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5 Simple Ways to Infuse Gratitude Into Your Life and Business |
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Gratitude has had a major impact on my founder journey—and it can do the same for you. |
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What gets you out of bed in the morning? As a founder, each day is often defined by long hours, sleepless nights, and endless puzzles. But answering this question is a relentless pursuit that I’m consistently leveling up while juggling the responsibilities of my team, investors, family, and community. I’ve been on this road for eight years, so it feels natural at this point. I’ve faced challenges I couldn’t have imagined when first starting out, from maxing out credit cards to fund my business to questioning the next big leap. But through it all, there has been one practice that has profoundly shaped my perspective and sustained my resilience: gratitude. Now, gratitude may not be the first thing that comes to mind when a list is made for “what it takes to make it as an entrepreneur.” And it’s much easier to get caught up in the moment, hustling toward the next milestone. However, incorporating gratitude into my daily life—really!—and business has been transformative for my mindset, for my company’s culture, and for our bottom line. Here are five ways I incorporate this practice into my life and business, and how you can incorporate it into yours right now. 1. Start With Personal Gratitude In the early days of my business, I often felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the challenges we faced. But I realized quickly that focusing only on problems took away from the opportunities for hope and joy. So from Partake’s very early days, I’ve incorporated this practice: At least once a day, I spend a few minutes writing down or thinking through things I’m grateful for. Sometimes it’s something as big as a breakthrough in the business, and other times it’s as small as a laugh shared with my daughter or my first sip of coffee. I know this sounds like a cliché, but the reality is that this simple ritual reminds my brain of what’s going right, even during chaotic moments. Gratitude doesn’t erase the challenges, but it can provide balance—a way to anchor myself and move forward with clarity. 2. Infuse Gratitude Into Team Culture As the leader of my company, I know that my mindset has a ripple effect on my team—in the short and long term. Leading with a sense of appreciation fosters a culture where people feel seen, valued, and motivated. Though it doesn’t come naturally to me, I’ve made it an intentional priority to celebrate wins, big and small, within my company. For example, we have a “values” channel in our company Slack where anyone can highlight a team member’s contributions that align to our company values. These moments of recognition cost nothing but build a sense of community and mutual respect. As a fully remote team, it allows us to have moments of appreciation and support for one another above and beyond our daily cross-collaborative tasks. Gratitude also goes beyond internal teams. I’ve made it a habit to send handwritten thank-you notes to partners, investors, and even customers. In an increasingly digital world, these small, thoughtful gestures stand out and strengthen relationships. 3. Practice Gratitude in the Face of Challenges I find that gratitude is most powerful when I wish things were going better. I’ve faced shaky moments—whether it was struggling to secure funding or navigating supply chain disruptions—and in those moments, I leaned into gratitude. Instead of dwelling on what wasn’t working, I asked myself, “What can I learn from this?” For instance, during Covid we launched a line of baking mixes. When we, thankfully, were able to safely move back into the world, consumer demand for baking mixes saw a steep decline, and retail partners weren’t as interested. Our product roadmap for the next few years needed to be completely reimagined. At the time, it felt like a mountain to climb. But by reframing it, I saw an opportunity to fine-tune our intentions and reconnect with consumers on what they wanted from Partake. That gratitude for the detour allowed me to stay calm, pivot effectively, and ultimately focus on our product innovation. 4. Build Gratitude Into Your Business Strategy Beyond personal and team practices, gratitude informs how I engage with my broader business community. From supporting nonprofit organizations that are fighting food insecurity to mentoring other entrepreneurs and creating inclusive foods, I have centered our business model on lifting as we climb. Recognizing both how much I’ve been supported and that it’s not too early for me to support others comes from a place of gratitude. This isn’t just about doing good; it’s good business. Consumers increasingly care about supporting companies that align with their values—in fact, they consistently share with us that it is important to their purchase decisions. 5. Reflect and Celebrate Progress The fact is we as entrepreneurs are wired to chase the next goal, often without pausing to acknowledge how far we’ve come. But taking time to reflect is critical. I make it a point to review not just quarterly milestones, but also personal and team achievements. This reflection fuels gratitude for the journey—the highs, the lows, and the growth in between. Incorporating gratitude into your business takes consistency but has long-term benefits. It comes down to shifting your focus from what’s missing to what’s present, from obstacles to opportunities, and from fear to trust. As a founder, gratitude has been an anchor for me. It’s my hope that this practice will serve you as powerfully as it has me. After all, the greatest success isn’t just in building a thriving business, but in cultivating a life of purpose and joy along the way. Gratitude Generates Gratitude Gratitude is one of those personality traits that generates gratitude in others. The gratitude you show to your team will more than likely spill over into their gratitude to your customers. It’s also not a one and done. Consistency is important because some small change of attitude can quickly undo all your attempts at cultivating gratitude. Is your team showing gratitude to your customers? Are they advocates for you business or assassins? Give us a call, we’re here to help you measure your team’s relationship building. Services
DENISE WOODARD AND CARL PHILLIPS |
