15 Jun My Business Battle Cry: Be Passionate!

The pride in what you do – your business passion – will always set you apart from a faceless sea of competitors.  

Written by Daniela Cavalletti

3 min read

Us Italians and us writers, we do love talking about passion and its importance in communication. So you may have heard me talk about the importance of ‘business passion’ in the past. A lot, in fact.

For me personally, anyone putting fierce love, dedication and enthusiasm into their everyday life and day-to-day work has my immediate attention and respect. It’s exciting and rewarding to see someone fired up by whatever it is they do, and how it can help others to have a better experience.

I’m talking about a business passion and personal zeal you simply can’t fake – a genuine interest in the other, in the task at hand.

Buzzing With Energy

Business passion, like any enthusiasm, is infectious. Just think Steve Jobs’ dedication to design and function, listen to a passionate TED talk by Brené Brown about vulnerability and shame, or read any novel by the ingenious and sadly late Iain M Banks bursting with imagination. When you watch kids (or any grown-up!) splash through big fat puddles or piles of autumn leaves – you see joy for life, passionate living.

And you cannot help but connect to it emotionally.

Business Passion Unites

During the tough times, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the business downturn it has brought for many an organisation, I have seen passion burn brightly in many businesses. Over the past months, the businesses I’ve seen not just survive but often also thrive with grace and loyal supportive customers all have something in common:

Honesty about their situation – paired with pure passion for what they do and for their clients.

Here in Tasmania the tourism and hospitality industries have been especially hard hit. Having to close their doors without much warning was a big blow for our local restaurants, cafes and retailers, as it was for many around the country and globe. But what emerged through the stress and shock of sudden change has been nothing short of inspiring.

From my favourite book shop Petrarchs, that swiftly switched to online orders and hand-delivery, via local shop Hope & Me whose owner closed doors temporarily but opened up online conversations, to the incredibly-led team at Stillwater and Black Cow restaurants: our local businesses’ passion and honesty had customers rally around them. All of them re-opened to throngs of eager customers waiting to experience what they offer.

It made me proud to be part of this community.

Your Passion is Contagious

Business passion is one of the keys – if not the key – to making any commercial endeavour flourish. And you do not have to be an extrovert to show your passion: quiet enthusiasm and commitment to your work, your team’s welfare, and your clients’ needs works just as well.

People buy (into) not your ideas, product or service as such, but your personality and your passion, and, as Simon Sinek calls it, the “why” of what you do and stand for. Be it in your business, an interview, at home. And they will often connect with your passion and enthusiasm over and above the most polished, but dispassionate product, service or presentation. So, in any important life encounter or business meeting:

Be Real, Be Your Passionate Self.

By being genuinely and deeply engaged, authentic and caring – and a real person rather than a persona – in your business dealings, you will create more connection and opportunities. You will have a stronger team, and better clients.

You will not only do better business – it will bring you more joy to boot.