Paths to Mindful Entrepreneurship
In June 2024, I was part of a pioneering congress on mindful and holistic, or resonant ways of doing business and coming together, organized by KU Kreatives Unternehmertum (Creative Entrepreneurship). Hosted in the Bavarian Alps, the three-day event offered highly relevant insights into how we must rethink entrepreneurship for a sustainable future.
Gerd Leipold, former Executive Director of Greenpeace International in conversation with KU
Mindful Entrepreneurship Inspired by Hartmut Rosa’s Resonance Theory
Having followed KU's pioneering work in reimagining entrepreneurship for some time, I was excited to join their annual community building congress. This year’s theme drew from sociologist Hartmut Rosa’s theory of Resonance. Rosa’s concept emphasizes that a meaningful life emerges from dynamic, reciprocal relationships with the world around us. Fulfillment is not found in the quantity of possessions or experiences but in the quality of our connections. Resonance calls for active listening and a sensitive attunement to both ourselves and our surroundings—a mindset that feels deeply aligned with mindful and regenerative practices.
Guided by these principles, the congress was designed as a multi-sensory exploration of a pressing question:
How can we cultivate a future-oriented, holistic approach to entrepreneurship in the face of complex global crises?
The program offered a thoughtful blend of keynote speeches, workshops, artistic interventions, and spaces for connection and reflection. KU created an innovative platform for exchanging ideas and promoting sustainable, mindful, and regenerative business practices.
At a mindful, spacial group intervention on the topic of ‘Beyond the Narrative of the Entrepreneur as a Hero - The Importance of Multi-perspectivity’
My Key Takeaways from the Event
1. Nature as Our Teacher
We must recognize that we are part of nature, live in harmony with it, and learn from its cyclical, interconnected systems.
2. Invest in Your Authenticity, It will Pay Off
In today’s digital age, sustainable success, both entrepreneurial and personal, depends more than ever on self-knowledge and alignment with our core values and mission. The stories of failure and resilience shared during the congress highlighted how authenticity can guide entrepreneurs through the complexities of a rapidly changing environment while sustaining long-term success. In these transformative times, authentic leadership grounded in integrity, humility, and purpose is vital for building trust, driving innovation, and inspiring loyalty - the cornerstones of enduring entrepreneurial success. Mindfulness practices (which were part of the congress program) serve as a powerful foundation for authentic leadership, cultivating self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and clarity, and enabling entrepreneurs to face challenges with confidence while inspiring and empowering others to thrive as well. (Read a Forbes article on the topic of Authentic Leadership here)
3. Collaborative Action Is Key
Solving today’s urgent dilemmas demands collective action. While individual efforts matter, change at the business and institutional levels is equally critical. When, in her keynote, politician Ilse Aigner, president of the Bavarian Parliament, pointed to the entrepreneurs in the audience as being primarily in charge to solve the urgent dilemmas, she provoked nothing but criticism. The hubris of some entrepreneurs envisioning to implement their solutions top down struck me as equally elitist, unrealistic and opposing to the idea of resonance. Having great concepts and theoretic ideas will not save us if we A, fail to walk the talk and implement small steps in our daily actions, and if we B, fail to listen to others and consider their perspectives in order to create impactful solutions for all.
4. Mindfulness Matters and Cultivating it Still Takes Courage for Many
Mindfulness was seamlessly integrated into the congress, from morning yoga sessions to guided self-reflection spaces. A standout moment to me was a yoga session led by Patrick Broom, renowned yoga pioneer and trainer for Germany’s national football team. It was interesting to see how his reputation and embodied presence as a male, 50+ successful individual could motivate even those resistant or unfamiliar with yoga to embrace the practice, demonstrating the transformative potential of mindfulness in professional settings. I was generally surprised to see that even in this group of open-minded entrepreneurs and pioneers, especially among the male participants, yoga and mindfulness is still largely tugged away in the esoteric corner. We need many more of events like this to integrate yoga and mindfulness naturally into a culture and economy that fosters more resonance for all.
Morning Yoga with Patrick Broom
Final Reflections
Two thoughts linger with me after this special event:
KU successfully demonstrated how mindfulness can and must be integrated into entrepreneurial thinking and doing of the future.
To create meaningful, resonance-based change on a larger scale, we must unite across all levels of society—individual, organizational, and institutional.
As entrepreneurs, leaders, and individuals, we are called to action. Embedding mindfulness practices into our daily lives and businesses, will be fundamental to successfully pave the way for a more sustainable, connected, and purposeful future.
If you would like to begin your practice with me, check out my current offer.
Envisioning a more resonant entrepreneurship requires us to turn inward to create from authenticity
