Soft Life Mentality & Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs that embrace soft life principles understand that success is not just about financial gain - it's about creating a life that brings you joy, fulfillment, and balance.
Build a Business with Soft Life Principles
As the world becomes increasingly fast-paced and competitive, many entrepreneurs feel the pressure to work harder, longer, and more aggressively to succeed. However, this approach can lead to burnout, stress, and a lack of fulfillment in both their personal and professional lives.
Those looking to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys may feel as if the only way to launch, let alone succeed, is to adopt a “grind it”, “crush it”, “kill it” and only “sleep when I’m dead” mentality. Not only is this thinking unhealthy and unproductive, but it adds to the overwhelm that starting a venture innately has.
There is a better way, a way that centers wellness, sustainability, and longevity in business, but also in life. This is where the concept of soft life comes in.
Soft life is a lifestyle and business approach that prioritizes self-awareness, self-care, balance, and joy. It's about building a business that supports the life you want to live, rather than sacrificing your well-being for the sake of success. Soft life is not just a Tik-Tok aesthetic trend - it's truly a strategic way to approach entrepreneurship.
To build a business with softness, you need to start by knowing yourself and having a clear vision of the life you want to live. This includes considering important factors such as your values, passions, professional strengths, professional weakness, personal definition of professional wellness, and desired experience of work-life balance.
Soft-life entrepreneurs understand that success is not just about financial gain - it's about creating a life well lived in all aspects of your life.
Living on our own terms is a dream that many of us aspire to achieve. It is a state where we have complete control over our lives, and we are free to make decisions that align with our values, beliefs, and goals. In the business world, I refer to this concept of living on our own terms is referred to as soft life.
Soft life is not just a trendy buzzword; it is a way of life that can lead to greater sustainability and longevity in business. Entrepreneurs who embrace this approach to entrepreneurship can create a business that is not just financially successful but also fulfilling and balanced. This approach involves understanding the importance of taking breaks from work, engaging in social activities, and prioritizing personal well-being.
Soft life is strategic living, as it requires entrepreneurs to be intentional about their actions and decisions. It is about being strategic with time, resources, and energy. It is not just about working hard but also working smart. Entrepreneurs who embrace the soft life philosophy understand that taking care of themselves is essential to the success of their businesses and understand the importance of working smarter, not harder. Delegating or eliminating tasks that drain you. It means setting boundaries and saying no to opportunities that don't align with your vision or values.
The soft life philosophy is about being kind to oneself and showing grace and compassion. It involves understanding that failure and setbacks are a part of the journey and using them as opportunities to learn and grow. Taking stumbles and disappointments as information and pivoting accordingly. Successful entrepreneurs do not try to put a square peg in a round hole but instead, take the information and move on.
Entrepreneurship is a form of self-actualization, and the soft life philosophy recognizes this. It is about becoming more of oneself through the process of creating a business. It involves pulling things out of the ether (or your mind) and bringing them into physical form, and becoming clear about who you are as a purpose-driven service provider. It is about learning more about who you are and who you are not.
Soft life is about cultivating a life well-lived. It is about aligning oneself with the life that one wants to live and the business that one wants to have while giving oneself the grace to change one's mind and pivot.
In “Soft-life + Building A Business Abroad”, I emphasize the need to build a business that allows us to plant one seed and reap multiple harvests. I help my clients achieve this by creating systems and workflows that enable them to work smarter, not harder. By understanding the money we want to make, how much we want to work, and thinking about products and services, we can create a business that is sustainable, profitable, and works in harmony with life.
Soft life is also about accountability and empowerment. It is about taking control of our lives and making decisions that align with our own values, beliefs, and goals, not what the internet says you should aspire to be or have.
The truth is, is that being an entrepreneur is not for everyone, but those who embrace the soft life can create a business that is not just financially successful but also fulfilling and balanced.
Being an entrepreneur does require sacrifice, but finding balance in everything is essential. Throughout any personal or professional evolution, one needs to sacrifice who one used to be to become the next iteration of themselves. Business, like life, is a cycle of death and rebirth, and one needs to embrace change to succeed. Soft-life entrepreneurs understand that their vision and goals may evolve over time, and they are willing to adapt to new opportunities and challenges. They give themselves the grace to change their minds and pivot their businesses as needed.
Building a business with softness also involves taking care of yourself. This means prioritizing self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, and rest. It means prioritizing sustainability and longevity by taking breaks when you need them, and not pushing yourself to the point of burnout. Soft-life entrepreneurs understand that taking care of themselves is essential to their success and well-being.
It's about creating a business that supports the life you want to live, rather than sacrificing your well-being for the sake of success. Soft life is not just an aesthetic trend - it's a strategic way to approach entrepreneurship that can lead to long-term fulfillment and success.
Soft Life Means Living on Your Own Terms
The concept of a soft life has been gaining popularity in recent years and for good reason. It's a way of living that prioritizes wellness, balance, and joy, and it's all about living on your own terms. In “Soft-life + Building A Business Abroad” episode of Flourish in the Foreign, I discussed what it means to live a soft life and how it can be applied to building a successful business.
Living a soft life is not just about face masks and great lighting. It encompasses financial wellness, professional wellness, emotional and mental wellness, and physical wellness on your own terms. It's about identifying what a life well lived means to you and cultivating that life with intention.
To achieve a soft life, I always stress to my clients (and anyone who asks me) that it is of great importance to deeply know yourself. This means identifying what works in your life and what doesn't, and using that knowledge to create a life that aligns with your values and goals, especially if living abroad is a part of your vision of a life well lived. The Moving Abroad with Intention guide is a helpful tool for this process, as it helps you identify the tenants that are important to you for a soft life.
When it comes to building a business upon wellness principles, my professional sweet spot, I suggest understanding not only your zone of genius but also the lifestyle you want to live. This means identifying how much you want to work, how much money you want to make, and how you want to show up in your business.
My clients, who are primarily Black women and WOC entrepreneurs in the wellness industry, are a testament to the success of this approach. By identifying their personal cycle for business and building a business that aligns with their values and goals, they are able to achieve long-term fulfillment and success.
Know Your Numbers for Success
Building a business abroad (or at home) with soft life principles, it is vital to know your numbers. This means understanding the financial aspects of your business and setting realistic goals for yourself. As the podcast episode highlights, many women business owners undervalue themselves and underprice their services. It is crucial to break away from this mindset and recognize the value of your work.
Knowing your numbers also means identifying the amount of money you need to take home in order to support your desired lifestyle. This includes covering expenses, investments, and any other financial goals you may have. By having a clear understanding of your financial needs, you can make informed decisions about your business and work towards achieving your desired level of financial wellness.
It is also important to recognize that a soft life does not mean a life of excess. It is about finding balance and taking care of yourself in the way that you want to be taken care of. This includes being able to work when you want to and taking time off when you need to prioritize your mental and physical health. As I mention in the episode, the traditional "grind" mentality is not necessary for success. By embracing a more feminine and gentle approach to business, you can create a sustainable and fulfilling career.
Soft life = Sustainability & Longevity
The concept of soft life has been gaining popularity in recent times, especially among Black women Tik-Tokers. As an aesthetic, it emphasizes luxury, comfort, relaxation, and self-care. However, it is much more than just an aesthetic. It is a philosophy that must be embodied and is especially important for Black women and WOC entrepreneurs (and in general). I believe that embodying soft life as a philosophy can lead to greater sustainability and longevity in business.
The concept of a "soft life" may seem counterintuitive in the world of business, where success is often equated with long hours, high stress, and aggressive competition, which I would deem a masculine (energetically) approach.
Soft life, emphasizes a more feminine (energetically) approach to entrepreneurship. This means taking the time and space to contemplate your goals and desires, without feeling pressured to conform to societal expectations or external pressures. It means recognizing that success is not just about making money, but about living a life that is fulfilling and balanced.
One of the key aspects of the soft life is sustainability. This means building a business that is not only financially viable but prioritizes their own well-being, making them more likely to be able to sustain their business over the long term. Burnout and stress can lead to a lack of motivation and productivity, which can ultimately harm the business.
By taking a more holistic approach to business, entrepreneurs can create a company that is not just profitable but also contributes to the greater good and doesn’t deplete them.
Another important aspect of the soft life is longevity. This means recognizing that success is not just about achieving short-term goals, but about building a business that can thrive over the long term. By prioritizing self-care and balance, entrepreneurs can maintain their passion and energy for their work. This can lead to greater fulfillment and satisfaction in their work, which can ultimately lead to greater success.
Of course, embracing the soft life does not mean that business owners can ignore the practical aspects of running a company. Soft life is not just a trendy buzzword, but a philosophy that can lead to greater sustainability and longevity in business. By embracing a more feminine approach to entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs can create a business that is not just financially successful, but also fulfilling and balanced.