When the World Health Organisation classified occupational burnout as a disease we knew that we had to find a way to help business leaders grow their impact without negatively affecting the wellbeing of themselves or their employees.
In the UK alone, with workplace stress on the rise, and employees wrestling with increasingly complex and stressful lives, people need more support from the organisations they work in. More than half (57%) of all UK employees feel worn out by work, whilst half a million people in the UK now suffer from work-related stress. There’s a general rising trend of employees being overworked and having poor work-life balance, which is undermining UK job quality.
So how can Business Owners and Leaders look after themselves will also growing their business?
We believe we have found the solution; by joining a community that understands what running a business is like Business Leaders can set specific and measurable goals that they are held accountable for, while also getting access to wellness support, training, coaching and support in growing their business.
“People are 65% likely to meet a goal after committing to another person. Their chances of success increase to 95% when they build in ongoing meetings with their partners to check in on their progress.” – American Society for Training and Development
What Does The Better Business Network Do?
We believe that regardless of industry or sector, businesses should be trying to make the world a better place. And that the easiest way to do that is to work together to build better businesses and make it easier for people to buy from them.
It was founded by four business owners who all saw a need for a space to harness the collective power of businesses working together. The Better Business Network provides a huge range of tools and resources that help Business Leaders increase their impact while confronting a universal problem. You can meet the whole team here.
The world needs to change. Even prior to the pandemic, a focus on individual health and wellbeing was set to be a major agenda of 2020 with 50% of Business Leaders admitting to burnout.
Sustainable businesses need to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
We strive to help Business Leaders towards attaining the UN Sustainable Development Goals while looking after their own wellbeing.
The goals call for action by all countries, poor, rich and middle-income to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and addresses a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.
“I believe that collaboration is the only way for us to change the current global course we are on. To create opportunities for ideas to grow, connect with people with the same goals and to lift each other up. The Better Business Network will provide you with the tools to connect and grow both personally and professionally for us all to achieve a brighter future.” Kate Clarke, Better Business Network Founder.
What does a Membership provide?
Members are placed in to groups of ten, that led by betternotstop establish their professional and personal goals for the year ahead. Working together the group support each other through accountability – a private slack channel which is managed and supported by our Community Manager daily, fortnightly email check ins and monthly meetings.
Members also get access to the wider community slack channel to connect with other members. The key to this is having a small group of Business Leaders that know each other goals can help each other achieve them while acting as an unofficial board of Directors.
All members have access to free tools and resources available within the membership zone. Every month workshops with Industry professionals provide clear actionable support are available exclusively to the network. Regular social and networking events help our Business Leaders grow their network. Our collective power allows us to use memberships fees to campaign for government support and fund non profits.
Additional support and programming is integral to this. The Better Business Network team on hand to support in curating wellness programmes, one to one coaching and checking in on individuals on a weekly or monthly basis.
Sustainability is at the core of what we do, helping businesses see how they can create sustainable metrics to grow their business.
How can it help me find new customers and grow my income?
In 2020 millennials made up 40 percent of all consumers, and 40 percent of this demographic (according to a survey by Deloitte) believe that the goal of business shouldn’t be a healthy bottom line, but contributing to society. So how your businesses is run, makes products or deliver services, and how you define your values is a huge.
By joining a network that supporting purpose led businesses across all sectors and industries you can show your Customers this is a priority for your company. Connecting with other Business Leaders to discuss communication, marketing and sales strategies to help you grow your audience in this area.
Setting clear, measurable goals with your group and our team will allow you to be supported in creating tangible action steps in creating the changes you want in your business.
What Does The Better Business Network Do To Help Businesses Increase Their Social And Environmental Impact?
Creates a Climate Positive community and funds climate action projects
Membership fees are fully transparent, with all members provided access to quarterly accounts to see where the money is spent. Each member is included as part of betternotstops climate positive workforce with Ecologi, compensating for their carbon footprint and funding climate projects
Supports 1% for the Planet by funding high impact nonprofits
1% for the Planet funds diverse environmental organizations so that collectively they can be a more powerful source in solving the world’s problems. Members vote monthly on large donations to be made to non profits of their choosing. It was started by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, to start a global movement connecting high impact nonprofits access to funding.
Helps businesses create sustainability metrics to measure their impact
Two of the Better Business Network founding members are B Leaders, experienced sustainability and CSR professionals that has been trained to guide businesses through B Corp certification by B Lab. Members get a free sustainability audit and support in creating impact goals that are specific to their business and organisational needs.
Campaigns for Government Support in helping sustainable businesses
Campaigning for systemic change in government policies can have a huge impact on the social and environmental impact businesses make. We believe that purpose led businesses should get more support from the government. Businesses should get more support through better policies for staff when it comes to sick pay, maternity and paternity support. Tax incentives and support in using cleaner energy. Improved opportunities for businesses with ethical supply chains, that provide the living wage and pay fair tax.
There are so many ways we believe the government can help businesses that are sustainable grow and compete in a fairer market. We want to make it easier for consumers to be sustainable when they shop, and understand the ways in which injustices happening to marginalised communities and the earth are interconnected.
The Better Business Network represents a terrific opportunity to bring together inspirational and forward-thinking leaders. Given our current social climate and the ongoing need for digital interactions, this network will be both rewarding and engaging as a space to harness the power of business for positive change.” – Ben Thorne, Community Manager, Better Business Network Founder
How Can I Join?
Applications for our founding cohort were in March 2021, offering lifetime discount on membership as well as a free upgrade on membership as standard, with access to the full network opening in May 2021.
The waitlist for Cohort Two Membership is now open and you can sign up on The Better Business Network website.
Membership starts at £45 pm, and you can find out about the different membership levels here.
To be as inclusive as possible, we have a number of full scholarships available to business leaders. You can apply for one of these here.
If you do run your own business and are interested in getting involved, feel free to send me an email, book in for a virtual coffee with the betternotstop and The Better Business Network founder, Hannah Cox – or you can connect with Hannah on LinkedIn.
What actions do you think the Better Business Network could do to make a difference? Let us know in the comments below.
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