Three Types of Alignment In Your Business

When you hear the word alignment you might think about yoga or the human body. Good alignment means that we are connected, healthy and strong. And misalignment often creates pain or instability to the point we can no longer ignore what’s going on. 

I often use alignment in the body as a metaphor for business strategy. The same way a chiropractic adjustment can target a specific pain or imbalance along your spine, a strategic adjustment can also bring a lot of relief to a nagging pain in your business. 

Alignment issues are a great diagnostic tool because they show us where our energy is stuck. Blocked energy focuses our attention on what isn’t working. And sometimes the slightest adjustment in area can produce a massive shift – because whether we’re talking about business or life – everything is connected.

I’m going to explore 3 common areas of alignment you can focus on to help your business grow. By exploring these areas, perhaps you can identify a pain point in your business that’s calling for your awareness right now.

Soul Alignment

When I refer to soul alignment in business, what I’m talking about is a deep connection to your core essence, or as I like to call it, the soul of your brand. This includes awareness about your purpose, vision, goals, strengths and personality.

When soul alignment is strong you are clear on who you are and that means you are more likely to create a business that aligns with your purpose, vision and values. When soul alignment is off, entrepreneurs tend to feel very stuck and unsure of their direction. 

Soul alignment calls us inward, and it requires us to stop and evaluate the very foundation of who we are – as a person, a leader, and a brand. It can happen at any stage of the business journey and for a myriad of reasons such as; a failed venture, a mid-life crisis, a shift in consciousness or just a deep nagging awareness that something greater is calling you forward.

Brand Alignment

Brand alignment is a more common term used in business. It’s about aligning your unique value to your customers needs and learning to translate this awareness into a clear offerings, messaging, and an overall value proposition that accurately represents your business. 

When brand alignment is strong, you’re clear about how to communicate who you are, who you serve and what you do. Your positioning feels good and the right people can find you, understand your value and want to connect with you. When brand alignment is off, we tend to feel like something in our communications is not working; like we’re attracting the wrong people, or we can’t get clear on what we want to offer. 

Brand alignment requires that you spend some time getting really clear on the connection between who you are, what you do and who you want to work with. This is a foundational aspect of your business strategy and something you should revisit and adjust as you grow because the more you go out and work with the right people, the closer you’ll get to understanding how to best align with them. 

Marketing Alignment 

Marketing alignment is simply about choosing the right tools, tactics and systems to share your message. It’s about having a strategy and plan that’s clearly defined and uniquely tailored to you and your business goals. 

When alignment is strong in this area, your marketing efforts should be bringing you tangible results and the process of creating content should be fairly easy and fun. You know who you’re talking to, how to reach them and what they want. When marketing alignment is off, the whole idea of marketing feels hard. It can be more complex to determine what’s not working since there are many factors that contribute to an effective marketing strategy but the most common thing I see is that the foundation isn’t strong enough yet.

Sometimes marketing alignment issues can be cured with a new tactic or tool, but more often than not, it requires you to go back to your foundation to look for clues. Is it the marketing strategy or your lack of clarity that’s causing the problem? Is it the medium or the message that’s out of alignment? Am I really lost or am I just afraid to be seen?

How Aligned Is Your Business?

Alignment work reminds us that everything isn’t broken – that one small adjustment can produce huge results. When one area is aligned and open, it can support the entire system. And when one area is blocked, it can cause the whole structure to feel unstable. 

Developing a clear and aligned strategy for growth requires your intention and attention. You must be willing to go deep, look at where it hurts and develop a plan to reach your goals from a place of alignment, not fear. When we approach business with this level of clarity, magical shifts can occur and the process of building a business or brand becomes way more enjoyable. 

Spring Clean Your Business

Spring’s in the air! It’s a perfect time to refresh, refocus and realign with yourself and your business after a long winter. Nothing feels better than a fresh perspective and that’s exactly why I’m talking to you about the magic of spring cleaning in your business.

Spring is a season of creation and growth. It’s also the perfect time to let go of what no longer serves you and realign with your goals for the year. Here are some simple and powerful ways you can spring clean your business and make room for the new.

1. Clear the Clutter

Clutter comes in all shapes and sizes. It’s not just about having a messy desk or unorganized filing cabinet. Clutter can be mental, emotional and energetic. The good news is - where there’s clutter, there’s also an opportunity to simplify. Some areas to scan in your business include:

• Physical spaces - workspace, desktop, inbox, dropbox, calendars etc.

• Marketing content - social media, messaging, website, etc.

• Organizational - systems, processes, people etc.

• Mental/emotional - negative self-talk, overwhelming thoughts, fears etc.

The main goal is to identify where you feel blocked, misaligned or overwhelmed. Trust your intuition. Once you’ve identified where you want to clear the clutter, begin to consciously purge and organize this aspect of your business bringing full awareness to the space you are creating.

2. Close Any Open Loops

Another way to create a lighter, cleaner energy in your business is to look for any open loops. Open loops are dreams, relationships, and situations that have not been fully resolved.

These sneaky little situations can deplete our energy because there is no closure. This might be a conversation you need to have, a relationship you need to mend or you may decide something is done and close the loop on your own. Intention alone can be very powerful. 

Another tip is to review your goals for things you’ve outgrown or no longer feel connected to. Cross them off the list and remember that your goals are allowed to expire too.

3. Welcome The New

Spring is a time of creation –  flowers blossom, trees grow, and the warmth of the sun welcomes new dreams and adventures. It’s just this sort of magical energy that helps everything grow, especially your business!

Now that you’ve created the space, you can begin to look at what you need most right now to flourish.

• Where do you want more growth?

• What intentions are you planting?

• What ideas are beginning to bloom?

By following these three simple steps you’ll be able to clear space for the new, reconnect with your path and create a fertile foundation for growth.

Happy spring cleaning, my friends!

Nine Lessons I’ve Learned as an Entrepreneur

When I began my first official business nine years ago, I had no clue what I was doing. As a new entrepreneur, I was excited by the idea of controlling my own destiny, making my own hours and pursuing a craft that I loved. I certainly had no idea that this path would change me and shape my character in so many ways. 

As a recovering perfectionist and control-freak I’ve learned a lot on this journey; along with some important business insights, I’ve learned a lot about myself and life. So, in honour of my new website launch and all the work it took to get to here, I’ve decided to share the nine big lessons I’ve learned, and remind myself of often, while on this crazy adventure called entrepreneurship. I’ve written them as a letter to my younger self and I’m excited to share them with you. Perhaps I can save someone a little time and ease some fears along the way.

1. On Process: 

You’re going to want to rush everything. You’re going to think you’ve failed for not reaching your goals fast enough. You’re going to compare your “beginning” to other peoples' “middle” and this will confuse you, creating unnecessary anxiety and stress. Learn to enjoy the ride; from the highest highs to lowest lows, every twist and turn is leading you somewhere greater than what you can even imagine right now. 

2. On Trust: 

In order to make this work, you’re going to need a massive amount of trust in yourself and in the universe. Practice trust and surrender every day. Whenever you think you are in control, you are simply making things harder than they need to be. Everything will be fine once you surrender to your path and realize that you are the only thing getting in your own way. 

3. On Energy:

Your energy is a magnet. You will notice that as you grow and evolve, your energy will change too. That vibration will bring new people and experiences into your life. Always be mindful of your energy and honour it like you would your health. Learn to protect it and manage it. It’s a gift.

4. On Relationships:

The people you surround yourself with will impact your success and your ability to achieve your dreams. Let go of the people who want you to play small. Never stop seeking your tribe: the people who make it safe to simply be you. A healthy and inspiring network will lead you places you could never go alone. 

5. On Fear: 

Fear will cripple you some days. It will cause you to overanalyze your decisions and make you feel vulnerable and small. These moments will pass and the rush you will feel once you lean into these fears will help you learn and grow. Always look at fear as an indicator of something great on the other side. 

6. On Advice: 

There will be no shortage of people who will tell you what you should do. They will share their truth as if it is your own. The will want to fix and impose solutions on you. Be wary of these people and learn to decipher when their advice is real and when it’s simply there own shit showing up. Choose your teachers wisely and never trust a self-proclaimed "guru." 

7. On Confidence:

Your confidence will waver; some days you will feel worthy, and other days you will want to shrink away so small no one can see you. Cultivate a deep sense of self-love. Be gentle with yourself because if you aren’t, no one else will be. Putting yourself out there will require you to not take everything personally. This will be a big lesson for you. 

8. On Authenticity:

You will learn that being authentic is about integration. It’s about years of inner work, going off track sometimes, and practicing being your true self within a safe community. It’s a journey, a constant unfolding and willingness to share your vulnerability with others. Authenticity is revealing your raw truth at any stage of the journey, whether it’s perfect or not. 

9. On Success: 

You will start this journey thinking that success for you is a six-figure income, a loving husband and a few children. You will come to learn that this is not true. Instead you will wake up one day and realize that you have everything you need and none of that is attached to people or things. You will feel successful when you realize you already have everything you need. Success is having deep gratitude for being you. 

I’d love to hear about your lessons. What have you learned about yourself, life or business on your journey. Please share in the comments below.

Love and light, Heather