Preach what you practice: A reminder in a noisy world
The internet loves to clear its throat, doesn’t it?
Every influencer and account has an opinion on the latest headline or cultural moment. And while there’s beauty in the freedom to share your thoughts and I absolutely believe in taking a stand, I can’t help but notice a lot of it feels like it’s more about optics or “virtue signaling” than authenticity.
As a business owner, I find myself looking around wondering, am I supposed to step on stage and tap the mic, too? The introvert in me says f*ck no. And the performative nature of many of the posts, reels, and stories in my feed makes me hesitate even more.
Side note: I’m not saying posting or having social justice commentary is a bad thing. Quite the contrary. But if posting has been feeling forced or out of alignment, keep reading, because maybe it’s time to look closer at what really matters to your business.
So what’s a small business to do?
The questions swirl:
If I share, will it even matter or be heard?
What does it say about my business if we stay quiet?
What if I speak up and it’s clumsy or offensive?
What if I say nothing and that says something bigger?
Sighhhh.
The pressure is heavy. The world feels heavy. And in an era where cancel culture is always looming, trying to figure out where your business stands is… well, scary.
A client’s off the cuff truth inspired me…
Recently, a client said something that I needed to hear. Not as advice, but as a reflection of how they live their business. She said…
“We preach what we practice.”
Not what we post.
Not what performs well.
Not what feels safest to say.
What we practice. Meaning they’re already doing it.
Shout out to Krys at Hola Yoga for that perfectly timed sentiment.
It hit home because I’ve been carrying that tension. I think a lot of us have, right? We’re all trying to make sense of the subtle pull to make sure the outside matches what people expect, even if the real work is happening quietly (and, ok, imperfectly) behind the scenes.
And her business value reminded me I was spending too much time worrying about questions I already had answers to.
Core values are more than website filler
Scroll through almost any brand’s website and you’ll find them: Integrity. Community. Inclusivity. Trust. Blah Blah, Blah.
But are these brands actually living these values? Or are they just… listing them?
Core values shouldn’t be on your site because your competitor had a “Values” tab and you thought, “Well, we probably need one too.”
They serve a much bigger purpose: steadying your business when things feel complicated.
If done right, they should guide:
How you hire (and yes, sometimes fire).
How you respond to mistakes.
How you treat your team on a random Tuesday… or your absolute worst Monday.
How you serve your clients when no one’s watching.
And yes, how you speak up when monumental things are happening in history
Values should guide decisions long before they show up in a caption. In fact, our values aren’t even ON Honey’s site.
You CAN show up without posting
The pressure to “post about it” is real.
You care about your community, clients, your team, and humanity, but does that mean your business should become a newsroom?
Honey Hot Take: Not every opinion or value needs to be turned into a Canva graphic.
There are so many ways to show up that never even touch social media, and they might be even more impactful.
Donate
Check in on your team
Call your representatives
Build policies that protect people
When you see something, say something IRL
Have uncomfortable conversations
Adjust when you realize you’ve missed something
Model respect at home, at work, in everyday interactions
Some of the strongest leadership happens off socials. But in a culture that rewards visibility, that can feel invisible.
And that’s where tension creeps back in.
Live your values consistently
That doesn’t mean performing them perfectly, though.
It just means you’ve got to practice your values consistently.
Branding isn’t about announcing what you stand for. It’s about reflecting it.
Ask yourself:
If you say you value community, does your brand feel welcoming?
If you say you value integrity, does your client experience reflect that?
If you say you value care, do your internal practices match?
Customers can feel the difference between a value that’s written and one that’s lived.
Clarity matters more than commentary
You don’t have to weigh in on every moment on social media. But it’s worth knowing what you believe before the moment arrives, so you can confidently speak up or act in ways that make a difference.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for your business, your team, and your community is simply preach what you practice.
Even if no one double-taps it.
And if you need help gaining clarity on your core values, we’re here for you. Helping businesses align what they say with what they do is kind of our thing, and we love doing it.