 Years back, in the late 90's, when I worked in radio, The Body Shop was all the rage. It's founder Anita Roddick was a rock star, up there with Branson. Last week I met a lady who worked there during that halcyon period. She said "The Body Shop was my second home, we loved it, we were in it together. It was commercial with a heart and soul, they had an ethos." Back then they fought for animal rights, no testing on animals, great product, a real vibe.... they fought and sacrificed for a mission. Some years later, the media reported, "hundreds of consumers declared a boycott of The Body Shop in 2006, after its owner sold the cruelty-free brand to cosmetics giant L'Oreal – which was well-known for testing on animals". I walked past a Body Shop recently and although terribly quiet compared to neighbour Lush, The Body Shop would not be in my top 25 brands to shop for body products. I wonder how sales are? Converesly, Lush reported their highest sales on record in the month of December 2022. Shopping at Lush is a great experience. My recent experience is below. In summary ...When I spoke to a team member at Lush he said "I love this place with all my heart." Why... "I love the experience and the ethos. "
Enough said. #transferofpurpose
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 There's always plenty written about finding your why. Productivity experts focus on what you do, and when you do it. Little is talked about in considering the where. Steven King would hit his writing chair and table each day at 8 am, have a glass of water, his vitamin tablet and think "now it's time to dream." It was his writing chair. Other leaders have a favourite coffee shop, they enjoy the white noise and visual surroundings. Bill Gates had a cabin in the woods. Steve Jobs would walk the campus at Cupertino whilst conducting important conversations. Consider your where. What's it like to come to your office? Is it stimulating, is it a place of creativity, is it inviting and engaging.... the boardrooms, the offices, the lunch room? So for you.... what does your ideal space look like? Is there music? Is there silence? Is there chaos outside or is there serenity? What do you need in order to fuel your learning or imagination? Home, park, train, plane, coffee shop... where is your best where? I recently met a guy who felt his workouts were flat, so he changed the where... new gym, new surroundings, and he got his workout mojo back!
 For 25 years I have had a problem with gluten. For decades I've accepted that gluten-free bread, that in some cases is like cardboard, comes in a loaf that never replicates a fresh loaf of traditional bread. Travelling through Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands recently, it was time for a brew. I pulled in at the What If Society. After ordering my Machiatto, I asked whether they had any gluten-free bread. Someone appeared from the kitchen, grabbed a fresh loaf out of the window and said "would you like me to cut a piece for you?" I bought the loaf. The bread was sensational. Probably one of the best gluten-free loaves I've ever tasted. The only rival would be Gordon Ramsay at the Savoy in London. My story is not just about the bread, it's about the intention. The lady brought me my toasted GF bread and explained how she made it.... seeds, sprouting etc, then explained how she made the butter and how she made the rhubarb jam. The coffee was great. On the wall was a poster that showed all the food producers they used in the cafe and not only the farm it came from, but where it was geographically located around the cafe. Everything in this cafe was intentional.Intentionality means you need to slow down. Haste does not bring intentionality. As the Navy Seals would say "slow is smooth and smooth is fast." This lady was not only the owner, the chef and the baker she was an artisan. Intentionality came in every aspect of her work, her standards, her product and her business. I would highly recommend The What If Society when you're passing through the Southern Highlands. It's worth a detour to find this hidden gem. But you'll need to be intentional as it's off the highway.
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