Values-led Entrepreneurship Culture for Ethical Business Growth
At FairForce we want to redefine cultures of entrepreneurship towards a more human way of doing business that embodies ethical practices and entrepreneurship wellbeing. We believe that reconnecting with joy and being clear on your core values are essential criteria to embed into the foundations of a successful, sustainable and impactful business.
Joy Starts With US
As the founder of our own business - or the creator of a project/ event/ product - we all have the agency to shift from business as usual to developing our leadership skills and adopting ethical business growth strategies.
Reconnecting with joy can create radical shifts in a business/ project. If we don’t feel connected to our values or to the purpose of our work, then it can dampen our spirits and limit our potential to make an impact in our chosen sphere of influence.
To be able to bravely show up in our business and start to channel the impact and power of our voice, we need to set sturdy foundations.
Let’s be honest: Entrepreneurship is a VERY brave decision.
Whether you’re doing it on the side, running a one-off event, or a full-time entrepreneur, it is so brave. It comes with risks, great responsibility and it can be vulnerable.
If you’re an entrepreneur and you find it difficult, then you’re not alone. I see you. I feel it too. This isn’t easy. Especially for those of us who are deliberately trying to divest from harmful capitalist systems to shape a kinder, more holistic way of work.
So, given how much pressure we’re under, and how difficult it can be, centering JOY becomes ESSENTIAL.
FairForce is here to challenge the status quo and show entrepreneurs who care about social change that new models ARE possible. We believe that what makes up business growth and impact strategies doesn’t exist in silos. The process of building and running a business is often messy, the boundaries are often blurred.
So what’s one simple yet profound way to clear all the external noise and refocus on what really matters? Reconnecting with joy, with our purpose and values so we can set the foundations to bravely show up in our business, to make it work for us and for our community.
This can start with the simple question: Who am I and why am I doing this work?
Traditional entrepreneurship cultures are harmful
Business trends teach us to hustle and compete against each other. Traditional business strategies (marketing, sales, branding, etc.) are extremely profit-oriented and overlook the human side of the experience causing:
Harmful practices for ourselves (hustle, work stress, scarcity mindset, burnout, cycles of debts)
Harmful practices for our community (discrimination, reinforcement of privileges, manipulative tactics, etc.)
To stop the harmful cycle of traditional entrepreneurship cultures, we need to reconnect with ourselves and our values.
→ We can choose to reconnect to and reclaim the purpose behind our entrepreneurial journey. We get to center our work around, and lead through, our values, ethics and deeper vision for the work we’re doing.
→ We can choose to find strategies and systems of entrepreneurship that work for us and reject the harmful cycle of traditional business practices. We need to become more aware and confident about our ability to create NEW systems that feel and do good to us and our communities.
→ We can dare to go beyond the traditional business strategies or the “business-as-usual”, and find our way to challenge this through our work. We hold the power to create an entrepreneurial experience that fits our personal, professional and political principles.
→ We can choose to root our work into systems of CARE, COMMUNITY and JOY, so our businesses are set to become CATALYSTS of change within our industry.
Joy is the first enemy of capitalism
At FairForce joy is the number one value in growing our business through impact and ethical solutions.
Traditional growth strategies in business have taught us to prioritize competition, hustling, manipulative and scammy tactics to be able to win more clients and earn more money.
But I know how icky and stressful this can be if you are a business owner who wants to lead their business through different values and strategies.
The good news is… you can grow your business outside of these harmful practices.
When you prioritize JOY, you are…
Defining your core values and putting them at the forefront of your decision-making, strategies and business actions.
Defining the terms and conditions of your business growth and how you want to define growth for your business (not letting external conditionings define this!).
Choosing community and synergies with other business owners over competition and negative comparisons.
Nourishing your work and centering your personal purpose and pleasure instead of letting anxiety, fear of missing out or forced strategies take over.
Building a deep consistency in the way you show up with your services and offers, and building meaningful relationships with your audience
All of these decisions lead to an experience of ethical business growth that feels and does good for you and your community. It also ensures sustainability in your business in the long run.
When you create space for joy, purpose and wellbeing in your work, led by your core values, then you end up with a business that advances equity, sustainability and care.