You know what people ask me first at the beginning of any podcast interview?
How do you say your last name?

You know what people ask me second?
Okay – what the heck is regenerative business design?

When you offer a service everyone already knows about, your marketing doesn’t need to include education…because your people are already on the same page. But once you start disrupting the status quo, education becomes a large part of your marketing strategy.

Over the years, I’ve heard a lot of hesitations when I say the words “regenerative business design” and because this matters to me, I want to break down the myths and magic of regenerative design practices so I can give you some things to think about and nudge your business a little closer. 

Here are the 5 I hear most often:

Myth: Regenerative is the same as sustainable
Magic: I like to think of sustainability as net zero. What you put in, you get out. In the case of your business, if you want more revenue, you work more hours. One for one. Regenerative design looks at the whole system, decides what’s working, what’s not, and where you can integrate or focus your practice so you benefit the whole. Regenerative design doesn’t look solely at revenue but at lifestyle, community, family responsibilities, physical energy, mental health, and more. By factoring in all the factors, we literally redefine what success looks like outside of a single metric. 

Myth: You’ve got to be rich to start implementing regenerative design practices
Magic: Regenerative design doesn’t start when you have a certain number of dollars in your bank account or a certain amount of annual revenue. You can use regenerative design to look at aspects of your life, your business, even your community to help you create ease and flow where you most need it. Have you ever skipped a stone? A pebble can create a strong ripple. 

Myth: Regenerative business design is an overhaul of your whole business
Magic: In short, it doesn’t have to be. Think about it like a renovation project. Sometimes you might need to completely redo your basement, sometimes you need to update your kitchen, but most of the time, you’re looking at maintenance projects. When something isn’t working quite right, you know. Regenerative design is a lens through which you find solutions that make sense for you and your life. 

Myth: This work is expensive
Magic: Capitalism is stupid. Part of my own work in this world is to model solutions inside the capitalist system that question and course correct. It’s why I write such long newsletters to you, post free content on Medium & my own site, create custom payment plans for any client who needs one, and offer multiple tiers to the Motorcycle Club. I believe fundamentally that this information should not be only accessible to those who can afford it. I hope that simply by being a part of this community, you gain tips and tricks to help move your business forward in a way that feels aligned.

Myth: You’ve got to have a big give back program in mind
Magic: Once I explain regenerative design, people quickly think about give-back programs, foundations and trusts, BOGO opportunities, and big incentive programs that can feel unwieldy. Although if you’re ready to establish your own foundation, HMU. But it doesn’t have to be that. Instead, let’s talk about reclamation. You can reclaim your time, your schedule, your creativity, your client base, anything. We start with your goals – real goals. What do you actually want to achieve? Then we go from there. 

Think about regenerative design as your business’ consciousness quotient aka how intentional or reactive are you in your business? 

How intentional are you around your schedule?
How intentional are you with your services?
How much of a ripple of impact are you creating with your business?
How much do you want to create?
Are your services and your clients both aligned with your values and your lifestyle needs? 

This is just the beginning of a beautiful masterpiece but if you take anything with you today, it’s this: this work, this design process, can start any time, wherever you are in your business. Even now.