Looking Forward in 2009: The Business of the Future

The old way of doing business is falling apart at the seams before our very eyes. This same ‘falling away’ is occurring on a larger scale in the core structures and systems that make up our institutional religion, politics, education, medicine and judiciary. The good news: When a system falls apart, it will always tend to reorder itself on a higher level.

We are in a time in history when we can look forward to a new and creative way of doing business. We are positioned as entrepreneurs to play a significant role in creating a new vision and implementing the ideas of this new paradigm.

Given a large number of entrepreneurs are finding themselves in this down economy, this true life story is a no doubt a timely one illustrating the above truth.

Letting it Fall Apart

It was April, 1991 in Seattle. My wife, Jane, and I, along with incredible partners and managers, had built up our Yonny Yonson’s healthy deli restaurant chain to 6 stores since 1977. Our largest store in the Columbia Center Building had been the first retail merchant there in 1984, and on our busy days, we would serve 700 folks/day our trademark chicken pot pies, cinnamon rolls, soups, salads, sandwiches and yogurt.

Due to some breached agreements on the part of the former landlord, and the present management team of the new purchasing landlord, we were served with a 90-day eviction notice, after 7 years.

As a result of their actions, and refusal to allow us to sell our space to another restaurant owner, we ended up losing everything, the new restaurant, our home, our credit, and our credibility in the market place. Established restaurateurs in Seattle, my colleagues for some 35 years in the business, shook their head in disbelief at the chain of events occurring.

We decided to forego investing any further energy into litigation, requiring big monies up front, and let it all fall apart. Being in survival, my wife and I were walking through a field of landmines on a daily basis. Even the bank with whom I had had a stellar relationship with for more than 25 years turned their back.

After 35 years, my main identity as a successful restaurateur in the market place was falling apart.

Every day we would say to each other, “It can’t get any worse,”and every day it did. We were soon to be without a home, had no where to go, and many times, struggled to put food on the table for ourselves and our 3-yr. old son.

The lowest point was on Valentine’s Day, in 1992, when due to some vendor escaping under the bankruptcy, the King County Sheriff knocked on our door, and took away a used truck I had bought to paint houses so we could eat.

Everything fell away, and we began to make more of a conscious choice to allow it to fall apart. We did make a choice to live in the moment, and to support and trust each other,and for the next 6 years, our single focus was to just show up fully, one moment at a time.

Out of that emptiness and falling away came all that we have created today. We would not have the marriage we have created these past 26 years. We would not have rented part of our friends’ home for more than a year, and would not have the friendship and memories with them.

We would not have pursued a piece of land and built the first strawbale home in King County, for $22k, our only remaining asset.

I would not have written my first book, “Freedom From Work”. We would not have had all the 1000’s of incredible memories of helping others to build GREEN, joining other pioneers in this field. Out of that falling apart came not one, but two successful painting companies, and another new book soon to be released. The list is much longer than I can share here, but you get the idea.

And all that we learned about living in the moment, about letting fall apart whatever is already existing so that it can reorder on a higher level, has also given us wisdom that can be applied to structures/systems in the market place and in any business.

With this fresh understanding, explore with me some of my vision for business in the future.

Here are some of my ideas of how future business is taking shape:

1) Telling the truth with unconditional acceptance/love.

We have now reached a point in our evolution where there is a new standard of transparency. In almost all business practices, there is a new demand that duplicity be exposed. There also seems to be a critical mass emerging where we are aware that we are all connected. This makes unconditional acceptance (love) a new priority.

2) Where every business owner is a visionary and is responsible for carrying the flame of that vision.

Each and every business will have a purpose and a mission that holds the focus of each individual working in that business. The business owner’s primary purpose will be to create a space where all are contributing to the energy of that vision, and where he/she is responsible for conveying the life of that vision to the team.

3) Creating alignment with the vision/mission of all participants in the organization.

Alignment is when the energy of each individual is moving in support of the agreed-upon vision. Without alignment with a core vision, it is impossible to keep pace with the increasing energy on the planet.

4) Creativity in Business

There will be an accelerated use of our right brains in experimenting with unlimited ideas for advancement in every field. There are never too many ideas. Scientists call their activities hypotheses, experiments, theories. They set up in their daily structure permission to fail repeatedly until in the end, they create the results approving/disproving their hypotheses. In the business realm, we will begin to do the same and allow the evolution of structures/systems more similar to the scientific realm, We will make it ok to experiment with our ideas while creating the business of the future.

5) Storytelling Required

For a business to grow and evolve into something greater, it is essential to know the ’stories’ of the individuals who make up the organic resources of that business. This will require funding of retreats and seminars and other forms of networking to support this.

6) Systemic Thinking

This is the macro vision ~ seeing the whole picture and how your business affects other organizations, the evironment and all those with whom it interacts.

7) Bringing FUN into your Business

FUN at the work place will be the norm, and clocks, a thing of the past. Business owners will create through right-brain thinking games, structures, systems and methods all designed for workers to have ‘fun’ at their job. This will be an integral part of even the physical structure of the work place.

Spirituality in Business

Your purpose in life and core values, including those of the spirit, will be an integral part of the place where you work.

9) Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement of yourself and all other workers for their contribution to the mission. The number one thing people value most in life, and at work, is to be acknowledged, for their essence to be seen and heard.

10) Strengths

All business owners and workers will be using their strengths and talents to 100% capacity. Presently, it is more like 20%.

11) Leadership

We will continually be moving from ‘boss’ (this is the way it’s always been done) to ‘leaders’ (I want your ideas on how we will innovate). Here are some specific characteristics defining the difference between a ‘boss’ and a ‘leader’.

1. A Boss tells what needs to be done. A Leader asks what needs to be done.

2. A Boss always has the answer. A Leader wants to know what you think.

3. A Boss is impatient. A Leader is willing to wait.

4. A Boss makes decisions with no reasons given. A Leader gives reasons for any decision.

5. A Boss cares primarily about him/herself. A Leader cares primarily for the workers.

6. A Boss will not do menial work. A Leader is willing to do any job needed to support the workers.

12) A Superior Learning Organization

All company participants will be involved in their own personal growth ~ studying, going to classes and seminars. Having a coach, mentor or model to learn from and share in the process will be the norm.

And Remember ~

“A learning organization is a place where people are continually discovering how they create their reality and how they can change it.”

Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline

Jack is well known for his franchise development (NW) of Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlours, and some 20 successful companies. He is considered one of the finest business consultants in the market place today.  Check out his website at http://jacksevergreenpainting.com