For the past 6 months, I’ve worked hard to define my business, both in terms of how I can support clients, but also the experience that clients have with me.
And this includes business values as well.
I don’t know about you, but when I do business with a small business, I kind of want to know who they are and what their values are, and if those values align with mine. That’s not to say that I only do business with those whose values match mine, but I guess I want to understand what someone’s values are, and if I can support that.
Now the reason this has taken me 6 months to come up with my values, is because I had it stuck in my head that values are supposed to be short and sharp. But the problem was, there are so many things that are important to me in terms of what sort of experience clients have with me, and what I want to be known for with my clients, that I was having trouble narrowing it down to be “short and sharp” and follow the “rules”.
And then some wise people from my amazing VA community reminded me - there’s no square box I have to stay in for my business, and what’s right for others may not be right for me.
With that in mind, I finally feel comfortable to share the values that are important to me and are at the very core of how I operate as a business, carry myself and aim to ensure my clients feel in their relationship with me. I’m a work in progress both as a person and as a small business, and these values are who I strive to be!
In no particular order:
Open, Honest and Transparent Communication -
It is so important to me as a consumer to not have to ask where something is up to, and not have to ask a question where the answer should already be published somewhere. As a job seeker, how annoying is it to attend an interview and hear “we’ll be in touch”, only to never hear from them again?
So when I started my business, first as a resume writer, before turning to virtual business support, open and honest transparent communication had to be at the top of the list of what’s important in how I communicate with clients.
I am always up front with my clients with the fact that I don’t know everything and don’t have all the answers, and am always up front on my availability and turnaround times, and what to expect from me. It’s something I continue to learn, and I’ve continued to enhance this as I grow into my business.
I believe in
Timely responses, in line with the availability and response times I’ve provided
Answering questions before clients even think of the question (where possible)
Following through on what I said I would do
Providing updates on where things are up to
Explaining if things have fallen behind - why and when they could be expected instead
Advising upfront if I think that I won’t be able to meet a client’s desired deadline
Being approachable for clients to feel comfortable to ask me questions or confide in at any time, no matter how big or small, as well as provide me with feedback if they feel I can be doing things better or differently
I believe in open, honest and transparent communication.
Authenticity -
What it means:
✨ There's no bullsh*t here. I'm a smartass, I'm sarcastic, I swear (sorry Mum).
✨ BUT, I so genuinely want people to grow and succeed and I'm here for that. I follow through on what I say I'm going to and apologise if I miss something and want to have open, collaborative discussions for us to grow your business together.
What it looks like:
✨ Transparent and to the point communication, and providing honest feedback when requested as well.
Collaboration -
What it means:
✨ To me, this is not a relationship where you just simply give me a list of instructions or tasks for me to go off and follow and complete. That is absolutely a key aspect of our relationship with me as your virtual business support, but more importantly, I'm also here to be a sounding board, to give advice, offer my suggestions, bounce ideas off each other and be a collaborative member of your team to help your business grow!
✨ I’m also always open to feedback about me, my processes and my business as well.
What it looks like:
✨ Open to left field questions to be your sounding board, offering suggestions, having catch ups for you to say things out loud for them to make sense.
Empowerment and Education -
What it means:
✨ I'm a lifelong learner, and I love sharing any knowledge I have as well and my goal is to empower business owners and equip you with the knowledge and confidence you need to run your processes and your businesses yourself (but of course, I hope you still want me alongside even once you can do it yourself!).
What it looks like:
✨ A key shift in my biz this year is to release a course/guide on recruitment, as I genuinely want others to know this stuff and feel empowered to do this themselves.
✨ Open to questions at any time, and happy to share any knowledge I have.
✨ For me, I’m committed to joining courses and maintaining my professional memberships that provide me with access to masterclasses that ensure my continued professional development.
Fun, Family & Flexibility (the 3 Fs) -
Essentially, what it means:
✨ Everyone is welcome as they are here, and it doesn’t have to be all serious all the time. It’s all about having some fun with your business to keep your creativity going and your stress levels down. The truth is, I have a smart assed and sarcastic sense of humour, with the ability (inability???) to make a joke at any time, whether it’s appropriate or not. You will catch me often saying the age-old “so’s your mum” and “that’s what she said”, as well as classic dad/mum jokes and just generally being a sarcastic soul. I am who I am - it’s a part of me, and it is a part of the way I communicate with my clients, potential clients and followers, and so it does make sense to me that injecting a bit of humour and fun into business and into my business values was essential.
✨ We also all have lives, some with family, some with other jobs or education or just business itself. It’s ok if you show up with a child on your lap or in your pyjamas or from a park or your car!
What it looks like:
✨ I don't care if we're having a Zoom with you still in bed in your PJs, or drinking a coffee that's actually a morning cocktail, if you have your kids in the background or on your lap, or you have to stop to yell “don't throw that” or whatever.
✨ I'll crack lame jokes throughout, and do my best to make you feel that you can show up as you are at any moment in time.
Integrity -
What it means:
✨ With all the previous values in mind, I'm a professional business, and I'll work hard to complete tasks, achieve outcomes and kick goals for your biz.
What it looks like:
✨ We’ll set our tasks/goals, I’ll complete those and provide updates to you within the timeframe we’ve set. I’ll maintain your confidentiality and always act with your best interests at heart for your business and aim to be a valuable and collaborative member of your team!
I’d love to hear from you in the comments or in my inbox - do any of these values really resonate with you? Or would you love to share your own values with me?
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