Does your business need more exposure?

There are natural cycles to being self-employed. Ups and downs, break throughs and break downs. They come and go like winter, spring, summer and fall.

When I get stuck, or feel that my business growth has stalled, I find it helpful to reflect on the never ending cycles of nature and remember that we are no different.

For instance, a few weeks ago my partner Scott and I uprooted a struggling fern tree and cleared the space for something new. We did this on a whim with no idea of what we’d put in its place. There it sat for a week or two, empty but full of potential.

So last weekend I wandered through our local nursery dreaming of what to plant in the empty space. It was quite an ordeal. Planning a garden requires reflection on many levels.

First I had to consider what would grow well with direct sun from 10 am to 4 pm, not quite “full sun” but not really shade either.Then I had to consider what would grow in clay soil, even though we added conditioning mulch to break up the solid chunks.

Also, I wanted beautiful, flowering plants and evergreens, so I had to find a way to create a color palette and textures that would give the garden depth and variety.

Two hours later, Scott and I left the nursery with a truck full of plants. The next day I used a pick axe to dig 18 holes for our colorful plants, then I mulched away.

At first everything looked beautiful. I realized it would take a couple years for it to fill in, but the plants looked great next to one another and I was pleased.

The next day temps hit 97 degrees, a rare phenomenon for the Bay Area in late August. I watered the plants and prayed they’d make it through the heat.

The following day it was a scorching 100 degrees. I watered again and prayed for the best. Everything looked okay.

The third day I noticed the coleus was changing color, from brilliant chartreuse to dull, pale yellow. The coral bell was shriveling up along the edges as though it had been burned by a fire.

Uh oh.

What was wrong?

Too much sun?

Not enough water?

Both?

Clay soil?

Some strange bug?

It could have been anything. I had no idea.

I’m not a master gardener. I just enjoy gardening. It’s a family tradition, passed down from my grandmother to my mother and on to me. But I’m just getting started and don’t always know how to make things grow. It’s a lot of research followed by trial and error.

So, faced with possible death of my new garden, I felt a twinge of sadness and hopelessness as I wondered what to do.

Growing lifework is like this.

You might start out by getting rid of something undesirable, like a worn out job, in order to make room for something new, like a venture into self-employment.

You prepare the way, sort through stored up dreams in search for a vision that might take root, wondering what you really want to grow versus what should just stay a fantasy.

Then you begin to cultivate ideas. Maybe you decide to grow a private practice, or a creative business.

Whatever it is, the beginning is filled with hope and inspiration, with a dash of nerves to make things interesting.

But then reality sets in.

After the initial stages of dreaming and getting started, there’s a readjustment period.

Like a plant, you might have a hard time adjusting to your new situation. Perhaps things don’t take root as quickly as you’d hoped, like a private practice that is slow to come to fruition.

At this point you need to ask, “Is something not working and if so what do I need to do to move forward? What adjustments can I make to ensure my work grows solid roots and juicy fruit?”

Is it simply a matter of time? Will patience get you where you need to go?

Have you been hiding out in the shade too much? Do you need more exposure, more human contact in order to attract more clients?

Do you need to fertilize your message and service packages, make them fertile, more irresistible so people value your assistance?

You may need to adjust your efforts, your message, or your services in order to create an abundant and fruitful practice just like you’d adjust the amount of water, sun and fertilizer to grow a healthy garden.

Sometimes knowing what to adjust requires research, trial and error. Other times you’ll benefit from a master gardener or mentor who can easily recognize what you need to grow.

Whatever you require, it can be useful to see your lifework as a garden that needs constant tending, everything from sun exposure to weeding and watering.