I’d like to personally welcome you to Soul-Trader.biz – I’m so glad you’re here.
I feel as though we are somewhere on the early stages of a magical journey. It’s a unique and special one for while I know many of the stop off points that we will initially call in at there are countless destinations that this may take you to that I cannot predict. That’s because this is really your journey; it’s about you, your life, your aspirations, your magic, your gifts, you’re path to be your own boss and fulfill your potential. This website is there to help guide, inspire, support, energise, empower and encourage you along your way.
As the name suggests and as you may know, this website SoulTrader.biz really springs from my book Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business which was published in the UK, USA, Europe, Asia and Australia in 2012. Soul Trader is all about how to build a business that you and your customers love – from your heart, passion, talents and in balance with your life and values.
I wrote Soul Trader because I wanted to write a book that set out an alternative way of running a business. Not the tired complex, combative and merely cash-driven way but a more compassionate, co-operative, and conscious way of doing business. Why? Because as coach I was meeting countless people who were wanting to run a business that they loved, that felt true to their desires, priorities, passions and in line with their sense of what was important in their life and in the world. And…. because that has always been my approach personally and professionally. All my work as a coach, speaker and author has been about inviting us to ‘become who you are’ to discover your inner magic and gifts and to let this guide, shape and forge your path in all areas of life. And to me business is no different to any other aspect of life.
Personally I never bought or believed in the idea that business needed to be dry, dusty, daunting, cold-hearted and cutthroat. Much of my background has been as a creative and in people-related fields: first I worked in media, PR, publishing and communications and then I was a singer songwriter. So for me one moment you have nothing and the next you have a creative product; a song, an article, a campaign plan. That’s not all; to me making things happen has always been about understanding, charming, connecting with and building relationships with people. It was at the cornerstone of my success in media and what you do as a singer. But interesting what I found was that many of the creative people I met – and many of those in people-related businesses that I met were negating those very gifts – or that they didn’t realize how powerful they were and how can help you flourish in business. Somehow they felt that once you become your own boss or set up a business that you need to somehow become this overly tough, cynical, hard-faced person. And as a result they found business a very cold and un-nourishing place.
While this was going on I also met of more traditionally minded people who were perhaps running successful business but did not have the fulfillment, life balance and peace of mind that they sought because they hadn’t allowed in or explored what their heart really wanted. They hadn’t fully embrace the people, passion and purpose side of business. So these people had a lot to gain personally and in terms of business by embracing these qualities.
Initially Soul Trader – Putting the Heart Back into Your Business was called Soul Trader –Building Your Business by Heart. And that is because that is really what everything you will discover on SoulTrader.biz is about. The seven (plus one) heart-centered principles that you will discover are a complete way of going about your business in life and as your own boss.
1. Clarity – discovering who you are, your passion, purpose and magic and letting it guide your way
2. Customers – getting out of your way and seeing life through your customers way so you can truly connect with them and serve them
3. Courage – Trusting your heart, finding your own inner strength and in so doing producing your product / services in your own way
4. Co-operation – building the relationships, team and support to help you at every stage along your journey – for you cannot do this alone
5. Conversations – for it is the conversations you have (or don’t have) in person. on line, in your marketing that will win or lose you business
6. Creativity – discovering your unique blend of framework, flexibility, strategy/structure and serendipity, timing and timeout.
7. Compassion – finding your heart, trusting you’re heart and doing what you do with love and forging rich relationships at home and in business
+ Change – Change is the ‘plus one’ it is the glue it is the ace in the pack and the joker. For everything is and will change – embrace it / be it.
So there you have it. Those are the principles. That is the essence. You are what will bring it to life. Be it that you are here to discover the book, attend the workshop/events, use the Coach-Yourself video or indeed to benefit from the membership…or all the other stuff here – or all the above – I am very grateful that you are here.
With every best wish,
Rasheed
