The SEA of Change as Entrepreneurs Grow their Businesses

Having engaged with entrepreneurs across diverse industries, I've been captivated by their narratives, trials, triumphs, and, at times, inevitable setbacks and in formulating the SEA concept, an acronym for Successful Entrepreneurs, Amplified. I found resonance in the Macro/Micro metaphor. We, as SEA, are both a single drop (micro) in the vast ocean and a constituent of the ocean (macro). Embracing our role as the one drop, we realise that our calling is a distinct and unique expression emanating from the One and manifested as our unique and specialised contribution to the world. 

Thomas Troward, an English author whose work influenced the New Thought movement, described the Macro/Micro as a process of awakening to our divine nature by describing human evolution as mineral, plant, animal, and human, with the ultimate evolutionary cycle that of the birth of the Divine Human. In his writings, he described the attribute of the Divine Human as one of being awakened to our nature. In a sense, it awakens from humanity's deep sleep, and through contemplation, we recognize the creative process in the individual. This process propels my work at first, having discovered the creative process in my life. Then, I applied the process in my entrepreneurial ventures and realized that I had access to the same abilities found in the macro by my consciousness; I am a creator.  

This is as true for me as it is for you. We are creators, and we access the ability to create through conscious recognition or speculative reasoning. Thomas Troward wrote, "No advance in any direction can be made except by speculative reasoning." We know we are creators, and this recognition leads us to produce results. This method of thought has produced all the advantages of civilization, from matches and post offices to the internet, emails, cars, and aeroplanes. Speculative reasoning requires us to take more part in our evolutions and to release our unique and specialized gifts to the world. 

The SEA concept serves as a guiding light, leading you through the intricate creative process of your expression. As an entrepreneur, you likely find yourself at a point on the Success spectrum, encompassing various stages of the entrepreneur's life cycle: beginner mind, empty mind, immovable mind, remaining mind, and enlightened mind. This article will delve into the three most prevalent stages, beginner mind, immovable mind, and remaining mind, all illuminated by the SEA concept.

Beginners Mind:

You have a creative idea floating around in your mind. You think about it often and want to start, but you need motivation to help you take the leap and begin. You find yourself lost in doubt about how valuable your idea is and whether it will be successful. Often, you think about starting, but something always seems to stand in the way of beginning the process of creating the business. According to a survey conducted by blog.hotspot.com, entrepreneurs started businesses because they wanted a career or lifestyle change. The percentage of entrepreneurs wanting a career or lifestyle change sheds light on the draw discovered in pursuing personal fulfilment and using our creative faculties to imagine and create a business that offers satisfaction and promotes feelings of success. 

Starting a business can promote a career or lifestyle change. It offers a way to showcase your unique skills and specialized nature to people seeking precisely what you have to offer. We can all support the idea of changing careers for the better and enjoying a different lifestyle, one that honours all our strengths and abilities.

Immovable Mind:

Your creative idea has evolved into a business, and you're beginning to attract a following. Many entrepreneurs embark on this journey to gain independence and escape the 9-5 work commitment. The desire for autonomy is a powerful motivator, and the path to becoming your own boss is a learning process that empowers you and gives you control over your life. However, this is often the stage where many entrepreneurs feel disillusioned. The initial excitement of starting a business and making a career change can clash with reality. The promise of more time and freedom can turn into a realisation that business success often means working without an off button. 

Michael Gerber’s book EMYTH refers to this idea by describing a technician, someone good at a particular vocation, who suddenly decides that they can do the job better, faster, and with less client frustration. These people venture off on their own to open a business in their field, and rather than experiencing freedom, they find that they are working far more hours than before. The allure of being one's boss and breaking free from the 9-5 work commitment is not just a personal desire but a common thread that binds these aspiring business owners into a larger community of like-minded individuals.

Remaining Mind:

Your creative idea has legs under it. It is operationally sound and has processes that allow you to enjoy some freedoms that were not available to you in previous life cycle stages. You have built a following, and your product or service is respected in your industry. Your life cycle has moments of space between the thoughts of what needs to be changed or altered and times to enjoy what you have created. A thought passes periodically, asking you if you're still happy in the business or if you wonder if something else is calling you. The remaining mind can feel stagnant; I remember the last several years in a business we started 20 years before; we had beaten the odds by creating a solid business with a well-established business. We had a long-held client base. Still, we worked 40 or more hours a week, remaining hands-on with the business operations. The cycle found in the remaining mind may contribute to the determination and desire for fulfilment in a business, and at the same time, it comes up against parts of us that are ready to create anew. We met this cycle by reimagining our next evolution and setting up a course to create a turnkey business model for our business to sell to an interested investor. Thirty-six months later, after reorganising the business and removing any aspects that required our oversight, a company three times our size acquired us for a sizable amount. 

Take an internal survey: where are you on the entrepreneur spectrum? Is it in the beginner mind, immovable mind, or remaining mind? Whichever cycle you are in, think about what you want to experience and take a moment to write out how a typical day would look if you had all that you need, converting limitations or time, resources, and ideas into plenty of time, resources, and ideas.  

If you're ready to explore how the SEA Concept Successful Entrepreneur Amplified offers easy access to techniques you can use to thrive in your business, or if you have an idea, want to learn to delegate, or are ready to make your business turnkey, visit zinakacha.com. 

Navigating the transition from performance to purpose is a profound journey that invites us to redefine success, embrace authenticity, and discover the true meaning of fulfilment in our entrepreneurial and personal lives.

Zina Kacha is a progressive and certified spiritual educator and entrepreneur with three decades of experience supporting women to thrive with their businesses. 

www.zinakacha.com