I am not writing about being snobby or thinking that you are somehow better than those around you as I consider what it means to hold yourself and your business to a higher-than-average standard. Instead, what I am thinking about is how we can go above and beyond the general expectations and expect more from ourselves in our business dealings and expect our business to stand for something as well.
One of the great things about choosing to run your own business is that you get to set the expectations and you get to set the standard for how to do business and what sort of mission will guide your business operations. Not only do we get to choose what hours we work and what we will sell or offer (and for how much), but we also get to decide what our values and beliefs are in regard to how we will operate. For many of us, this can be incredibly inspiring. We can finally do business and work in a way that is spiritually aligned with what we value and what we believe in.
I have learned that I feel better about myself and my life when my work is congruent or cohesive with what I believe in and my standards of living. This is not to say that there is one right way and it is my way—instead, we all have different things that we value and different spiritual or core beliefs that guide us. A home business is an opportunity for us to hold our work to the same standard (or higher) that we hold other aspects of our lives.
What does this mean for your home business? It means that you get to set the standard and it CAN be higher than what you have encountered elsewhere. You can decide that you will return phone calls and e-mails within 24-hours or that you will be honest and direct with customers and clients no matter what. You can decide on a return policy or guarantees and they can be something that you are comfortable with, they do not have to be replications of the “standard.”
See Also: Standing for Something