The Main Value of How I Do Business

People ask me all the time, why did you choose the name Mulberry Business Solutions in naming my business? What is the origin story there? And I tell them that the name actually reflects one of the main values of how I do business and work with my clients. It stems from Greek mythology and is rooted right there in the name, Mulberry. It is also closely tied to an important personality trait of mine that informs my clients how I run my business.

The mulberry tree has come to represent different ideas among different cultures. It has been the sign of nature, faith, growth and for some even death. The mulberry tree thrives in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Its berries are edible, its supple wood is good for carving and its bark and leaves are used to make paper. So prominent are the uses and attributes of the mulberry tree that, in all of these places, this plant became wrapped in legends, history and meaning.

Mulberries do not bud until all danger of frost is past, and so they symbolize a calculated patience. When they do produce buds, it happens so quickly that it seems to occur overnight, displaying and thus symbolizing expediency and wisdom. For all these attributes, the ancient Greeks dedicated the plant to the goddess of wisdom, Athena (a.k.a. the Roman goddess Minerva).

This is analogous to how I conduct business: with a slow thoughtfulness as opposed to making snap decisions. I gather all the information I can, ask lots of probing questions, scrub the data to make sure it’s completely accurate, then give it a thoughtful analysis to provide the best recommendation. The process may be a little bit slower to progress, like the mulberry fruit, but it's less likely to fall to early volatility, risk, or short sidedness. And that really is an illustration of how I do business and how I think about serving my clients.

It's actually just ingrained in me in everything that I do. I can't really help it. It's a personality trait of mine, but I do find that it serves me well in my role supporting people with their accounting work. And I have also found that my thoughtful and careful approach to service is exactly what my ideal clients need to help them be successful and bear more fruits of their labor.