Starting and running your own business is about more than creating financial income and growth. It has the power to transform lives; your own, your family’s, your employees and suppliers, your community and even neighbours around the world.

It takes courage and confidence to take the first steps in starting up a business and also to keep going, motivated by the difference you want to make, and the right support at the right time.

What life do you seek to create? What will it look and feel like?

What does it mean to you? What will you be able to do because of it?

Do your business and personal goals align?

Having the support of someone who believes in you, your skills and talents, and the vision for your business is invaluable. One meaningful observation, one action can be all it needs to start helping you tackle and overcome a limitation or challenge and open up a world of opportunities.

Small actions grow to make a huge difference.

For example, each time we file a set of accounts we provide a day’s training to empower women via B1G1 projects in Southern Africa and Kenya. From micro-finance support, literacy, numeracy and business skills training. These are focused on providing women the tools and skills they need to secure safe futures and build businesses that sustain their families.

The impacts that ripple out from these actions include the ability to meet the basic needs of everyday: affording food, clothing, education, medication. Before joining one of the Savings Groups, Ramona’s ‘family could go some days without food, and children could ‘delay’ reporting to school when schools opened.’

One of the projects is run by ‘So They Can’, equipping women in Kenya with micro loans: ‘Small loans are awarded carefully to each woman/family based on the feasibility of their business plan. Once the person completes the repayment of the initial small loan, a larger loan can be granted allowing the person to grow and scale the business gradually. Many of the loan recipients take on multiple loans until they are in the position to keep growing their financial capacity by themselves and help others in the community.’

Another project is run by ‘Five Talents’ in Eastern Africa. Irene’s story shows the impact the Savings Groups and training has in helping women to lift themselves out of poverty. Irene has become an empowered entrepreneur and leader in her community.

Watch ‘Irene’s Journey – the Staggering Ripple of Impacts by Five Talents’

Women have started new trading businesses; investing in livestock to sell milk, meat and produce baked goods, turning their skills such as sewing and weaving to create products they can sell at markets.

Beyond, the groups have embraced the principles of empowerment and mutual support; taking their skills and passing them on, creating new jobs and economic benefits for their communities.

‘But the truth is, change doesn’t start with solving everything — it starts with one action. One investment in one life can ripple outward, creating immeasurable change.’

Masami Sato, B1G1 Co-Founder

Who could you empower today?

What opportunities does your business have to be an empowerer?

Does your business enable you to continually invest in yourself and others lives, or are you wading through crunching numbers?

Your numbers can mean so much more, enabling you to do what you love doing, inspiring confidence, breaking limitations and creating a world of possibility.

Talk to one of the team today to discover how.

Photo credits: B1G1, Hannah Markley/Unsplash