This month I celebrate 15 years of leading a business coaching practice.

15 years of supporting people, mostly small business owners, to have a bigger life than one where they think about work just about all day, almost every day if not every day. And I know this because I have my own data. Over 15 years I know that more than 10% of business owners work more than 100 hours a week and 5% work more than 120 hours a week IF thinking about work is considered work, which it should be.

I’ve made it my mission over the years to educate about the separation of work from home, and ideas to make this easier – especially for couples who work together AND do life together. For some that is an impossible mix and for others I’ve helped them weave a workable path.

And that was before the world changed last year and “WFH” became an acronym for Work From Home used by worldwide corporations as well as family business operators.

Vitality rules

Over the 15 years my message has morphed from one where having a life as well as a business was really important for the sake of family and fun to now where it is SO important it can literally be a life saver, for the sake of our mental as well as physical health. And family and fun are right up there in importance still of course.

I now talk about vitality of people and organisations – yes, you can feel and change the vitality of organisations too.

I even have my own word for vitality which is PEPP® and PEPP® means considering Purpose, Energy, Pleasure and Profit before doing anything. Literally anything. Anything in business and life.

It’s humbling that a number of clients have been on the journey with me for most of those 15 years.

The other day I asked Vaughan Masters from Masters IT in Geraldton why he came into my Small Business Program 9 years ago (now called PEPP® Exceed)

“Originally it was for some guidance as I didn’t know anything about business so I thought the combination of having your constant positivity to keep me going – someone to say ‘you’ll be right you’ll be right’ or words to that effect – and also being able to speak to other people who are already in business, some starting up like me plus others with experience.

What I get out of it now is the connection and I always get something out of the quarterly catch-ups. I also still really appreciate the proactive positive side of things because it’s very easy to concentrate on the negative in business because there’s something to worry about every day. It’s great to have input from everyone about how we can keep changing, keep evolving and doing new things so that your business doesn’t become stagnant… the business is really stable now but having said that, at that point that’s almost where it gets boring and mundane so now what do I do? I’ve established a business, it’s relatively stable now, we have procedures in place that are pretty good so at that point we ask ‘what’s next?’ Having support and ideas to answer that question keeps me upbeat and sane.”

Some clients work with me for one session tailored around their needs – PEPP® Exclusive.

Some are business owners who recognise that sustained improvements in the vitality of a business takes a longer commitment. In the PEPP® Exceed Program I ask them to stay for a year and most participate for much much longer than that.

Wendy Norris joined me in January 2008, 13.5 years ago, and has had a number of businesses and extreme change in her life over that time. She said “In a way Jo is to blame for our success”.

Some want a robust shift in their thinking and support to implement improved vitality over a couple of months – PEPP® Express. This program was created to meet the needs of people in our current uncertain world climate and whilst available “in a real room” in Brisbane, also has a cohort that has worked entirely on Zoom.

Daryl Elliott Green of Twice Shot said recently “This PEPP® Express Program gives a real boost especially for people who don’t have a good work-life balance. The initial workshop and the value of the follow-up Zoom sessions helped me stay on track, committed to the PEPP® principles, and embed new positive habits. This has greatly improved my vitality and much much more.”

It hasn’t always been plain sailing!

Just as clients like Wendy have evolved their business journey, so have I… and, just like when I’m on my yacht ‘Vitality’, it hasn’t always been plain sailing!

Over that 15 years, a few things that have happened alongside The Vitality Expert practice are:

  • Ended an electrical contracting business being run from the same home
  • Ended a 10 year pet resort partnership disasterously with lots of dollars and friendships lost, sleepless nights, stress and legal battles
  • Ended a 27 year marriage.

They are just a handful of the many significant things that have happened in the background whilst trying to maintain a professional front and still genuinely and positively supporting others. So I absolutely understand adversity whilst choosing to remain REAL and advocating the value of deliberately practising living with vitality as a fundamental foundation for everything.

And in the end, through adversity we have the opportunity to practice looking for lessons… and gratitude for those lessons.

We are people first

And yes, the way I work with clients has had to adjust over the last 18 months of monumental change in the world around us. I have gone to great lengths to keep the connections alive because, whilst PEPP® means vitality from seeing everything through a lens of Purpose, Energy, Pleasure and Profit, each of the icons has a person behind them because we are people first and foremost. People who are naturally (mostly) wanting connection with others… especially now. Loneliness is a huge contributor to mental illness and suicide.

Imposter syndrome

Have I asked myself whether I’m on the right path and doubted whether I’m good enough to do what I do? Of course! We all do, even those who seem to be at the very top of their game all the time.

American film maker and philosopher Suzy Hallem said “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will”.

And Sir Richard Branson said “There will always be difficulties on the path to achieving what you want. The trick is not to allow yourself to listen to those negative thoughts but turn challenges into opportunities and find solutions to the things holding you back. When things get tough take a break as the world is always a bit brighter after a warm drink and time spent in good company… Keep going and most importantly, keep believing. Realise that you are the only thing stopping you.”

How may I serve you?

The evolution of me as The Vitality Expert continues. I continue to try and serve and inspire greater ideas and greater realities in others. They can only achieve this with more vitality. Vitality is the key to living vibrantly and even plain living. Period.

One of the dictionary definitions of vitality is “The power giving continuance of life, present in all living things.” Another definition is “The state of being strong and active with energy”. In short vitality is vital.

So, as I continue on my path of service and support, how may I serve you?