Can a Slow Business Be a Successful One?
Whenever I talk to someone new about what I do, without fail, and without noticing, they’ll make a confused face. Unless you understand what a slow business is, it’s hard to grasp that it’s something to strive for.
Society tells us that we’re only successful based on the amount of money that we earn, and to earn more money, we must constantly work more hours and never stop. So, if that’s true, then a slow business can’t possibly be successful, right?
A slow business must mean that you’re lazy, that you’re not hardworking, that you don’t make much money, that it can’t support you and also pay the bills.
The good news is that none of that is true.
What is a slow business?
A slow business is one that’s built around your life, your energy, and your capacity. It’s not about working less for the sake of it, it’s about creating a business that supports you without breaking you.
A Business Based on Your Capacity
Maybe you’re a parent and you only have between school drop off and pick up to work on your business, during term time, when the children are well. Or perhaps you have health needs, and your business needs to work around the days where you’re feeling well enough to work on it. Or maybe, you’re a carer (like me with my youngest son) and your business needs to work around weekly appointments, fluctuating health needs and your energy.
This means you have limited time to spend on your business each week or month. You can’t always create new content or work to strict deadlines. It means that you have other priorities and that your life and responsibilities (to yourself and your loved ones) come first and your business second.
And that’s completely okay.
Making Your Business Work Harder for You
Because our time is limited, we need to use it wisely by putting our energy into what actually moves our business forward.
That means:
Focusing on tasks that build strong foundations so that your business won’t fall when you have to step away.
Creating content, offers and services intentionally and not spreading yourself thin trying to do it all..
Marketing in a way that lasts using long-term, evergreen platforms like Pinterest, blogging, and YouTube - those platforms that are based on SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and not on an algorithm. It means marketing to an email list that you own, making sure your emails go directly to your subscribers instead of on social media, where 90% of your audience won’t see what you create. It means creating valuable content that is still relevant years down the line, and not based on a single trend that’ll most likely pass within a few weeks.
It’s about working smarter and not harder - creating one piece of content and reusing it and repurposing it on other platforms, because what you create is golden, and it shouldn’t be posted and then forgotten about within minutes.
Pricing Based on Value, Not Time
This is exactly why I pivoted from working on a 1:1 retainer basis with my clients. Yes, I knew how much money I was earning each month, but I was trading my time for money, and that doesn’t really work when I only have a small amount of time to give.
Now I’ve created services, offers and resources that work harder for me, and continue to work when I’m busy caring for my youngest. This looks like supporting my clients in different ways:
I created The Foundations Program, which focuses on 6 key foundations on which to build a strong, sustainable business. Each module includes videos and a workbook, so I can be there, supporting my clients, holding their hand, whenever they need me. It’s not delivered live, so they can watch the videos whenever they have the time.
Or, my Ask Me Anything office hours inside the Slow & Sustainable Business Membership, where members can submit their questions via a form whenever one pops into their head, and I can take my time to research their business, their question, and give them the best answer via video once a month.
And my 1:1 Service & Support offer is designed specifically to only have 1 client per quarter so that I can give that client my full support and attention. I’ve left plenty of space inside this offer, so that I can support clients who need more time to think, to action, to figure it all out, while they have other responsibilities in their lives. It’s a supportive and spacious offer, and I’m so proud of it.
So yes, I’m not working anywhere near as much as I used to. I’m not swapping my time for money, but actually, I’ve created a business that enables me to go slower, and when I go slower, I work better. I give my full attention, I get the best ideas and offer my best advice. And all of that is more valuable than me working 60 hours per week.
Redefining Success
Can a slow business be a successful one?
Well, I think it depends on how you define success. What does it mean for you for your business to be successful?
Is it providing you with the money that you need to support yourself and your family?
Is it giving you the time and freedom to spend with your loved ones, or doing something that helps you and your health?
Is it meaningful to you, or rewarding, knowing that you’re giving value and truly helping your clients or customers?
Does it bring you joy, happiness and contentment knowing that you’re making a living doing what you love on your own terms?
Because all of those can be true inside a slow business.
A slow business is a smart business, and I don’t know why it isn’t the norm for society.
Over to You
What does a slow business look like for you? How do you define success?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come and join the conversation around the campfire inside Finding Simple & Calm.
Speak soon,
Sophie
If you’re ready to start building a business that works with your life instead of against it, begin with my free Slow Business Starter Kit. It’ll walk you through creating your own gentle weekly rhythm and building the foundations of a slower, simpler, and more sustainable business.
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