“If you don’t understand people, you don’t understand business”– Simon Sinek
Running a business isn’t just about the numbers, the strategies and the money – it’s about the people or person behind it. In 2025, the world has become full of people doing business in one form or another – and that can only be a great thing. Not only is this a boost to local communities and the economy, but it also contributes to the global scale. Since the pandemic, many people have seized the opportunity to set up their businesses, with the capacity to work from home more significant than ever before.
But what makes one person or company stand out from another?
There are lots of people doing similar things. Take my world of the Virtual Assistant, for example. In many ways, the VA market is saturated with people who have set themselves up, and some think it’s easy! Yet, where every market is saturated with competitors, one thing will set you apart: being unapologetically you.
Embracing authenticity, honesty, integrity, and transparency builds trust with your clients. It lays the foundation for long-term success for the person you are, your values, and how you do things in life and business. Let’s explore why being yourself is the most powerful strategy you can employ on your business journey.
Who are You?
Being real and authentic builds trust with the people around you. People are always going to be much more likely to do business with people they know, like and trust. They’ll do business with people who are authentic, genuine and honest. Clients appreciate honesty, even if the truth can be challenging to handle.
It takes time (and consistency) to build a business to the point where people want to do business with you. If they come back for repeat service or products, that’s even better. Who doesn’t want to work with people they like and genuinely get on with, on a consistent basis?
As a business owner myself, I know that by being completely open and honest with my clients, I’ve built some fantastic relationships with them. I love the working relationships I’ve built with them all. We’re all business owners, so people appreciate the fact that I get their challenges. They know how it feels to try to get things done and live the life you want to live! We also chat a lot about our successes, so it’s not all the hard stuff!
Of course, it’s crucial to be yourself, but not to the detriment of others. You can be driven, ambitious, and passionate about what you do and how you want to do it, but you have to think from the perspective of others and be respectful of their opinions, feelings, and beliefs.
Honesty and transparency create loyalty
Integrity in business builds great relationships. That’s why people will want to keep working with you – it’s what brings people back. While I don’t complain about all my challenges with clients on a day-to-day basis, I do understand that we all go through times that feel difficult – and we can chat about it. By talking openly and honestly with clients (and fellow business owners), we can solve issues we may be experiencing. Another pair of eyes or ears on something will help solve a problem. It could be a tech gremlin – or how to set something up from scratch. Or it could be as simple as wanting to talk something through, like an idea or thoughts about different services you may want to offer.
A rule of thumb is being honest about what you can do, too. Don’t tell people you can do something when you can’t. You’ll soon get caught out, making people mistrust you! If you tell someone you can do something when you can’t, then that’s a breach of the trust you’ve initially built with that person. If you can’t do something, help them find someone who can. By doing that, you’re building strong bonds with a person who is more likely to come back to you and give your name to someone else who may need the support you’re offering.
People also appreciate transparency about processes they may need. Pricing is one of the more tricky and sticky subjects people prefer to avoid talking about. Just be upfront about everything; people will see you for who you are. Talk through any concerns people may have – and be confident that your prices are what they are because you deliver value with your services and how you deliver them.
Just be yourself
Your unique personality is your brand’s unique selling point. We will not be everyone’s cup of tea—and that’s okay. However, we will be for many others! We are naturally wired to think that everyone is looking at us and judging us—it’s what makes us human beings. But this is simply not the case.
People don’t have the time or the inclination to look at others and judge the way we think they do. We all lead hectic lives, and people want others to be decent when dealing with the inevitable business of everyday life. Nobody wants or needs confrontation, so if clashes occur online, avoid them at all costs. Give clients what you’d expect from others and show people who you are.
People want to spend time doing what they’re good at and what they love doing. They’re much more engaged, happy and productive, and that will come across when you talk to them. Think about what you do and whether there are aspects you do that you don’t enjoy. We all know running a business is a roller coaster, so put yourself in others’ shoes and imagine the challenges in their business. By doing this, you will feel and display empathy for others and be able to help them in many different ways.
Being yourself ultimately means being comfortable in your own skin. It means living the life you want to lead and not letting others’ options bother you. It means respecting yourself and what you stand for as a person and business owner. Worrying about what others will think wastes time and energy because you can’t control their thoughts or actions.
If you have a particular sense of humour – don’t be afraid to show it! You can still be serious and respectful but still have a sense of humour. If you have deep-set values in the way you do things (for example, as I do for my passion and love of dogs), let that shine through at all times. Even if you have challenging days – it’s okay to tell people they are not alone if they feel the same on those days.
Another interesting article that delves into why it’s so important to be yourself is here:
https://welldoing.org/article/importance-being-yourself
I like how this article talks about how we are conditioned from a very young age to be people pleasers and how it’s often easier to pretend to be someone we’re not – to wear a mask to disguise who we really are. By being at the beck and call of other people’s expectations and beliefs, we can forget who we are, and by forgetting who we are, we will compromise our happiness. Be real, be 100% authentic, and be the person people will love and want to work with naturally, and never apologise for it!
If you’d like to find out more about what it’s like working with me, get in touch for a discovery call:
https://thecanineva.co.uk/contact-us/
If you’d like to strategies, brainstorm or brain-dump some ideas so we can work out what’s best for you and your business, you can book a strategy call with me.
