Pinpoint The Why

Here’s something that changed the way I think forever!You see, for many years I was driven to make more money. Don’t get me wrong, I still love making money. However, I learned something along the way that change me in a very profound way.

I realised that the money (Profits) came to me much easier, if I loved and believed in why I was doing what I was doing.

Pinpoint the “Why” of Your Business – Vision & Purpose

Many people would say the primary objective of any business is to earn a profit; that without profit, nothing else is possible for a business.

However, more and more this view is outdated as the entrepreneurial spirit – the urge to combine what we love to do with earning a living – overtakes the simple profit-driven business model.

Small business owners not only desire to earn a living, they have a vision of a problem they can solve in a unique way that truly serves their fellow man. This drive to help, to make an impact on the world, transforms a business into a mission-oriented organization.

A mission-oriented business has a purpose that gives meaning to even the most mundane tasks.

Keeping this mission part of day-to-day activities increases the success factor for businesses – the mission drives all facets of operations, from product creation to employee morale and consumer relations.

Here are 3 businesses that grew out of their missions:

All three of these companies are stellar examples of this mission-oriented business model.

TOMS – Founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie when he realised that so many children did not have proper  shoes to protect their feet, TOMS sends one pair of shoes to a person in need for every pair purchased by a consumer. This is consistent with their “One For One” vision.

Patagonia – This company has been around since 1985 and has donated 1% of their total sales or 10% of their profit, whichever is the largest, to grassroots environmental groups every year since it was founded.

Whole Foods – A chain of natural foods supermarkets that sells products such as poultry and meat that are free of antibiotics and growth hormones, unprocessed grains and cereals, and other organic, natural foods.

These companies all have used their beliefs to create meaning and purpose. Not only does this help keep employees motivated, purpose inspires customers to purchase their products even if there are less expensive options.

For example, many customers happily purchase one or more pairs of TOMS shoes a year because they know that for every pair they buy a pair is being donated to a child in need. A purpose-driven business creates a better world.

To keep your business’s purpose honed and clear at all times, owners and executives should regularly ask themselves the following questions:

Ask These Questions

  1. What is our noblest purpose and are we achieving it?
  2. How can we give employees a greater sense of meaning in their work, so that they are more enthusiastic about coming into work every day?
  3. How can we participate in improving our world and ensure that we do less harm?

These 3 questions get to the heart of the “why” that drives all business decisions. Answering them is a great exercise to do when you need some inspiration and motivation as a business owner!

Have fun and as always, I wish you all the success in the world.