Calm Business Manifesto

1. The Calm Business way of life is part of a larger movement towards a more peaceful and compassionate world.

We reject toxic patriarchy and hustle culture and embrace humanity and a world where our diversity exists to enrich and complement our experiences rather than inform our value or place in society. As Calm Business owners, we believe in and foster inclusivity, kindness, and integrity.

2. A Calm Business fuels a joyful, rich, and intentional life.

We believe in a life that prioritizes self-care and rest. As Calm Business owners, we know who we are and how we work best. We build businesses that work for us, not against us while supporting our energetic needs and lifestyle circumstances.

3. We don’t support hustle culture.

Hustle culture relies on misleading information, FOMO, high-pressure funnels, promises of ‘secrets,’ and manipulative sales psychology. It also often leads to burnout. As Calm Business owners, we prefer to act from a place of integrity, transparency, and honesty, which allows us to run sustainable businesses that support our well-being.

4. A Calm Business is profitable.

Being anti-hustle doesn't mean being anti-money. We live in a world where money buys us ease, peace of mind, beautiful things, the ability to give back, and the freedom to make choices that are not as accessible if we struggle to make ends meet. As Calm Business owners, we enjoy making enough money to support our material needs, lifestyle, and dreams.

5. We trust our customer’s agency.

Calm Business owners believe in the power of choice and agency. Our goal is to provide our customers with reliable, substantive, and clear sales messaging so that they can make informed consumer decisions without feeling pressured into a purchase.

6. We act from a place of discernment.

To me, discernment is about using intention and compassion to make good decisions for ourselves and others without judgment. Intention is all about being present and engaged, which creates a powerful foundation for managing and growing our Calm Businesses.

7. A Calm Business is generous.

A Calm Business is generous with its time, knowledge, and skills. We enjoy sharing helpful information and supporting our audiences, clients, and customers because we are passionate about what we do.

8. We believe in community over competition.

Our competitors are also our friends, and we frequently cooperate and support each other. I love my online business community and fellow entrepreneur friends; my business would not be what it is without them!

9. Excellent customer service is our top priority.

We love our clients and customers and genuinely want to support them and help them improve their own lives through our services and products. As a Calm Business customer or client, you will always feel seen and heard.

10. We are quietly confident lighthouses.

As Calm Business owners, our confidence is derived from our deep caring, considerable knowledge, and solid skill sets. We are Anne Lamott’s lighthouses: “Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.”

11. Our businesses are well-organized, lean, and calm.

We are all about everything you need and nothing you don’t. As such, a Calm Business is well-organized, lean in structure, and uses a simplified technology setup to improve and streamline processes. This, in turn, helps us run a solo business without needing to hire a big team while reducing overwhelm and financial stress.

12. We understand and accept that sometimes we have to go through the chaos to arrive at the calm.

As Calm Business owners, we know that our journey is never linear and even-paced. We accept that there are periods when we are super busy and overloaded and that sometimes we have to walk through the fire to get to a calmer place. For example, learning my bookkeeping software (Quickbooks) was stressful, but once I got it, it changed my life. Bookkeeping now feels calm and energizing; I actually enjoy it!