The Boss of You

Last week Claire over at Loobylu did a giveaway contest for our book, wherein she took inspiration from the book and asked people to describe a meal that would reflect the personality of their business (or the business they dream of creating). This kind of exercise is an example of the kinds of suggestions we give in the early half of the book to get you thinking about our business in more creative ways. Thinking about your business in non-traditional ways and really trying to give your business its own personality can go a long way to helping you become more concrete about what your business is going to look like as it takes shape. Exercises like these may seem to take you off on a whimsical tangent at first, but they can be incredibly helpful in guiding you as you do very concrete things like name your business, develop a mission statement and create a marketing plan. Plus: whimsical tangents can be a really great time.

We were really touched that Claire was so inspired by this exercise and then after reading all the truly awesome comments her readers made… well we were honestly a bit overwhelmed. As we’re out here doing some press and glad handing for the book we get a lot of questions around “why write a business book for women” and questions about what makes our book so special. While I’m not one to toot my own horn, I’m very excited to see our book bring together such inspiring and creative missives about a business.

Here are a few of my favourites:

“My business would be a ceramic green bowl full of fresh blueberries and raspberries. Sitting next to this on a fancy doily would be two round chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream sandwiched inbetween and then rolled in chocolate chips.”

“Mine would be a big bowl of coco pops, giving you all the fun of childhood and a lovely rhythmic noise to listen to as you ate.”

“

Miso soup, cubes of white tofu and green wakame bobbing on the surface, served in a laquerware bowl. A small dish of seaweed salad on the side. Chopsticks.

A large slab of 85% bittersweet chocolate to follow.

On the table is a perfect autumn leaf, reddy-brown and crisp.

There is silence, punctuated by the sound of tram bells and the rumble of traffic on the busy city streets below.”

“My business would have to be an organic, fair-trade, wilderness protecting, wildlife preserving, recycled packaging, pesticide free, locally produced, all-round-earth-saving chocolate bar scoffed in the car while doing the school run.

Juggling everything, while still having a conscience!”

“My business is a very simple yet melt-in-the-mouth flourless chocolate cake. A classic - made from traditional, quality ingredients (the best cooking chocolate available), yet served on an elegant serving platter to give it a contemporary edge. Made special by the addition of a mystery ingredient that sets it apart from all other chocolate cakes you’ll try. Anyone who tastes it raves about it to family and friends. Soon this cake/business becomes the stuff of legends. Ok, now I’m getting carried away - one can wish.”

Oh and lest you think you’re left out of the fun, Megan and Not Martha is running the same contest. You can enter until May 25th, noon PST right here.