What mulch taught me about business
How can you create systems that support your highest intentions?
We mulched the garden paths last week.
It’s the least glamorous part of gardening, but a necessary one.
Well-placed mulch saves time, money, & resources.
The free chip we get delivered from local tree trimmers transforms muddy spaces between beds into passable paths.
The mountain of pine mulch from the local garden supply keeps the weeds & invasives from overrunning the flower beds.
And the fragrant bags of cocoa shell mulch keep the veggie beds tidy while reducing the need for watering.
I have been moving dozens of yards of mulch every year for 30 years.
I have also been helping entrepreneurs learn how to effectively use their time, money, & resources to grow their businesses for more than 30 years.
I have learned some important business lessons from mulch.
One person’s excess is another’s valuable resource.
Each spring I watch for tree trimming work crews in my area.
Since I know they pay to dump the resulting chip, I offer them a free dumping pad.
If you are considering moving your office out of your home, look for who in your community has extra office space.
Subleasing an office within another business may be cheaper than a co-working space and provides some perks like janitorial services, free coffee, & Wi-Fi.
Keeping order allows me to focus on priorities.
The constant summer rains in Vermont means the weeds flourish alongside the veggies.
Mulching the veggies beds means I spend less time watering & weeding & more time enjoying the beauty & harvest.
Use a combination of analog & digital systems to keep what’s important at your fingertips so you spend less time searching & more time creating.
I use Asana, for example, to manage my strategic plan but keep a handwritten list of priorities on my desk to keep overwhelm to a minimum.
Order smells like chocolate.
I use cocoa shell mulch to keep the veggie beds tidy.
It smells like chocolate, let’s the rain reach the plants, keeps the weeds a bay, & can be incorporated into the soil at the end of the season.
Plain 85% dark Chocolate is also my go to afternoon sweet.
It’s a small reward in the day, provides a little boost, is wonderfully sensuous & keeps me from eating sugary pastries or salty crackers.
Where are you overlooking solutions when creative alternatives abound?
How can you create systems that support your highest intentions?
What is your favorite reward for doing good work?
