Have you ever thought deeply about why we start businesses or brands? Usually it’s to solve a problem, fill a gap in the market or make money.    But how many founders do you know have started something with the intention to exit it? And not “exit” Silicon Valley style with millions of dollars, but exit with nothing but the knowing that they’ve fulfilled their purpose in this lifetime.    Laura Poole is a powerful and prolific Vedic Meditation teacher, and in this episode, she presents a more evolutionary perspective on the why behind what we choose to create.   She asks us to first know what we are, before deciding what it is that'll we’ll do.    Because how much of what we create is actually about our individual need to feel valued and valuable? Like, how many of us can hand-on-heart say that we hope our role becomes redundant because the business outgrew us? Our ego would be screaming. But with the context Laura brings in this episode, this becomes quite a liberating thought.   She also helps us see past “success” as an individualised experience, and instead, asks us to consider what collective and community success might look like. How might that change the way we show up professionally?    What I also heard from Laura is that this way of building something also gives us back the one thing we can never get more of in the relative world: Time. Time to explore other parts of ourselves that want to be expressed. Time to consider the next season of our life and what would be most evolutionary for us once again. Because we are not the thing we started or the thing we do.    I hope this episode helps you on your way. Thank you for being here.   Alison xo   Learn more about Vedic Meditation through MahasomaVisit www.laurapoole.comFollow Laura on Instagram  —   Offline is a resource for anyone evolving beyond the traditional ideals of success, to explore professional pathways that are more aligned to their true nature, unique gifts and passions.    Visit www.getoffline.co to learn more about Alison’s career coaching, professional development opportunities and community experiences, or follow @getoffline.co and @alisonlarsenrice.   Alison Rice acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the country on which she creates today, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. She pays her respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.