Guest Blogger - Elzabeth, aka Person who named ENALAS
Business means Family, Compassion, Learning, and Generosity - What?!
There are a lot of words that come to mind when I think of the word “business:” profit, expansion, sales, strategy, and competition are among the many. Family, compassion, learning, and generosity are not amongst the words on that list. However, direct observation of my brother building a company from the ground up has led me to understand that these four words are not only related to business, but can actually help build a company that is successful both monetarily and philanthropically.
Family. This is where the company of ENALAS began. My brother’s ability to start his own business venture was completely dependent on family support - quite literally! His wife had to have the belief in him and the willingness to take a huge risk in order for him to even start the adventure of entrepreneurship. His father was his first employee - working long, hard hours in those early days to help things get up and running. His children had to understand that working hours are different for someone who is starting a business than they are for the average 9-5 working person. His sister (hey, that’s me!) had to help with caring for those precious children when business development meant a lot of nights away from home on business trips. His cousins stepped up to work at the business in crucial roles that keep the place up and running. Even the name of the company - ENALAS (which stands for Everyone Needs A Little Assistance Sometimes) - was actually a family effort. This name was the idea of yours truly and was developed during a breakfast after church one Sunday while brainstorming ideas at a local bagel place with the whole family! ENALAS is truly a family affair!
Compassion. When you think of a business venture, I would imagine that compassion is not one of the first words that pops into your mind either. However, compassion is a cornerstone of what makes ENALAS the company that it is. Compassion for employees in the form of providing full healthcare coverage for employees and their families because healthcare is viewed as a human right (as it should be!). Compassion for those who do not fit the mold for a stereotypical employee in the form of employment and continuous training in whatever areas those individuals may need. Compassion for organizations in the community that help those with less advantages in life for various reasons in the form of monetary and time investments. It is this sense of compassion that has allowed ENALAS to become the kind of company where employees become family and the company becomes a place known for caring about more than just the bottom line.
Learning. I suppose that learning is not as abstract an idea when thinking about business as family and compassion are, but it is not something that you typically think of when business is the topic at hand. However, personal growth through learning is a crucial part of the environment at ENALAS. Whether it be through reading various books and articles, professional development specifically geared toward personal growth, or thinking about, writing, and discussing personal growth via yearly HR initiated reflections, learning and growing are a huge part of being an employee at ENALAS. While most companies in the ever-competitive world of business tend to have a policy promoting lack of mistakes, at ENALAS, mistakes are used as opportunities to grow instead of tickets out the door.
Generosity. The growth of a business from the ground up is an experience involving constant monitoring of the profit margin. Most sales and manufacturing entities focus on how to drive productivity and sales up with the goal of improving profit margins continuously. While the aim of driving up profits is of course a goal at ENALAS, the impetus for this goal is not just to line the pockets of upper management - the goal is to give as much as possible to the local community. For every period of growth the business has, the ability and willingness to give more to deserving organizations increases as well. The many and diverse organizations which ENALAS is able to support both financially and with gifts of time from employees is a testament to the focus this company has on sharing success via generosity.
Watching my brother build a business from literally almost nothing to the thriving company that is ENALAS today has been an eye opening experience that has fundamentally changed how I view the business world in general. As a biologist turned counselor, my worldview is largely built around people and how to help the world by helping people. I previously thought that this worldview was completely opposed to the views found in the world of business (perhaps it is, when considering the majority of for-profit businesses), but it is actually quite engrained in the company of ENALAS. Business is of course always going to revolve around the bottom line, however, ENALAS, (and my brother, who bravely built and continues to grow it) have shown me that business can can also revolve around family, compassion, learning, and generosity.
Liz Pearson
“Joy Ambassador” at ENALAS
