Doing Good Business Inside Your Soul (Building while learning, Sharing while growing)

The Soul-preneur Series Free Issue No. 11

Up until the spring of 2022, as a corporate worker, I traded my time, creativity, and commitment for a stable salary. But I also, in many ways, traded my soul for those illusions and perceptions of security and stability.

Over the past 20+ months, I have made a fundamental life, identity and spiritual shift.

I was engaged for over a decade in what management scholar and writer Peter Drucker called being a “knowledge worker”. I sold my understanding, knowledge, creativity, synthesizing skills, and writing abilities to an employer.

In turn, they paid me an hourly wage, translated into an annual salary. They threw in some ‘benefits’ to sweeten the pot — including contributions to a ‘pension plan’ (for a life well down the road that I may never reach).

The employer told me what hours I was expected to ‘work’, what desk to sit at, and the tasks I was supposed to complete.

This is a pretty simple, straightforward, and often, ‘easy’ pathway. It can be the path of least resistance (for many). Around 40 hours per week largely laid out and directed by someone else.

• What does a ‘knowledge worker’ give up in the process though?

An immense amount of agency, autonomy, freedom, flexibility — and… probably most importantly, one’s soul — or at least care and nurturing of it. This can become even more the case when managing other people.

When one becomes a senior leader managing multi-million dollar budgets and annual operational plans and budgeting exercises and 360-degree evaluations and performance reviews and so on and so on and so on…

“Protect the organization first,” I heard frequently.

Might have even said it myself from time to time (eghad!).

And in the process of this exchange (mentions pretty much nobody) — we largely give away our soul. Or, at least, let it shrivel, dwindle, and shrink.

Maybe this perspective is not shared by all… however… over my years of trading my time (hours) for a wage… I have seen and worked with many a-soul-a-shrivelling.

Irish writer and poet John O’Donohue suggested the soul mediates between our minds and bodies.

Thus, when we sell our bodies and minds (e.g., knowledge) to an employer — there are deep impacts.

From a quantitative perspective— there are only 168 hours in a week. If you sleep 8 hours on average, this leaves about 112 hours awake.

Once we take the 35-40 hours of ‘work’ and then add on the getting ready for work, commuting to and from work, and all the time not at work where we talk about work — how much awake time is left in a week for you?

• To nurture the soul? To support that critical relationship between mind and body?

• To encourage and support the creative soul? To engage in soul-supporting creative work?

• To sit in and find solitude? (a most critical enterprise).

We all know the answer to these questions — there’s not much time left — especially when there’s also a family to raise.

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Knowledge Worker to Soul Proprietor

I’m not saying that being a ‘knowledge worker’ or ‘manual labourer’ equals ‘Bad’. I’ve done both in my time.

It’s more a reflective proposition — and one that I went through with some vigor as I prepared to walk away from stability, predictability, and salary.

For us, through the decade+ of me being a ‘knowledge worker’ we had 3 little kids, a mortgage, and a passion for outdoor activities like skiing, mountain biking, remote camping, and so on (which we have instilled in our kids - two of whom are out skiing as I type this).

We (my wife Lisa and I) also leveraged our employee lives to do more schooling. I was able to complete a Doctor of Education degree at the same time as leading teams in healthcare.

It was a ‘bargain’, however, that over enough time left me feeling hollow and soul-shrivelled — even with the occasional creative project on the go. My doctoral research and dissertation, for example, were deeply self-reflective and personal. The dissertation itself is an autoethnography (like autobiography, but with deeper cultural analysis).

As the time gap expands between when I walked away from corporate employment (spring 2022) and now — I have come to a much deeper realization and recognition of how much I ‘gave away’ while trading my hours for an hourly wage.

Through the COVID pandemic, for example, I worked 60-80 hour weeks (emergency planning and response concurrently) — and I was writing my doctoral dissertation. Thankfully, my dissertation was not mechanical and linear (like many). It did have some connection to the soul within it.

By design.

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Leaning into Unpredictability and Uncertainty

I walked away from the soul-shrivelling trading game I was playing (e.g., trading my hours and skills for a steady salary and ‘benefits’). I chose to engage in life with far more agency, authenticity, and authoring of my own time, skills and energy.

To play a different game — or at least play the game of life in a much different way.

That shift — or spiritual pivot some might say — invites more uncertainty, unknowns, and unpredictability.

It’s also a fundamental identity shift. From ‘employee’ to Solopreneur; to Soul Proprietor. Identity shifts are often not easy, nor simple enterprises.

The fundamental difference maker — I have found — is thinking and reflecting deeply on which trades we want to make. Each of us only has so much time on the planet. And the reality of this whole situation is that we don’t know when our time is up.

Life is unpredictable, uncertain and unknown. The world of employers and employees is actually a false predictability and a false certainty.

My ‘death clock’ calculations (look it up online) estimate I’ll live another 35 years or so (best case). I made a very conscious decision that another 15 of those were not going to be spent in wage labour.

When we do wage labour, we trade so much agency and authoring of our own lives away to employers.

The journey over the last 20+ months has been a fundamental spiritual and lift-changing pivot. It’s not all unicorns and rainbows, but it is soooooo much more rewarding and soul-filling than trading away my time for an hourly wage (and navigating toxic workplaces).

Often, just to be a ‘bum in a seat’. To be “beavering away” on something, even if that something was nothing.

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The Realm of Creators and the Creator Economy

This past spring, well-known banking firm Goldman Sachs released a report based on their analysis of The Creator Economy. They estimated it at approximately $250 Billion annually and growing at a rate of about 30% per year.

This means it could double within the next few years.

The Creator Economy represents a significant evolution from the traditional concept of knowledge workers, who primarily deal with information processing and management within organizational and institutional frameworks.

The concept and reality of Drucker’s “knowledge workers” was an era driven largely by the expansion of personal computers and their use in workplaces— along with the rise and spread of the Internet. But things have shifted again.

In contrast, the Creator Economy is characterized by:

1. Individual Empowerment: Individuals have the tools and platforms at their disposal to create content, products, or services independently, without the need for traditional corporate or institutional structures.

2. Direct Monetization: Creators can directly monetize their skills and knowledge through various channels, including subscriptions, sponsorships, merchandise, knowledge products and more, bypassing traditional intermediaries.

3. Niche Communities: Aspects of the Creator Economy thrive on formation of niche communities where Creators can cater to specific interests, needs, and passions, offering highly tailored and engaging content.

4. Digital Platforms: Utilization of digital platforms (like YouTube, TikTok, Medium, Substack, etc.) facilitates Creators reaching a global audience, engaging with others (e.g., audience) in real-time (or close to it), and building one’s own businesses — essentially mini-media companies (like Box Cutter Co.).

5. Creative Freedom: Creators have the freedom to explore and express their unique voice and creativity, which can lead to innovative and diverse content not bound by traditional media constraints.

Yes, the Creator Economy is still dominated by companies and big influencers (e.g., Mr. Beast) — but there is also a mass rise of individual creators and small businesses.

Spend some time on social media, and one can see the emphasis on leveraging knowledge, creativity, and technological tools to build a personal or small business directly connected to and supported by a community or audience.

This shift reflects broader changes in how work is performed, valued, and compensated in the digital age. And, consider this in the context that:

• About 5 billion people globally have access to the Internet

• Over 4 billion are engaged on social media platforms

The majority of these folks are doing this on mobile phones or devices.

What are the vast majority of these folks doing?

• Watching and reading content.

Here on Substack, it was recently announced that there are over 3 million paying users. This is a near doubling in size over the past year or less. Some of the top newsletters on this platform bring in over $1 million/year in revenue for their authors.

Many, many others bring in enough income to live off of.

It’s truly a remarkable time for folks who want to engage creatively in earning income and ‘making a living’.

Yes, there are some shitty and messy components to a world so engaged in social media. Even darker components. However, there are also spectacular opportunities.

For me, and us (our household), it brings near endless possibilities for us to engage our own challenges, problems, and gaps. Alongside that, are near endless opportunities for sharing our creative pursuits, experiences, and learning.

In comparison to 25-30 years ago, as I navigated early adulthood and began to engage a love of writing (and research and learning) — the opportunities to be creative and share as broadly as now— are stunningly staggering.

For example, in recent months, I’ve watched as the foundations of digital writing I’ve been building for over a year, start to ‘pay off’. Some pieces of writing (articles) are going out into the digital realm and earning me hundreds of dollars a piece.

On multiple platforms, the number of connections is growing quicker and quicker every month. And better yet! — my health, well-being and feelings of connection to soul are thriving.

Yea, sure, unpredictability and uncertainty are ever-present. But with that, is also the calm joy of leaning into those…

And simply accepting that this is the right pathway at the right time.

Irish writer and thinker John O'Donohue (passed in 2008) shared a Celtic notion of the soul (in his book Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom). And it’s a powerful one (I find):

…that the Soul does not exist inside of us — we might actually exist inside of a Soul.

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Are You Doing The Good Work Inside of Your Soul?

I’ve shared in many issues of Box Cutter Co. how many people thought I was nuts to walk away from a nearly $130,000/year corporate public sector role. Many still do.

We actually have a family member who has barely spoken to us since learning of our decision in the summer of 2022. Their perception of the decision was that it was “irresponsible” and “reckless” and that we were putting our 3 kids at risk.

It’s a fascinating thing to see how many people operate from stuck positions of fixed identities — which then dictate fixed perceptions of how they (and others) “should” live.

If you are considering making a similar decision to walk away from ‘employment’ and ‘employee’ identities, or, maybe in the midst of it, or, maybe well down the road… there will be people who question your decisions.

Question your rationale. Question your sanity.

So be it.

We simply can’t live our lives through the lenses of how others think we ‘should’ live them. Our soul is ours’ — and nobody else’s.

Building Soul-preneur Digital Writing Businesses From Scratch

For almost two years now, I’ve written and published almost daily. I write and publish on multiple platforms. I write and publish for multiple other people and organizations.

For decades, I’ve remained connected to the non-profit world. For example, I am a volunteer Board member with a natural resource research organization.

It recently went from an annual budget of a few hundred thousand dollars to securing a multi-year $10 million grant. We’ve been busy with transformational change.

I also support non-profit (and for-profit) clients with thinking and writing. Often writing newsletters and social media posts, along with the many other writing-based products that organizations regularly require for daily operations.

Throughout this work, I am immensely discerning in choosing who I work with. Not just the organizations, but also the people within.

I actively balance daily the ‘services’ work I do, which brings in a good income (beyond what I used to make as an employee) — and, my own thinking and writing.

I've leaned-in heavily to the depths and wealth of personal experiences – the enmeshed parts of mind, body, and soul – as the driving forces behind my work.

In a world quick to label such ideas as cheesy or naïve, I stand firm on the foundation of substance and depth.

Here's some ways in which I am (and we are) looking to weave tenets of Soul into the fabric of our businesses (e.g., Humanity Academy), creativity, writing, and broader work.

1. Soul as Depth and Substance

In my writing, I try to go a little deeper into human emotions and experiences (including my own). Often the most resonant stories are those that touch upon our deepest feelings and emotions.

• Ask yourself: When was the last time you felt deeply moved by a piece of writing or art? Why, what was it about it? (write this out in a Learning Journal)

2. Creating a Soul-full Life

My business model isn't just about transactions; it's about supporting more soul-nourishing experiences. Can your work also be an art form that adds depth to your life and stays connected to soul?

• Reflect: Are you creating or merely producing? Are you seeking ‘to have’ or ‘to be’? (see Free Issue No. 9)

3. Listening to the Soul

I am paying far more attention to the whispers (and sometimes shouts) of the soul. Daily walks, more bicycling, and simply more unstructured time have been absolute blessings and spaces to listen.

Solitude is such an important value and need in my life. This creates a shift in our lives where we can look inside our Self for most of what we need — rather than outside of our Self (like climbing corporate ladders).

• Question: What might your soul be whispering to you amidst the noise?

4. Valuing Imagination, Creativity and Symbolism

Over the years, and especially having worked in Indigenous communities for decades, I’ve been told stories of symbolism.

For example, while walking yesterday, my wife and I saw a huge Grey Owl sitting in a nearby tree.

A few weeks ago, I was visited on a walk by a red fox. Both of these, are seen in many cultures and stories, as good omens, of good fortune, and of being on the right path.

How can we craft the narratives of our lives (including in business) that resonate on symbolic and soul-filling levels?

• Reflect: What symbols speak the language of your soul?

5. Embracing the Shadow

I don't shy away from the less glamorous aspects of entrepreneurship. The paperwork, preparing taxes, the doubt, the wavering trust that leaning-in is the correct approach. However, the shadow, with all its lessons, is welcomed. Writing it out in a Learning Journal is a key companion.

• Inquiry: Can you see the value in your shadow moments and shadow side?

6. Living Authentically

I try to consider every decision I make for my business as a reflection of my true self, not a mirror of societal expectations. ‘Authenticity’ is a word tossed around a lot, but we all know what it means on a deeper level for each of us.

Is authenticity at the core of your work?

• Reflect: How does your work reflect who you truly are? What might you shift?

7. Healing Through the Soul

I try to view challenges as opportunities for soulful healing. I speculate that the more the Creator Economy grows, the more people will look for content focused on folks solving their own challenges and sharing that with others.

I started Box Cutter Co. to share what I was learning and trying as I built digital writing businesses from scratch. It has also been about the process of shifting identities — from ‘employee’ to Solopreneur, and now with much more focus on being a Soul-preneur (keeping close ties between my soul and building businesses).

Where might aspects of healing be woven into your professional journey?

• Examine: Where might your work be calling for healing (yours’ or others’)?

8. The Soul in Everyday Life

Writing, thinking, and creating — are such important parts of my life — as is time outside and in nature. I grew up rurally and have generally always lived rural or semi-rural. Since early 2022, I have re-formed a deep connection with these things. These are part of soul in everyday life.

Where is soul hiding in plain sight for you?

• Ask: How can you elevate the ordinary in your work, or business, to something closer to soulful?

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Is This All ‘Bullshit’?

I’m well aware that as I play with and write more on this idea of ‘soul’ in business and life — of being a Soul-preneur and Soul Proprietor, the skeptics and negative neils and nellies will take their shots.

And, that is just perfect.

Especially, as much of this is what I call ‘Airline safety wisdom’. Put your own oxygen mask on first, before assisting others.

The shift from a large ‘knowledge worker’ economy to a thriving Creator Economy, is a pretty fantastic set of opportunities for those who want to work on and potentially solve some of their own challenges (maybe even problems) first, and then share the knowledge and wisdom gained with others.

For in the depths of authenticity, imagination, and reflection, a Soul Proprietor finds not just success, but profound contentment and being.

As you build your ventures, may you find courage in these questions and thrive on doing some good work in connection with your soul.

Regardless of whether it’s inside of us, or, we are inside of it.

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What do you think?

Is this the silly side run of some idealist? Or, is there some value and merit in this?

Side note: when I read this aloud to my wife Lisa she said “that sounds like an intro to a book…”

Would love to hear your questions - drop a like, a comment, or re-post on channels you navigate.

The next Free issue of Box Cutter Co. will be out shortly.

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