How to run an authentic business

Imagine a business where people couldn’t wait to go to work on a Monday morning; where every meeting was full of laughter and fun and open to having tough conversations.

A business where there was little need to manage because everyone knew their job and just got on with it; where people cared deeply and challenged each other directly; where customers, suppliers and staff all cared for and supported each other through sharing ideas, best practice and buying from each other’s businesses. A place where everyone was happy, talent could flourish, and success was pretty much a foregone conclusion.

Recently I read "Authentic Business: How to create and run your perfect business" by Neil Crofts. It's about how and why you should set up and run an authentic business and provides tips on how to turn an existing business onto the path of authenticity.

Fundamentally it's about understanding that making a profit in business is like breathing - you have to do it but it isn't why you get up in the morning. I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do from sources that detail universal principles or cite up to date studies so I share the pros and pitfalls of running an authentic business - my business. Emari.

Emari - chosen as the combination of my husband's name and mine (Emma and Rhodri) to remind me that I always work for my family and because as a word it means “home, labour, and power.”