10 Reasons Your Business is Like a Tree (Part 1)
Not everyone likes thinking about how their business runs... but I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love trees!
1. Trees and businesses are complex systems with multiple moving parts
No two businesses are alike, and no two trees are alike, but both businesses and trees rely on similar trends and structures that they need to function. They are both systems with inputs, outputs, and balances that keep them growing healthily.
The biggest difference is that we can physically touch a tree. We can see how it grows, and what it needs to survive. Where businesses (particularly online or service-based businesses) can be cryptic or confusing, we all know the different parts of a tree when we see them – and that’s why we’re going nuts with this metaphor…
2. Both need a foundation of resources to grow
When a seed lands it needs access to the nutrients in the soil. It gradually develops and starts using the resources around it to grow.
When the seed that started your business landed, it could access your resources and assets. The knowledge, skills, experience, financial backing, and other foundational elements you needed to start your business.
Your resources and assets are the soil that grows your business – you can’t start from nothing!
3. Both need systems and processes to use those resources for growth
Without roots embedded in the soil, a tree can’t use its resources. There needs to be something to absorb nutrients and pull them into other parts of the tree to be used for growth.
Your processes and systems are the roots of your business. They allow you to use your resources effectively, bringing your skills out and making them accessible to your clients and customers. They let you use your experience to create lasting and meaningful change for the people you serve. They are how you do the heavy lifting in your business.
“I don’t have any systems or processes!”
I promise you, you do. They might be unpolished and a little fuzzy, but they are there. Do you do everything by email? Do you have a way of creating content? Do you have regular routines or rhythms? Those are the systems and processes in your business!
4. Both take action and effort to grow
You’ll not see a tree that’s all trunk and no leaves, or all leaves and no roots. Trees use energy and effort to grow in a balanced way, scaling up gradually, laying down the rings in their trunk year on year.
Your actions and efforts are needed to grow your business - something needs to utilise the resources needed to start, grow, and scale! You may be all roots and no leaves, or another less balanced combination – rest assured you can rebalance your growth!
You don’t always have to put in maximum effort to grow!
The rings in a tree are formed by different rates of growth at different times of year. Darker rings are smaller, denser xylem laid down in winter when growth is slower, but there is still growth!
If you’re growing slowly, you might be in a winter spell and that’s OK! Soon you’ll be upping the pace and enjoying all that comes with it.
5. Both need to produce and create outputs to grow and stay alive
Branches are home to the leaves, flowers, and fruit of your tree. Growing different structures from the main trunk, branches are the home of everything the tree creates to survive, thrive, and make the world a more beautiful place.
The outputs you create are the branches in your business. The 1:1 calls, the reports, the tangible products; they are what support your clients, and form a base for the final product of your business.
