Manifesto: Design an Exceptional Business

Exceptional isn’t what happens regularly or is expected.

Exceptional isn’t average.

Exceptional is unusual. Weird even.

People who strive to design Exceptional Businesses choose to step away from the old paradigms of the homogenised business world. We turn a blind eye to the same marketing messages and one-size-fits-all solutions that leaves us numb and depleted.

People like us recognise that we’re not meant to “do business” the same way because we’re all unique individuals. We’re proud to stand in our own individuality, and to operate our business in alignment with our true selves.

We recognise that businesses have a significant impact on the human experience whether you’re a business owner, a contractor or an employee. Our business building experience, our work and career experiences are part of the collective human experience.

We believe businesses are a way of being in service to humanity.

For people like us, our businesses don’t exist just to make us rich or are solely there to serve our needs.

It isn’t just about us.

We recognise that businesses are human constructs — Businesses are nothing more than groups of human beings working together to achieve a common goal, purpose or mission.

Humans are foundational to the success of businesses. Humans are what keeps businesses operating. Therefore, connection, understanding, compassion, empathy and experiences matter.

When we operate our businesses with human-first mentality, it’s Win-Win-Win dynamics for everyone involved:

  • We win as individuals because people are doing work they love that align with their gifts and strengths.
  • We win as teams because people communicate and work better together when they’re aligned to the same values and cause.
  • We win as business owners because we invest in people and develop self-sufficient teams we trust that drives our business forward without our constant presence, input and oversight.

When human needs are met at work, and people are recognised and respected for who they are, everybody wins.

Choosing to design an Exceptional Business means we’re putting ourselves on the path to owning a valuable and sellable asset that can run itself and grow with ease.

That’s the formula for creating true freedom (money + time + space).

If you’re looking to do business differently, operate your business more efficiently by yourself or with your team, you’re in the right place.

Welcome.

We’ve been waiting for you.

For weirdos like us, Exceptional Businesses are our North Star.

Exceptional Businesses require exceptional human beings at the helm.

Exceptional Leadership is at the core of every Exceptional Business. We believe better humans make better leaders. And better leaders make better humans. We can’t expect ourselves to effectively influence or lead others if we’re not being the change we want to see.

Becoming better leaders means we work on expanding our own capacity.

We believe how well a business functions and operates is ultimately hinged by the capacity of its Founder.

Choosing to operate with human-first mentality means understanding the significance to create the 3 conditions that allow humans to flourish at work (and in life):

  1. Love — Humans flourish when they’re seen, heard and accepted for who they are.
  2. Safety — Humans flourish when they feel as safe as they can be.
  3. Good examples — Humans flourish when good examples are set for them.

The 3 conditions are the driving force for people like us. These conditions are the backbone of healthy, functional and profitable businesses we’re striving to build.

Exceptional Businesses are built for sustained success in the modern, ever-changing, uncertain world. Otherwise, what’s the point if our businesses are made of straws instead of bricks?


Most entrepreneurs are so busy hustling for an edge, pushing their agendas, chasing bigger revenue numbers as they blindly drive themselves toward the never-ending “more, more and more” to satisfy their egos and to prove their worth.

They fail to realise that business is about creating experiences through value creation that people want to be a part of.

In a world powered by greed, control, status and money-first mentality, most people waste their energy and life away either working for the money or chasing money.

The old paradigms of how industries were created and how businesses have traditionally operated only resulted in unhealthy, toxic and uninspiring work conditions we’ve all experienced, where the goal in business is to win at all costs. Humans are treated like widgets and task rabbits where they often go unrecognised and unappreciated.

What’s worse is that we’ve been led to believe that hustling and following faux ideals of “productivity” is the only way to achieve success in life.

That’s not the type of business we’re interested in building.

No thanks.

That’s not us.

We don’t subscribe to hustle culture.

We don’t pander to short-term thinking, short-cuts nor band-aid solutions.

Exceptional Businesses don’t operate in a frantic pace nor in chaos like the rest of the world.

Exceptional Leaders don’t have an incessant need to push, force, chase and scale their businesses at the expense of everyone else’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.

We choose to NOT repeat the vicious cycle of old paradigms and subject other humans to the same uninspiring work conditions we were subjected to when we were once employees.

The world doesn’t need another mediocre business that creates unnecessary stress, anxiety, frustration and burnout that takes away from the human experience.


We serve people who care about building their business & life with conscious intention, disciplined action and a commitment to leveling up.

We advise and guide human centric, purpose-driven entrepreneurs and Founder CEOs to design and operate their own version of an Exceptional Business.

We seek effectiveness, harmony and efficiency.

We cultivate fortitude, character and patience.

We empower business owners to create 3 valuable qualities found in Exceptional Businesses:

  • A culture where people (including owners) feel energised to do their best work. A culture of trust, autonomy, engagement and continuous improvement.
  • Outstanding experiences delivered through exceptional products and services. A business that becomes invaluable to the customers they serve.
  • Operational excellence and efficiency. Where people feel empowered and supported by the strategies, structures, systems and processes that allow the business to run efficiently.

We believe alignment at every level of the business leads to exceptional performance, which leads to exceptional outcomes.

Exceptional-Business-Kanizsa-Triangle

Alignment = Less Resistance = More Efficient = Exceptional Outcomes

Exceptional Businesses feel different — they operate at a different level.

Everything changes when you choose to design your business to operate this way.

When we strive to get the human part right, everything else in business falls into place much easier.

Success and growth becomes inevitable and sustainable.

We believe designing an Exceptional Business is the best way to flourish and thrive in the modern, ever-changing, uncertain world as we watch the old paradigms of business break down, as the new ways of doing business rise.

If you want to leave the frantic pace, the world of chaos and the path of following a one-size-fits-all approach to business building behind… we think you’ll enjoy sticking around.

—Jen

P.S.

If you want to better navigate your business building journey as you design your Exceptional Business, start with The Exceptional Business Roadmap to stay focused and on track.