If you’re trying to make a difference in the world by packing up your skills and experience into a conscious business online, then you’re in the right place.

Today I’m going to take a week off from chatting about sustainable living to chat about another passion of mine, conscious businesses instead. I’ll explain what exactly is a conscious business, how I’ve built two conscious businesses online that are making a positive impact in the world, plus I’ll share a few tips on how you can take your idea to impact and create a thriving and profitable conscious business online.

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What Is a Conscious Business?

A conscious business is an impact-driven business.

Where conventional businesses may exist to produce a return to a shareholder, a conscious businesses’ primary aim is to make a difference, a positive impact in the world.

Don’t get me wrong… profits are important, they’re a vital component of any successful business, but it’s the VISION and the WHY behind a conscious business that’s the primary difference between a conscious business and a conventional business.

Why Create a Conscious Business?

Some of us aren’t just content enough by having a job for having a job’s sake. Or creating a business for the sake of creating a business.

Some of us have bigger dreams…..  a deep desire to make a difference in the world.

It may be to improve people’s health and happiness, conserve the environment, educate underprivileged girls, or support victims of domestic violence. Or it could be just running a traditional business like bookkeeping, but donating a portion of profits to a charity that means something to the business founder.

Either way,  those who create conscious businesses gain much satisfaction by working in their area of expertise and passion, but also knowing that they’re making a real positive difference in the word too.

Why I created my first and second Conscious Business……

If you’ve been following me for a while, you will know that I’m an Environmental Engineer and I worked in the minerals industry for 11 years. I worked hard driving change from within large corporations including BHP Billiton and Western Mining Corporation, and lived in many remote locations in Australia.

When I fell pregnant, I still wanted to work in my area of passion… sustainability while raising my young family. I’d always loved my career but was unable to negotiate part time work as a senior engineer in the Minerals Industry,  so I channelled my energy and passion into creating a conscious business.

I found a gap in the market…. eco-friendly baby products. I was living in small town in remote Australia, about to have my first baby, but I couldn’t buy the products that I wanted online or I couldn’t buy them in the one place.

This was in 2009 so there wasn’t the online eco baby boutiques that you can find now, there was only one or two. I was 28 weeks pregnant when I had the idea and created the business Sustainababy.

During my maternity leave, when my baby slept, the business was what I worked on. Matthew was six-months-old when my online store was launched and within 12 months Sustainababy was turning over 6-figures in revenue. I started to win local, regional, and national awards.

Being a conscious business, right from day one some of the profits were going into my chosen charity Trees For Life. Before we even made a profit, we were funnelling money towards Trees For Life which plants forests on degraded landscapes in South Australia. Sustainababy grew and I employed someone locally to help me in the warehouse.

My customers were asking me many questions about living sustainably and I wanted to make a bigger impact in the world by expanding and changing the way people live.  I wanted to make green mainstream.

In 2014 I packaged up my first product Home Detox Boot Camp and launched it as an online e-course. I’ve since launched two other courses; GreenHOUSE and Self Sufficiency in the Suburbs. I’m educating hundreds of people through these programs but I’m also reaching a lot through my weekly blog and podcast as well.

I’m still able to support my chosen charities. A portion of my sales from Home Detox Boot Camp go to Uniting Care Wesley in Port Augusta to help women fleeing domestic violence situations.

I sold Sustainababy 15 months ago, so that I could focus on my eco education products which are going well, but these days I also guide conscious business creators into creating a profitable and thriving conscious business online. I’ve been doing this for the last 12 months and have coached quite a lot of clients in this area.

I have set up a community on Facebook which is free to join. It’s called Conscious Biz Creators and I share some of my tips and strategies for creating a conscious business online. If you’re interested in creating a conscious business online, I would love for you to join!

How To Create a Conscious Business Online

So, as I went about building my first, and then my second conscious business, I soon realized there’s 7 key steps to taking your idea to impact in the online space to build a thriving and profitable conscious business online.

1. IDENTIFY your impact – Start with the END in mind

What is the IMPACT you want to have and WHY are you doing it….

This becomes your why and guides you through tough times of your journey and this is the BIGGEST difference between a conscious business and a conventional business. Conscious businesses are IMPACT-driven. We’re motivated by the positive impact we’re making in the world and on those really tough days or weeks when you feel like tossing it all in, it’s this IMPACT that keeps you going.

So get really clear on what your impact is from the start. It’s your WHY.

2. Define your INFLUENCE

Who do you want to work with?

Who is your ideal customer?

Who will you influence in order to create change and drive impact?

This step is crucial as it helps you get super clear on who you’re helping.

3. Arrange your IDEAS

In the online world, quality content is KING when it comes to building a following, positioning you as an expert and being found amongst all the noise. Before you can start having an impact you need to define your WHAT.

What are you going to talk about? What problem will you solve for your ideal customer?

Brainstorm the topics you’re an expert in , or know more about than most people.

These form the framework on the content that you’ll deliver on a consistent basis to build trust with your audience.

4. IGNITE your voice

Now you know who you’re talking to and what you’re talking about, it’s time to ignite your voice and get your message out there.

Podcasts, webinars, vlogs, blogs, Youtube TV channel, Facebook LIVES, Instastories, workshops, In person?

Rather than choose what you think you should do, pick one or two core areas that you enjoy and focus there but before you choose, identify where your ideal customer hangs out. There’s no use spreading your message all over Twitter when your Ideal customer hangs out on SnapChat.

Me? I focus on podcasting (because I love it……goes well with my community radio background), blogging, Facebook…. Because that’s where my mum customer is hanging out. She’s not on Instagram or SnapChat.

5. Package up your INGENUITY

Step 5 is all about making it easy for people to learn what you have to offer.

Rather than offering 1 hour sessions here and there. Package them up into bundles, like a six-month treatment package, an ebook, a challenge, a cheatsheet.

This makes it super easy for you as you have a product to offer people who need your help but it also helps your bottom line. Someone buys a six month package rather than one session means you don’t have to waste all that time filling the other spots in your schedule. You’re working intensely with one person.

6. INVEST in your ideal

Several aspects to this one….

  • Investing in YOU – training, support, healthy diet and regular exercise and sleep so you can perform at your optimum.
  • Investing in your IMPACT

Will you give financial or kind support to a charity aligned with your IMPACT?

If so, choose an organisation closely aligned with your WHY.

I chose Trees For Life and Uniting Care Wesley as the main charities that my business supports.

7. INCREASE your impact

It’s all about SCALING and AUTOMATION.

SCALING involves transitioning your 1:1 offerings to 1:many offerings like ecourses, group training models, masterminds or membership sites.

The online environment is perfect for this as the amount of people you can reach is limitless!

The second aspect of this is about ensuring you have solid foundations and systems in place that can support this kind of growth…which is where business automation comes in.  Because AUTOMATION saves time and frees you up!

When You follow my 7-step Idea To Impact Blueprint you will:

  • Receive more consistent revenue
  • Position yourself as a Thought Leader and Influencer
  • Create more leveraged income through automating your business
  • Have more freedom and flexibility to work where you want, when you want
  • Be well on the way to creating the positive impact you want in the world.

Remember….

Nothing I’ve shared today is theory. I’ve used every single one of these strategies in my business to reach a wider audience, drive traffic to my website, and make more sales…

…which has helped thousands of parents make more sustainable lifestyle choices, give our environment some breathing space and raise funds for my chosen charities….

So, it’s worthwhile following this blueprint and learning all about it, and that’s why I’m inviting you to my FREE Online Training, How To Take Your Idea To Impact in 7 Simple Steps (and Build a Thriving and Profitable Conscious Business Online). You can register here.

What you’ll learn in this masterclass:

  • Laura’s proven 7-step Blueprint to building a profitable Conscious Business that delivers big IMPACT.
  • The one key advantage Conscious Businesses have over conventional businesses in the online space that you can use to grow your business (and impact) faster.
  • The biggest MISTAKE Conscious Businesses make when trying to sell their products or services online.
  • The two key elements that you need to have in place before you even think about growing your Conscious Business in the online space.

See you there!

Laura