“We’ve been trained to not mix business and politics. We’ve been trained to separate our identities, our intersections, and our being from business under the guise of politics being “bad” for business. But the fact of the matter is that race, gender, and class are all mechanisms that have been used to influence business…and influence how money is made within the landscape of business.”
-Toi Marie, Womanist, Business Strategist
Note – before we dive into my reflection on Toi’s words, I want to share the definition of “politics” that I am using in this email, because it’s a bit different than what some folks might think.
Politics
/ˈpäləˌtiks/
1. How we do life together;
2. A set of beliefs and practices that guide the way people engage with one another in a specific social group, organization, or geographic region.
Okay… on to my reflection this week.
Up until recently businesses of all sizes have been able to avoid taking a political stance… on pretty much anything.
But due to a global pandemic, international social uprisings and social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, the culture in the business space is changing…
And it’s changing fast.
These unprecedented times have created a situation where businesses have two choices:
1) Either take a strong political stance
2) Or have their silence interpreted as complicity…
Because the injustice within our system has never been on display quite like it is right now.
The people who didn’t see the layers of oppression before, now have a front row seat.
And there is no way to ignore the harm and horror that has been considered “normal” for too long.
We’ve witnessed a lack of cohesion among national and international leadership, media manipulation, failing health care systems, extreme racial inequity, corporate abuse…
The list goes on and on.
As tough as 2020 has been, it’s also been an opportunity for all of us to get CLEAR on where we stand and to how to use our power (whatever it is) to support the movements that align with our values.
When we are clear on where we stand, and if we are explicit about our values, then our clients/customers can more easily discern if working with us is a good fit.
Example:
My personal values align with the Black Lives Matter movement, Intersectional Feminism, Ancestral Healing and Decolonization.
So when I look for someone to support me in my personal life, or in my business, I look for a service provider or company who shares those values.
When someone pitches me on their offering, I ask them about their stance on Police Brutality, LGBTQ+ Rights and Indigenous Sovereignty.
If their values don’t align, it’s gonna be a “No” for me.
Because money is a political tool, and I want to invest in alignment with my values.
But as visionaries in business, we have an opportunity (and a duty) to use our work and our power to shift the culture away from the Business as Usual Paradigm, and towards a future founded upon justice and collective liberation.
As business owners, we need to be explicit with our values and our politics…
So that our ideal clients can tell what we are all about.
So that folks who are not aligned are repelled and don’t waste our time and energy.
And so that we can be held accountable by folks in our community.
In the name of transparency, I want to share some of my own business values + political stances with you.
- The people I work with are actively unpacking their identities, and their privilege.
- My clients are committed to using their platform to impact systemic change. (AKA dismantling systems of white supremacy, patriarchy, the Business as Usual Paradigm, ableism, fat-phobia, homophobia, etc.)
- When I say “visionary business”, I mean using our businesses to dismantle the patriarchal, capitalist, imperialist narratives that keep us from reclaiming our collective power + freedom and moving towards a justice informed vision of the future.
- When I say “Culture Building” and talk about “Culture Shift” I mean working to create a collective culture that prioritizes justice, liberation, sustainability, equity, and humanity.
- And finally, I will not work with people who are committed to promoting/subscribing to spiritual bypassing, cultural appropriation, racism, fat-phobia, and other forms of systemic oppression.
This is where I stand. (Don’t like it? That’s okay… there is an unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email.)
These are my values and the politics I work with in my business and I’m not hiding them from ANYONE…
Because business and politics can’t be separated in our current system (and anyone who says otherwise is bypassing the critical nature of the current moment.)
Feeling pulled to map out your own visionary values and business politics?
I offer Visionary Business Sessions to help you get super clear on the culture you are building and the values you want to embody with your business, plus we’ll develop strategies that are 100% aligned with where you stand.
Click here to book a free discernment call to see if these Visionary Business Sessions are a good fit for you.
Love + Liberation
Lauren Elizabeth