In business we need to focus on the pieces that enable and support the business. The infrastructure, products, sales, websites, social media, accounting, program management, and the list goes on.

It's easy to lose site of what business is about. You can look at business as being only about making money. You can measure your success only on the financial results, the deals won or lost and how fat your wallet is at the end of the year.

Or we can choose to also look at the intangible. What about the joy we seek in life? The peace we desire and need? The smiles on a business partner's face when we help them achieve their goal and bring to market something they never thought was possible.

The key is when we focus on the success of others, business becomes more rich. Life becomes more full. Relationships are formed based on people connecting, delivering and trusting.

When we make business deals only based on how good of a discount we can get from a partner or service provider then we usually give up something. We usually trade a slice of trust, piece of happiness or peace in knowing the partner will treat us right.

So, what is worth more to you? Would you rather surround yourself with business partners, clients and providers that are only focused on giving you the best deal, the cheapest product while they treat their competitors and others in their industry like crap? Do you want to make decisions only based on dollars regardless of what's behind the black curtain?  Or would you rather do business with a partner of integrity who has your back? A partner with experience to get you thru the storm. A partner who brings you joy by simply being themselves?

Those that follow me, know my answer. I seek joy in both business and life. I love nothing more than to see a client smile and tear up when they realize that I can truly help them take the ideas that are exploding from their head to fruition. That I can help them build their business and their lives.

Yesterday we met with a potential new client who flew in to visit us. He is an entrepreneur nut like me and has a head bursting with ideas. He owns several successful businesses and is ready to zoom into 2011! We discussed many projects and deliverables that can create substantial revenue for us both short and long term.

However, as we sat across the table from one another, in a board room room and later lunch out, the focus wasn't only on our bottom lines and financial results. In fact it was little about dollars. Yes, we had been brought together by Twitter, sales funnels and Facebook. He knew we could do the job technically and strategically. However, it wasn't the dollars that mattered. He wasn't only worried about how rich we could make him. It was about what we could do together. It was about how much joy we could have in helping one another, helping the people in the niches we build and support as we help others. Even though our client took an entire day and half, flew his own plane to see us, we discussed more about how we could help others than how we can help ourselves.  We talked about the awesome things we can do to serve God's Kingdom, help the needy and the list goes on.

Did we both feel joy? Did we both feel trust? Did we both feel peace in knowing we are shaking hands with a partner of integrity? Yes, yes, and yes.  These feelings are priceless.

To me, those conversations are what business is about. What would business be without a people connection? It's all for nothing if you can't look past the dollars and look into the eyes of your partner authentically. What is it all for if it doesn't honestly and truly bring you joy and happiness?

So today I challenge you to think about the foundation of your business. How are you measuring success?  Think about what you do for your audiences. Are you focusing on what can bring your audience and clients joy? Are you building your business in a way that will help you differentiate? Or are you talking only in business speak like all the rest of the businesses out there?

The best deals are won not on a best deal but on a best and authentic relationship.

If you don't look past the dollars and yourself you'll never see the eyes of your client. You'll never get to know how their head and heart tick. And you'll miss out on the very most important things that can help them achieve their objectives. If you help them achieve their objectives then your objectives have been met too if you base your objectives on more than dollars!

The quicker you can learn dollars don't stand alone and that it's people who build the businesses that make the dollars the faster your business will grow. Try it and see!