As a small business owner myself, I’ve been through several different stages as I’ve tried to make my business a success. And some of those stages have been pretty painful, especially when I first made the switch from “RedFox Blogging as side hustle” to “RedFox Blogging as main income stream.”
I had hated every traditional job I ever had, and I hoped that working for myself would be better. But once I switched to making my own business my full-time job, there were days when I found myself starting to feel the same way about my work as a blogger. This was more than disappointing—it was scary. Working for myself was a dream I’d worked so hard for. Why didn’t it feel the way I thought it would?
While my business is still a work in progress, and there are still growing pains, it got so much better once I discovered the gentle business model. It was such a relief to discover that the slower, more nurturing and supportive model of business I craved was a legitimate thing. Relentless hustle and vicious competition was not the only option.
If you’ve ever felt the same way about your own small business, I’d encourage you to learn more about creating a gentle business. Part of the beauty of this business model is that it is inherently adaptable, so you can use these principles in the way that makes sense for your goals and vision. Because at its heart, gentle business is about doing business in a way that is true to you.
So, here are the 5 principles I’ve found most helpful in creating a business that is gentle, supportive, and genuine.
5 Principles of Gentle Business
Minimize and Optimize Your Tasks
This is about so much more than just efficiency. It’s about taking a close look at your to-do list and deciding what is actually essential, and what is just busy work.
It’s super important to listen to yourself during this process, because there is always a ton of advice out there about what you need to be doing, what you should be doing, what will bring success, etc. There’s nothing wrong with trying something out, but in the end, you are the person who decides what is truly important for yourself and your business.
Prioritize Connection over Competition
There’s nothing wrong with healthy competition. Being aware of what others in your field are doing can inspire you to try new things, keep learning and improving, and offering your very best. But too often in traditional business, competition becomes obsessive. (Think, relentlessly checking your Google rankings and feeling increasingly desperate when you can’t score that number one spot.)
Instead, gentle business encourages you to connect with others to help and support each other. Just as importantly, it encourages you to connect with yourself, your goals, and your audience in a way that’s authentic and true-to-you.
Focus on Nurturing Relationships Rather Than Driving Sales
In a similar way, gentle business is about nurturing relationships. Big business tries to mimic this with their customer service experience or high-quality products, which is great. But in the end, these strategies are about the bottom line.
When you run a gentle business, you care about your clients and their success. You offer something you sincerely believe in, and you keep your eye on that, despite all the other demands of running a business.
This type of sustainable business model helps protect you against the exhaustion that can overcome small business owners. Because it’s about more than money, you are buffered against hard times and can continue to operate with integrity because of your strong relationships with yourself, your loved ones, and your clients.
Listen to Yourself and Give Yourself Rest
Most traditional businesses don’t prioritize rest and rejuvenation. That’s something that happens on the weekends, away from your job. If you hated the arbitrary 9-5 schedule or the pressure of making sales quotas at your old job, why would you force yourself into the same model now that you run your own business?
Gentle business allows you to listen to yourself and your needs, and to really tune in to what works for you. You can take breaks and days off whenever you need it, but you’ll probably find that you need it less and less the more you listen to yourself. Because when you pay attention to your rhythms, your work will gradually fall into place in your life so that it becomes part of your usual ritual, not something you have to escape on your yearly vacation.
Work from a Place of Heart and Abundance
All of these things we’ve talked about allow you to work from a place of heart and abundance, which is really what gentle business is all about. Most small business owners are passionate about what they do and what they offer. It’s just that that passion and creativity can become clouded when we force ourselves into a work routine that is unnatural and overly stressful.
So…don’t.
Channeling your business energy and acumen into a gentler flow is a brave move, but it’s also one of the best things you can do for yourself. With a gentle business model, you may still have bad days and stressful times, but you can weather them with grace. Because you’ve been intentional about where you put your time and energy, you’ll feel calmer, more confident, and more focused on what parts of your life and business matter most.
As I said, my own business is still a work in progress. But since I’ve switched over to a gentler business model, it feels like progress is possible. I enjoy my work, I find value in what I do, and I’m able to grow without feeling overwhelmed. I hope these 5 principles of gentle business do the same for you!
