Brewed From Within

Small Business Owners

Words matter. When “small business” and “small business owner” are overused, it becomes belittling. Breakthroughs await those with expanded vocabulary.

First, let’s get an elephant in the room. There is a need for categorization between different types of businesses, and size is an obvious differentiator. This determines how government policies, regulated programs, and other environmental resources are distributed.

Unfortunately, broad categorization leads to business owners not thinking of themselves as entrepreneurs.

Whether it’s the size of a company, revenue, or other quantifiable metrics, using “small business” may be required for economic structuring, but it limits how many leaders think about their own potential.

The opportunity to shift this narrative exists within events where the assemblage is comprised of small business owners. In these settings, use small business terms to target the promotional messaging, then find ways to release those technical terms at the event. Emcees, speakers, panelists, and staff can embolden the audience by using “small business owners” when necessary but then intentionally using more alternative titles that add depth to the attendee’s mindset. Instead of everything being focused on small, use synonyms that describe greatness, importance, appreciation, and yes, small business owners:

  • Entrepreneur
  • Founder
  • Leader
  • Student
  • Innovator
  • Heretic
  • Dreamer
  • Creator

    By using these synonyms, we can quietly inspire more inclusivity through fresh assimilation at events. Even if public policies remain rigid, more people will learn to celebrate and identify with more codifications.

    Over time, more people who may have kept themselves in a box will start to feel enlisted in all that is an entrepreneurial lifestyle. As more small business owners hear, use, and relate to enlivened vocabulary, the expanding taxonomy exposes new ideas, untapped resources, and unexpected realms to confidently explore within the local communities we love.

    Brewed From Within
    #36 📖 Leadership

    By Ben McDougal, ago

    Jargon vs. Understanding

    Humans seek to define emotions and articulate thoughts, yet a lack of understanding leads to fancy words and long-winded rhetoric. Sounding smart may protect our perceived knowledge, but as Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

    To gauge levels of understanding, there are two questions to ask. First, can we deconstruct, expand, or compress what was said? Second, can we then describe the exact same idea in five different ways? If not, seek further insight to go beyond memorized jargon.

    Genuine understanding leads to more transformative conversations. As you seek to translate emotions into thoughts and thoughts into words, here are quick constructs that signal a state of comprehension:

    • Actively listening with genuine interest
    • Using fewer but more effective vocabulary
    • Feeling untroubled by uncomfortable silence
    • Ongoing execution and creative adaptation

    Brewed From Within
    #35 📖 Leadership

    By Ben McDougal, ago

    Permeability

    Forever careers seem to be a thing of the past. Gone are the days of people working at one company their entire career. With rotating talent in high demand, scarcity can overshadow abundance. We fall back to reporting meaningless metrics, counting the keystrokes, and paying people just enough not to leave. Even the term talent retention feels desperate.

    What if, instead of trying to trick talent, we create remarkable roles in an inclusive environment that gives agency to team members eager to keep a promise?

    Seth Godin argues that enrollment can last when we invite people to leave. Instead of fighting to keep people in place, what if we optimize onboarding and welcome turnover while creating conditions to make this the best job someone has ever had? When people are invited to be indispensable, they feel significant, and the team will be led by those who aren’t just collecting rent for their time.

    Extra Shot

    “When you dance on the edge of infinity, there’s always enough… because you aren’t taking opportunity from anyone else, you’re creating it.” –Seth Godin

    When we create a gratifying but more porous environment, more gyrations within the team means leaders must be intentional with how they guide a business, relationships, and the environment overall. Having the best people in the right role takes extra attention, while ongoing commitment helps leaders stay in-tune with team dynamics.

    When departures occur, don’t blame the individual. Life happens, and talented people will always have new opportunities emerging. Responsive exits instill appreciation long after someone has left. This supports future hires, as modern leaders evaluate conditions, remain accountable, and nurture a performance-based culture made to stay… until it’s time to go.

    Brewed From Within
    #40 📖 Leadership

    By Ben McDougal, ago

    Gimmies

    Golf is a walk in the park with a small objective. If gimmies are illegal, why are conceded putts common?

    What’s the harm in an unquestioned finish? Does picking up that “unmissable” putt really save much time? There are unspoken social factors at play, but so few people are great at golf. Why not relish a satisfying sound of that golf ball dropping into the tiny cup?

    Extra Shot

    May your feet stay in the fairway.

    There’s no harm in keeping things casual to share time however you want, but tacit assumptions do leave room for misunderstandings. The truth is we all give gimmies to be given a break on putts we might miss ourselves.

    When we keep score, see how it feels to play without gimmies. Appreciate the missed putts and count those extra strokes. The unequivocal finish feels good and builds confidence for when gifts aren’t up for grabs.

    Brewed From Within
    📖 Life & Happiness

    By Ben McDougal, ago

    Listen

    Listening is louder than it sounds.

    The more obsessed, the more vociferous we get. Idea machines must be willing to share compelling stories, but listening is part of any transmission. This is obvious, but with precious airtime up for grabs and knowing so much about our own interests, listening can devolve into feeling like a required distraction.

    Extra Shot

    Hearing is passive.
    Listening is active.

    As we guide people through the layers of understanding, active listening forms a bond much faster than forcing ourselves to be heard. The fear of not having time to deliver our message will linger, but when we truly tune into what another person is saying, it shows we care. Active listening also helps us better harmonize our thoughts within the moment and counters the common mistake of overloading others with too much numbing details all at once. Knowing each conversation is part of a broader relationship journey, good listeners are almost always given a chance to make a bigger impact.

    Ready for an experiment? The next time you meet someone new, embrace your inner scientist. Set your introverted/extroverted mindset aside and focus your attention on asking as many thoughtful questions as you can. The less you talk, the better. This will feel awkward if you just fire question after question, so be concise with each response, then return to thoughtful questions for a more natural interaction. Consider expanding this social experiment by purposely doing this throughout an entire networking event. Remember who you talked with and track how the listening-focused conversations evolve. Over time, how do these relationships compare with others where you’ve been less intent on listening?

    Here are tactics to support your listening practice:

    • Center your internal attention.
    • Stay engaged with eye contact.
    • Use jarring questions to dodge small talk.
    • Don’t interrupt or jump to conclusions.
    • Occasionally paraphrase what was said.
    • Avoid the urge to make it about you.
    • Ask curious questions to go deeper.
    • Use non-verbal cues to express attention.
    • Record and share a few key takeaways.
    • Exit gracefully, without a sense of rush.
    • Follow up with one more question.
    • Ask about progress next time you meet.

    This type of active listening will not only extend your ability to hear. It will also make your responses more in-tune with what others are thinking versus always trying to prove your point. Selflessness may keep a conversation from landing exactly where we want in that moment, but as we move from one topic to the next, we learn how others work.

    Extra Shot

    Listening within a support network ignites optimism, connection, and motivation. A healthy balance involves listening to challenge networks, which keeps us intellectually humble and rooted in reality.

    When done well, an unspoken bond is formed. This synchronization curates future conversations that are enforced by shared enthusiasm.

    Brewed From Within
    #34 📖 Leadership

    By Ben McDougal, ago