The Business Owner and Business Together

Lily Llewellyn
May 19
4 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLABhGJciIQ

Even though the business is real, life-like and powerful, it needs a person to operate it, to have a vision for it and to ensure it is still providing value for its community of clients. For now, let’s call this person the business owner, even though the business owner may choose to trust somebody else to run the business.

It is the business owner’s responsibility to care for the business. Because of the power and influence a business has, it is a great responsibility and must be carefully considered. The person and personality of the business owner is important because they are the individual who operates the business.

Ultimately the business owner and business need to be able to work together as a happy duo with a healthy relationship. If the business owner is not working with the business’ best interests in mind, the business will suffer (and, as an extension, the community of clients for which it provides suffers too). Likewise, if the business is not working with the business owner’s best interests in mind, the business owner will suffer (which, as an extension, affects the business and community of clients for which it provides). When the business and the business owner are not aligned, it is detrimental to all parties – business owner, business, clients and all other stakeholders.

The Business Owner and Business Together

Since it’s top priority, let’s talk more about what it means for a business and a business owner to be aligned together…

• The business and business owner have the same purpose

A business without a purpose is meaningless, and a business purpose that the business owner does not truly care about will never be able to create a strong and steady business that successfully provides a great service for clients. It’s crucial that the purpose of the business comes from the heart of the business owner. Remember - the business is the way in which the business owner goes about making their dream a reality.

• The business and business owner have the same values

Values are whatever is important to the business owner and business. Profit is always important, but values are different. By values I mean the qualities and ideals that matter most. There are many examples of values, say, practicality, modesty, family, truth, craftmanship, to name just a few. Knowing one’s values is how the purpose becomes clear. Whatever is most important is what fundamentally shapes the purpose. Say the purpose is to give children and young people a voice when nobody else is listening (ChildLine’s mission), because being heard and children are valued. Say the purpose is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful (Google’s purpose), because organisation and information are valued. These values need to stay strong so that the business can successfully complete its purpose. Just imagine if staff in the Google headquarters were tripping over themselves, lost in paper and confused, the entire mission and essence of Google would seem a bit … wrong. The business owner and the business need to keep their values tightly upheld and aligned for the business to function properly.

• The business and business owner respect the other’s boundaries and limitations

The business and business owner will each have their own limitations and boundaries. The business owner cannot work 24 hours a day and must be given a break. The business owner must respect the needs and wishes of stakeholders, and the business must make accommodations for the business owner and stakeholder’s needs. Likewise, the business owner needs to respect the business’ needs, such as the need to be known, to have money in the bank, and to provide for clients in the ways clients need relief for their pain-points. A business that doesn’t respect what the business owner can and cannot do will fail. Equally, a business owner who doesn’t respect what the business can and cannot do will also fail.

• The business must provide for the business owner as well as the community of clients

At its core a business should provide for its business owner. This is worth emphasising because it’s common that business owners neglect their own needs in business. A business owner must pay themselves fairly, give themselves a regular break each day, a holiday and budget for time to recover when extended rest is needed. A business (or rather, business owner) who does not provide for the business owner (themselves), is going to become burnt-out and unhappy. This unhappy person who will not be able to make the best decisions for themselves, for clients and will not be able to manage the responsibility of taking care of the business. Taking care of yourself is not airy-fairy optional, it’s responsible and mandatory.

The Business Owner and Business Together

The business owner has the responsibility to care for their business - for themselves, for the business and for the community of clients. To properly care all involved, the business and the owner need to work together as a kind, considerate and compatible team.

Knowing what you want, as the business owner, what you care about most, what your boundaries and limitations are, what you need and what is enough, are big important topics. These topics require close thought and constant revaluation! Use your support system to help you know yourself.