Purposeful Intentional Pace in Business: It’s about more than speed

In the small business world, there seems to be a lot of emphasis placed on speed, and it’s kind of binary - are you hustling or are you implementing slow business practices? But that’s not really how business operates - sometimes you have to hustle, sometimes you have to slow down, sometimes you are somewhere in between. 

What if, instead of focusing on speed, we set a purposeful intentional pace? I’m gonna call it a “PIP” cause that’s seems fun and for whatever reason feels on brand for me 🤷🏼‍♀️.

How do you find your right PIP (Purposeful Intentional Pace)?

Start with these 4 key areas. 

Focus on maximizing purpose over profit 

Remember why you have the business you have. Really remember what it is that lights you up in your business. Put that purpose front and center. Approach your work with that WHY in mind vs just spinning out things for profit. It doesn't mean that you won't make a profit, it just means that your energy is being directed to something that lights you up, instead of just focusing on profit.

Money is fluid - it comes and goes, and if your focus is solely on the dollars you can feel a lot of frustration, doubt, insecurity during those times when it is gone. Whereas purpose is always there, and we can lean on it during times when we need a boost or extra motivation.

Value quality over quantity

When I say this, I don’t just mean the quality of the thing that you sell. It’s also the quality of the work that you put in.

The quality that is easy to understand is when we produce a product that we put our love, care, and attention into it. That quality is seen by our customers, and it keeps them coming back.

The quality that is easy to forget goes beyond product. It’s in the things that you commit your time to. 

A simple example is instead of being on every single social media platform, really pay attention to where your customers are showing up and how your customers find you (and that might not be on social media at all). Or maybe you could spend some quality time on researching the right SEO tools so that Google will help new customers find you. Focus your attention on those spaces that give you quality results instead of spreading yourself thin, trying to be everywhere. 

It means being really intentional about your actions. If you struggle with choosing the most impactful actions, check out my guide Your Most Impactful Work.

This also means not getting lost in the everyday execution that's involved in your business. And making intentional time to expand and grow your business in a way that looks and feels right for you.

Place your values front and center

I’ve talked a lot about keeping your values at the forefront of your business. Not only are they an important part of who you are and how you run your business, they can also be a powerful decision-making tool. Any decision you need to make in your business can be run through the filter of “does this align with my values?”. 

I had an in depth conversation with Helen Tremethick about Values in business. You can watch it here. If you’d like to learn more about my values, you can review them here.

Remember the human behind the business

It is super easy (and common) to get caught up in the operation and execution of your business and to start thinking of it as part of you, part of your identity. It is important to remember that running your business is a thing you do, not who you are. It is also really important to remember that you are the person that knows your business the best, and you get to decide how to run your business. 

Your energy, desires, and capacity should all be a key consideration in everything that involves your business. Ultimately, you are your greatest business asset. 

Sometimes you need a Pacesetter

A pacesetter is someone who runs the race with you, helping you maintain the pace you need to achieve the goal you want. There is a reason that people need the support of a pacesetter because when you are in the thick of it, it is hard to also hold on to the big picture and all the different variables involved.

Recently, my client Stephanie Woodward published her first book. In the acknowledgements section of her novel, she thanks me and calls me her “Chief Pacesetter.” For her, what this means is that I hold her accountable to the decisions and choices she sets out for herself, that she is always managing herself as a resource, and I help her stay focused on what really matters (to her).

It is super meaningful work to me to help people set and maintain the pace that works for them. If you could use your own pacesetter, check out my coaching services. 

Your pace can also be impacted by a variety of different factors - it’s not static; it’s fluid based on you and your needs of the moment. I talk more about factors that can impact your PIP in this blog.