Sharon Rowe's Blog

Sharon Rowe is featured in this article by Sara Weinreb for Forbes on "Why To Become A B Corp, According To Four Certified Companies." Read it here.

There are 'small' businesses. Then there are 'tiny' ones, concerned about the personal and social impact they make. Read more.

"Why More Businesses Should Embrace Being Small" written by Lambeth Hochwald

Sharon Rowe is interviewed by Kate Harrison for Forbes. Read more here.

When did it become the norm to shove exercise into the wee morning hours or a scramble to get to yoga after work? When did going home for dinner become picking up ready-to-go, over-packaged, pre-made, or in-a-box kits instead of pouring a glass of wine and enjoying the onions while they sauté? Why do daily life tasks get pushed into after-hours or onto the weekends resulting in over-scheduled weekends that are meant for rest and relaxation?

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When you think of the Tiny House Movement, what comes to mind? It’s about size, of course, but there’s more to it than that. It’s about living with more intentionality, becoming comfortably able to say “no” to stuff conscious with the choices you make When I say “tiny” business, the most common reaction is, oh “small” business which is sort of right, but not exactly. Small business is defined by the size of a business or the number of employees. It’s a very generic descriptor. What distinguishes a small business from a “tiny” business is business does not refer to size. I am not only talking small business, though a small business may be a Tiny Business. Tiny Business Is Business on  
YOUR Terms—That Fits YOUR Life 

I.It is driven by consciously chosen limitations that increase your focus on the things that matter. Tiny means how to say no. 

II.This focus helps you prioritize your “why”—the things that matter to you and that you want to create—in life, business, and the world. 

III.These priorities guide every decision in your “how”—the business realities and practices that get things done. 

IV.Focus, priorities, and clarity create a magic that let you enjoy the process. You remember to breathe, and you thrive through it all. Tiny means how to say yes. 

The Magic of Tiny Business encompasses all the lessons I learned and the time-tested Tiny Business insights and advice I want to share so that you can have a smoother journey. 

In part I, I go deeper into what a Tiny Business is and what it means to consciously choose your limitations—whether it’s leaving work at 5:00 p.m. every day without fail, having a positive environmental impact, or enjoying a flexible schedule. I help you take inventory of what you have to start with (trust me, it’s enough!), what you will need going forward, and the steps you can take to get it. 

Part II is about getting clear on your “why.” What do you want for your life, your business, and the world? Why do you want to start your own business? Why are you passionate about selling this particular product or service? Breaking down the answers to these questions will help you get clear on your brand and your story—the unique value you are adding to the marketplace. 

In part III, I get into the nitty-gritty of starting and growing a Tiny Business—from cash flow to accounting and anticipating growth and slowdowns—all the while keeping your “why” front and center. 

Part IV is about keeping you whole throughout the process. A Tiny Business is about making a good living and a great life. You need to be able to stop and smell the flowers, or get a glass of water, or take a walk when you feel like it—you need to enjoy the journey. This section shows you how. 

A Tiny Business is business on your terms… that fits your life. Like Tiny House living, it’s as much about saying “no” as it is about saying “yes.” It’s making your work life work for you. 

Business decisions are based on satisfying profit goals and personal priorities. It’s serious business requiring discipline but it can be done. If I did it, so can you! 

Tiny is the opposite of the “go big” myths in our culture. The Tiny Business approach says you can make an impact and a great living. The two ideas can work together. Dump the old ideologies that say you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Say “no” to the kind of comprising that nicks at your heart and soul. Tiny Business is a new way of doing business.  

Tiny is not just about size. A “tiny” business can be a small one or two-person team or a larger many hundred team. Tiny… 

Is driven by consciously choosing limitations that increase your focus on the things that matter, and make you more efficient, like creating a work schedule that doesn’t exhaust you by bleeding your personal time.  

helps you prioritize your “why”—the reason you decided to use business as your platform in the first place, to use business as a force for good; to create business, and the world. 

guides every decision in your “how”—the business realities and practices of how you get things done. 

When you focus on your priorities you can create a kind of magic that lets you enjoy the process. You remember to breathe. You can thrive.  

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I woke up this morning and the last thing I wanted to do was do the things I needed to do. Does that sound familiar?

But, I’m disciplined so I made my to-do list and got to work. After two hours of writing, deleting and writing some more, I distracted myself with some facebook, a phone call about a vacation rental, lunch and then…And then I made myself sit back down to complete my writing task. 

Let’s just face it, some days are better than others for writing, going to meetings, showing up for events or about anything needed to stay engaged and move the needle on your business. That’s where seeing your resistance is different than giving in to it.  Giving in can look like canceling a meeting, putting off buying plane tickets until they get so expensive the trip isn’t worth it, skipping an event. The list is limitless. I know.  

Being an entrepreneur is an endurance sport that you’re always in training for. Even though I know that showing up is 99% of the game and that things happen when you least expect them I still dance with my own resistance…even after almost thirty years in business.   

How do you work with your own resistance? 

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I had a lot of fun, and did a ton of great business at Expo West this year. It was my 26th year or so going. Expo West is the single largest natural products trade show in the USA. There were over 80,000 attendees and about 3,500 exhibitors. I can always create reasons to not go (too busy, too far away, you know the drill…) but when I get there I’m always happy I made it. I get to see people I’ve grown up with…my brand and me! It’s serious business but it’s also like a big family reunion.

I’m happy because my people are here - the community of entrepreneurs  who have chosen business as a platform “for good;” to introduce new ideas and create cultural shifts. Everything you can buy that’s natural, organic or gluten free, cleanly sourced and eco-friendly has made a splash here.

In 1992 I set up a booth and filled it with my “tiny” idea, let’s “clean up the planet one bag at a time” with reusable bags, my enthusiasm and my parents. I had an idea about a cultural shift I wanted to see. There wasn’t a category for me then. Now, there are aisles of brands for zero and waste-less living.

One thing is sure - this is a community of people who get things done. When you decide to “show up” you will find yourself being woven into communities. With a “tiny” business you get to choose the ones you want to be part of.

If you own a brand, work with a brand or align with a brand, consistency is key in social interactions as well as business. I know this seems obvious but I’ve seen things go “out of alignment” in social environments.

This can play out very simply. For example,  I just had a house concert with over 50 people.  I didn’t run out and buy plastic cups and paper plates.  I used every plate, cloth napkin, glass, fork, knife and spoon we own. Full disclosure, we did have to use some plastic forks but we washed them for future use. While our event wasn’t 100% trash free, it was at least 75% trash free. The event was partially pot-luck so we didn’t know what was being brought to us and in what containers or packaging.