly considering the hours you work?
- Do you get some time off from your business and take holidays?
- Are you working reasonable hours, so that there is also a balance of rest, relaxation, social life, fitness, family life and relationships etc?
- Can you afford to take care of your health?
- Are you creating a pension and future security?
- Does your company have a good reputation?
- Does it mean you are financially independent – so you can pay for all your bills?
- Can you provide for you portion of your family’s needs?
Criteria
- Are your full time employees paid as such e.g. NI and holidays?
- Is your business based upon your own unique idea or USP?
- Are you trying your best (it’s difficult I know) to consider your environmental impact?
- Do you believe there is enough space for all businesses, so you don’t need to target other businesses, or take clients from them?
- Have you managed to keep your heart and joy in the business, without succumbing to cyniscm (realism is fine!).
- Do you pay your taxes?
Now of course, there is some of my own bias in here, and I might adapt these criteria as I go along. I’m basically thinking that success at the price of your health, your heart, your employees, other businesses, or orang-utans, is not success in my way of thinking. Big global corporations that don’t pay their taxes, wouldn’t pass my criteria (although I would never suggest paying more than you need to of course).