by Tara Joyce | Oct 8, 2015 | Pay What It's Worth Pricing
Recently, there was an interesting experiment conducted in not setting prices and charitable giving, by UC San Diego Rady School of Management and Disney Research. Conducting their experiment at a popular roller coaster, using post-roller coaster action photos as the item to be valued, they found not setting prices to be a viable pricing strategy and social responsibility strategy for companies–when the customer’s willingness to give is stimulated.
While the study focuses on stimulating generosity in a charitable setting, the study’s findings can be applied to any relationship and experience-based business. The researchers found when a customer feels more connected to what they are giving to—and in choice about what/how much they are giving—the more willing they are to give. When buyers know their money and generosity will benefit something specific, such as a charity, or someone specific, such as the business owner, they feel a more tangible and human connection to the value their giving is creating, and in turn, the more open they are to giving—and giving generously.
The study concluded not setting prices could be a tool for creating opportunities for “shared social responsibility” and this shared responsibility may provide the critical sustainability component that is often lacking in current social responsibility strategies. Fascinating.
photographed in my hometown of Toronto by Toban B.
by Tara Joyce | Oct 2, 2015 | Cultural Creativity
There is a time and a place for everything, and this includes how you present yourself. For knowing how to behave properly in a variety of situations and doing so, rather than limiting you, gives you a choice in the presentation you create.
When you know your audience and manage your behaviours with them, you’re able to choose how best to get your message across in order for it to have the greatest impact. Knowing how to best present yourself connects you with your right people. For your knowledge is power—and knowing how to sell yourself is powerfully magnetizing.
To have presence, you need to be present to your audience.
If you aren’t present to your audience and how you behave with them, you’ll likely find yourself in an extended process of trial and error, unable to connect your goals with your audience’s. Rather than playing this marketing game, you can instead, by understanding and playing your roles at the appropriate moments, skillfully navigate your way through the obstacles of communication, and consistently reach your goals—and your right people.
Knowing how to present yourself is knowing how to communicate. Your ability to sell your goals through the strong presentation of them is a crucial skill—as it provides you with a choice in the roles you take, and the presence you create. When you’re present to your presence, you know the time and the place for everything in your life.
photo credit: Chris Florence
by Tara Joyce | Sep 11, 2015 | Cultural Creativity, Self/Business Growth
Luxury can be a trap. It can be so comfortable to live in—that it can be so very hard to leave… Hard to stretch yourself beyond the sumptuous and secure life you’ve come to know. Most of the world isn’t as comfortable as you are, and living with this truth can make it hard to leave your protective and pleasant container.
Luxury is a trap—if you let it be. For when you have the ability to live self-indulgently, you also have the ability to not challenge yourself with the realities of life. You have the means to avoid the uncomfortable and, often times, the ability to find someone else to take on their responsibility.
Money—and the power it offers—can be used and abused like anything else that affects your energy. Like drugs and alcohol, it can be an escape—a means to numb the pain. Your richness can keep you separate and shielded. It can keep you trapped—in a luxurious life.
Like you’re in the womb, the privilege of abundance provides you with the opportunity to remove yourself from the undesirable. You have the means to create a world where you do not have to deal with the uglier truths of life. Insulated and cared for, you are afforded the luxury of having a choice.
The problem with abundance is how you can trap yourself in its comfortability—keeping yourself small and shielded. Living in this gilded space, you can’t see your abundance as a thing of beauty—and a gift of grace.
Abundance is beauty. Stay mindful to the richness of your life, it’s here to expand you—but it can do the opposite. It can contract you—if you let it. This is the only true money trap—and no matter your stage of wealth—you have the choice to not fall into it.
photo credit: Mike Bitzenhofer
by Tara Joyce | Sep 3, 2015 | Innerpreneurship, My Journey | What's On My Mind, Self/Business Growth
Sometimes, I wonder why I do what I do.
Why do I love what I love? Why do I choose to spend my time in the way that I do?
Most of the time, I’m not asking myself these questions. Most of the time, I’m just doing my thing. But sometimes, I wonder why I do what I do, and sometimes, I get an unexpected answers to that question.
Yesterday was one of those days. I found a note I had written 2009’ish — it was about the point of this blog, and why I spend my time and energy authoring it. It outlined what this space means to me, and why its existence matters. To me, and to you. And I needed that, I needed the reminder of why I do what I do.
Because sometimes I forget, and sometimes I take it for granted. And I don’t want to do that so much anymore. I want to feel my purpose more. So, I’m going to share what I wrote — what I found — so you know why I’m here, and I know it too. I’m considering it a permanent record of purpose.
The goal of my work is:
To be inspiring an evolution in business values by expressing my beliefs about life, in my work.
The intention of this blog is:
Rise of the Innerpreneur provides ideas and strategies for business owners who question conventional business ideals and who are choosing to practice a new kind of economics, one based upon using their creativity and skills for the greater good — for one’s own Self, for society and for the planet.
The blog generates awareness that a more mindful form of entrepreneurship exists, and provides support and connections to this growing number of business people who are inspiring an evolution in business values by expressing their beliefs about life, in their work. I integrate such concepts as design thinking, spirituality, meaningful capitalism, and authentic marketing to illustrate that career success is defined by the individual, and that sustainable business growth depends on honest self-development and an awareness of how you uniquely add value to the world.
You really matter to me. Thank you for reading and for evolving with me.
I love you,
photo credit: Seth Sawyers
by Tara Joyce | Aug 28, 2015 | Innerpreneurship, Self/Business Growth
Despite what my rebellious ego sometimes wants me to believe, having people to support us in meeting our goals is necessary, and even wonderful. Sometimes though, when we lack focus, receiving the help we need and leading others can become more work that it hopes to accomplish.
Your unwavering vision is necessary and needed to guide and steer the people who want to help you. When you are the Captain of the ship, you know the course you want to take and you know all the information that flows through your craft. You hold an unique and powerful position, and this power must be acknowledged and used consciously. By actively displaying and sharing your vision with your supporters, you allow them to focus completely on their tasks and not become distracted by their ideas. Their ideas themselves are not a problem but they may not contribute positively to the task at hand. Your role and your goal as leader is to stay focused on your vision, so the people helping you stay focused on it too.
In being a decisive leader, you gather everyone’s creative energy and you help to focus it in the direction of your vision. In being pointed, you help others to help you manifest your vision swiftly and without confusion. In focusing your leadership, you create a container for others to truly support you in meeting your goals. And that, without a doubt, is a wonderful and invaluable thing.
photo credit: marie
