What We Love About Our Business!

As Valentine’s Day approaches, February is known as the month of love – or historically a month of ‘new beginnings’ – so we’re asking business owners across our Total Guide communities to share what they love about their own business.

By Jan P. de Jonge, Business psychologist and founder of People Business Psychology Ltd.  We apply psychology to make businesses work even better. Jan works worldwide with some of the globe's biggest brands to help team function more effectively, to support recruitment of senior staff and also to support leaders and directors to bring about cultural and behavioural change (even their own). 

What do you love about running your own business? 

Freedom to act: it is the best way of being accountable to only yourself and your clients, instead of another, third party: the boss.

Our business is about what people do and don’t do. It’s the psychology of people’s behaviours that fascinates me. Why does a person do certain things – and can they do better? We can influence that and make ourselves much more effective.

Our work touches so many people’s lives. We have recently worked with eye surgeons, senior ordained vicars and yummy chocolatiers. The world of work, and how people function in it: never a dull day!

What do you love about your business community? 

The trick is to be realistic about your business community – and cherish it at the same time. I have built up some really lovely connections over the years, but, like most business communities, it can be mercurial and have its quirks. I believe the business community is what you make it. 

If you look after it, stay connected, build on it, then that community will reciprocate. In Swindon, Wiltshire, but also in Dubai, San Francisco or Milan. Off-line and, especially now, online.

What do you love socially/geographically about your community?  

The density of historic mysterious landscape monuments and sites of interest is unusually high in Wiltshire. Where we are is like living in an open-air museum with green lushness and fresh air all around – and parking space.

A short countryside stroll away from us is Sticks and Stones http://www.uksticksandstones.com/ – they do a mean Bacon Brie Cranberry toastie and decent barista art coffee. And UK royalty buys their kitchenalia from their shop, so I’ve heard.

Wiltshire is an oasis of multi-faceted hilly countryside. We try to keep kind-of-fit by running. A run from Milk Hill (with its Alton Barnes White Horse) to Clench Common in the Pewsey Downs, for example, offer a stunning backdrop to a 5-mile run - enough to lifts anyone’s spirits.  

While we are locked down – name any business you have ‘loved’ and bought from in your community over the last few months? 

We have bought some fantastic eco-friendly paint (no nasties!) from a small business called Kitchen Cupboard Paint https://www.kitchencupboardpaint.com/ located in The Old Barn, Unit 6 Manor Farm, Lydeway – near trinkets shop Mipo and Plank’s Farm shop; in fact it’s where they might breathe life into a new railway station servicing Devizes and surroundings!

February 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day – have you carried out any random acts of kindness (business or otherwise) over the last few months? 

As a family we have been putting all hands on deck in a good part of 2020 making face shields and facemasks. Besides that we try to be kind by being kind and helping those near to us. Pyschologically speaking, helping others is one of the most effective ways of experiencing a sense of fulfilment and contentment.

What would your advice be to a business owner who is feeling ‘flat’ in February? 

Get active. If you can, go for a walk. Drink water when you get up from a night’s sleep. Restrict eating too much processed food and cook more. Connect (somehow!) with people around you, offer them a lending ear, and count your blessings.

And finally: 

Patience is a virtue. Business is hard at the moment, but we must hang on in there. There is light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel is just a longer than we’d hoped for. With some horrible bumpy bends in it.

For more information visit https://www.peoplebusinesspsychology.com