Behind every single business, startup and company there is a soul. You, the founder, are this soul.
In my practice I’ve met people who within moments evoke a special feeling - you just know you’re meant to collaborate. Something clicks, not because of the title, their résumé, or even their pitch.
That is Soul to Soul, or S2S business in action.

The term S2S business (Soul-to-Soul business) is an emerging concept rooted in conscious entrepreneurship, where the traditional profit-driven model is replaced, or at least complemented, by authentic connection, deeper purpose, and shared values between business owners and their clients or partners and collaborators.

Where traditional business focuses on B2B or B2C or C2C…
S2S says: “Let’s just be human.”
It’s business rooted in connection, intuition, resonance, and shared values - not manipulation, funnels, or forced visibility.
S2S is less about transactions and more about transformational relationships—where both parties grow, connect, and benefit beyond money.

• I know, this may sound pathetic, but this is the trend, for sure.

There’s no single person officially credited with inventing the term S2S (Soul-to-Soul) as a business model. It looks like it emerged organically from the conscious business movement, which includes thought leaders like:

• Lynne Twist (author of The Soul of Money)
• Frederic Laloux (Reinventing Organizations)
• Gary Zukav (author of The Seat of the Soul)
• Daniel Priestley, Simon Sinek, and Brene Brown (who speak to values-based business, purpose, and authenticity)

Gradually, in online communities and business circles all over the world, the informal use of "S2S" came into practice - especially since around the 2010s.

Authenticity Over Image
You don’t build a persona - you reveal your essence. You are here to be you, not to make a shiny version of yourself. Your brand will become more appealing the more sincere and realistic you are. No pretending, no masks.Business becomes an extension of your truth, not a mask you wear.

Start With What Feels Right
Check in with yourself before you start using strategies and funnels. Do your decisions reflect your values? What genuinely makes you happy? The "how" is so much simpler when they are.

Connection Before Conversion
Relationships are the foundation of business. Trust develops organically when you arrive to connect rather than convert. Likewise, the opportunities do.

Serve Because You Care
If your offers are motivated by a genuine desire to improve someone's life, people feel it. Selling becomes sharing. You’re not pushing, you’re helping. BTW, this principle makes you love selling.

Trust You Gut
Yes, data matters - but so does your intuition. Don’t ignore the quiet voice that says “this feels off” or “this is it.” It often knows before your mind does.

Visibility With Vulnerability
You allow yourself to be seen - not as perfect, but as real. You lead by example, showing others what embodied courage looks like.

Reciprocity Over Competition
In S2S business, we grow together. You trust that what’s meant for you won’t pass you. Let's celebrate others’ success as part of the same ecosystem.

Transformation Is the Metric
Forget vanity metrics for a second . Make a pauseand ask yourself: what really matters is. Are you changing lives? Are you changing in the process?

Your People Will Feel You
You don’t have to shout to be seen. When you show up as your full self, the right people recognize it. You don’t need to chase, resonate instead.

Legacy Through Integrity
This isn’t just about business. It’s about the legacy you’re creating through every choice, every message, every interaction. Lead with integrity, and your impact will ripple out.

Oh yes, that feeling when everywhere you turn someone’s shouting “Move faster! Promote harder! Don’t slow down!” — sounds familiar isn’t it?
I see more and more professionals feel burned out from hyper-marketing, hustle culture, and artificial branding. For for me, S2S is a healthy alternative for those who want to:

• work with clients they genuinely connect with
• build visibility without feeling fake
• align business with values, work and life pronciples

What I also like in S2S (Soul-to-Soul) business - it doesn’t follow the “faster, bigger, louder” mantra - it flows with “deeper, truer, clearer.”
No wonder, you might have bumped into it in fields like:

• conscious leadership
• personal branding (and I fully support this)
• creative and heart-centered entrepreneurship

Being a personal brand evangelist, let me share how personal branding relates to S2S (part 2) continue reading