FOR LOVE AND MONEY:
CREATING THE WORK YOU ENJOY
Interview originally published in The Phoenix, February 2008.

Even with the glut of self-help books and programs aimed at helping you find the work you love and are destined to do, many of us keep that dream in the distant someday, spending the precious moments of our life feeling overwhelmed and unfulfilled.

We yearn to bridge the gap between where we are and where we want to be. We meditate, do yoga, go on retreats, attend workshops, and read books that help us slow down and focus on connecting to what lies beneath our busy lives and restless minds. As we begin to direct our attention towards our own needs and desires during these respites, we get glimpses into what would bring us joy and redefine our spiritual values. Then Monday morning arrives, and the stillness we worked so hard to cultivate, is at odds with the job we are required to perform, or at least it feels that way.

Can we really move away from soulless work toward soulful work? If so, what are the crucial steps in making the transition? Is it as simple as changing your perceptions or is there more to it than that? I interviewed a couple business owners who embarked on the journey to creating meaningful work to see if I could discover more about the process.

I looked for businesses that were equally interested in the wellbeing of the business, employee, and consumer. The businesses I chose were satisfying for the owners, and also provided a valuable service that resonated with people who were integrating mind body spirit principles in their lives.

The first business I interviewed was Websites For Good, founded in 1998 and located in Colorado. Margaret Rode is the owner, and she hires contractors to help her build, promote, and maintain websites for nonprofits, small business owners, the newly self-employed, and social entrepreneurs. When I spoke with Rode on the phone, she kept using the word passion to describe her business and her clients. She remembers her father's advice when she began her business. He said, "Remember your clients aren't your friends." That advice didn't hold true for her, and she states, "Becoming completely passionate about the clients and the work they do causes me to do my best work."

The second business I interviewed was Isis Yoga and Wellness Center, founded in 2002 and located in Burnsville, MN. Kathleen Weinstein is the owner, and she also hires contractors to teach a variety of classes at the center. Some of the classes and services offered there include yoga, massage therapy, belly dancing, and meditation. Weinstein's focus is on helping people wherever they are on their path to reduce anxiety, stress, and foster self-acceptance through yoga. She states, "The true meaning of yoga is centeredness, a mind body spirit union, and a bringing into balance. Yoga at its deepest level is about learning the truth of who you really are."

I asked each of them the same questions, and as they told their stories, I found their paths shared many similarities. For example, both of these women believe in the value of their work, are committed to supporting others on their path, and are dedicated to providing services that improve people's lives and the world around them.

It is the concept of the path; that belief that each of us has a unique path in life to fulfill that led to the opening question. How exactly did they turn their dreams into reality? How did they move from an idea to the creation of a business? In both cases, their physical bodies provided the impetus for change in their work lives.

Margaret Rode (Websites For Good): I came into the business with a skill set from what I used to do for a living. There were also a lot of physical clues with my health. I saved up enough money to live off for a couple of months, and started with one client in 1998. That one client referred me to others. I've never had to market or advertise my services; all my clients are through word of mouth.

Kathleen Weinstein (Isis Yoga and Wellness Center): I was very fortunate. I worked as a publisher for 17 years. While I was there, they sent me to a yearlong management-training program where I learned a lot about business. I knew I needed a business plan, marketing, and PR. I had practiced yoga for 30 years prior to starting my business. It took a lot of energy. I took small steps, developing one class at a time. For three years, I taught eight classes out in the community and worked a 40 hour per week job. After my third car accident, when I was recuperating from knee surgery, I took two weeks off and wrote my business plan. There were many places where I wouldn't have made the switch to becoming self-employed, letting go of benefits, the golden handcuffs. It takes courage and hard work.

Next, I spoke to them about their market. What need did their business fill and who were their clients? They both targeted people seeking a change in their lives and lifestyles.

Rode: Right now, my business meets the needs of a certain niche population; people who are trying to do some good in the world and are passionate about it. Our clients are people who want to change the world or their world, those who are realizing a dream, ditching a bad job, and making a change in their lives big or small.

Weinstein: My market is western society. People are exhausted and running on empty trying to be their best. Our students are from all walks of life. They are people that really are searching for a healthier lifestyle.

Another similarity these businesses shared is that they hired others to help them meet the needs of their clients. I asked them about the people they selected to work with.

Rode: They are all sub-contractors, but I think of them as partners. Ninety percent of them followed the same path and left big soulless companies, because they realized something was missing.

Weinstein: My teachers are all contractors. They love what they're doing and have extensive training in their areas of expertise. The teachers all care about helping people on their paths and guiding students to the next step.

As small business owners with employees and clients, I asked them how they balanced the needs of the business, consumer, and employee while avoiding the bottom line mentality that often places these elements in competition with each other. Neither of them found it to be a problem.

Rode: It's not as hard as you would think. Everything is based in spirit. The hardest part is that you never want to turn off work; the line gets grey. I rely on those close to me to let me know when the line of separation between work and home is out of balance.

Weinstein: We send questionnaires to the students. In publishing, I was used to leading teams of people that were employees and independent contractors. Everyone wants the same thing, to be treated fairly. The work itself attracts a high level of maturity in the people.

When I asked both women what they felt was the greatest strength of their businesses, their answers reflected the personal investment they make in their clients. Both businesses strove to customize their services to the needs of individual clients.

Rode: We are involved with the work of our clients and get to see first-hand how many human beings are dedicating their lives to changing the world. We have the passion and energy to assist these people.

Weinstein: We can hand tailor the classes to the needs of our students. The classes are small and intimate. Our teachers are intuitive and can read a room; they have a keen sense of where the students are and adapt their lesson plans to what the students need that day.

Finally, I asked Rode and Weinstein how their lives were enriched through their work. I could feel the depth of their joy in their voices as they answered.

Rode: Hope. Day to day life has a way of draining the hope out. There is so much negativity in the news and all around us. I spend 8-10 hours each day solely involved with people who are totally dedicated to making the world a better place. It is a source of energy better than any drug!

Weinstein: I get to do what I love everyday. I meet the keenest, nicest people in the whole world!

Rode and Weinstein have made the journey from soulless to soulful work. They did not abandon their previous work experience; instead, they took those skills and used them to build their own businesses. In addition, they chose to use their expertise to help others, to provide support and practical services for those of us longing to realize our own dreams. They are two more people extending their hands toward us and inviting us to live the life we imagine for ourselves.

©2007 Lisa Finander

Other examples of Lisa Finander's writing:

• The Empress
• Strength
• Moon As Mapmaker: Exploring Your Inner Landscape Without Fear
• Entering The Castle: An Inner Path To God And Your Soul (Review)
• For Love and Money: Creating the Work You Enjoy (Interview)

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