Liam's got issues: August

Been gardening. Well, hacking away at buggeringly tenacious weeds and bushes. Trying to get a lawn going and so, for what seems like fecking eons, I've been watering, kneeling down sniffing the ground, sighing, coaxing, cursing birds and hurling foul mouthed abuse at my gormless mutt as she roots away in my new soil.

Standing there in me jimmies of a morning, sipping coffee (fair trade obviously) peering through the kitchen window, a man turns metaphysical. Why as you get older do you get more drawn to growing stuff? Maybe it's that as you get closer to the grave you take more of an interest in the very soil which all too soon will be covering you?

Watering - and feeling vaguely guilty that somewhere in Africa a small child is expiring from thirst - I am struck how growing a lawn is a lot like growing a business. I co-founded Wavelength 18 months ago with three goals. Make a difference. Make money. Have fun. Going okay on all fronts.

Despite recession, there are plenty of businesses wanting to play with us. Companies seem to divide into two camps. The batten down the hatches, oh-my-god-it's-the-end-of-the-world types. And those who get that innovating now will help them emerge stronger. We like the second type, obviously.

So, growing a business is like growing grass. You worry at first will it ever grow? Then when it starts to grow, it is not evenly spread. Loads here but strangely a bloody great bald patch over there. Lots of boring, repetitive things to be done. And if you don't do them they don't get done. Things happen out of your control. Dog goes mental and digs up loads of it. Client moves goal posts. Deal with it. Getting it growing is just the start. Grass needs cutting again and again. New business must be relentlessly chased. Weather forecast says rain so you don't bother getting the hose out. Doesn't rain. Customer says will give you answer end of May. It's July, still waiting.

And, in the end, it's about why you're doing it. I have vision of lovely lawn, me sipping Jamesons while grandchildren frolic happily at my feet (not bothering me too much, obviously).

And the business is making huge change possible in the world and I'm not worrying about paying the drinks bill. Vision, innit.

Liam Black is co-founder of Wavelength thesamewavelength.com Feel free to email comments to news@socialenterpriselive.com