You have probably heard it said that your business needs a purpose. You know, we talk a lot about life’s purpose and meaning, and the reason for being, on a personal level. It’s important that your business have meaning and purpose as well.
What does it mean for a business to have purpose? I think it’s important to know the impact that you want to make. There are vision statements. You can have a grand vision statement, a broad vision statement, and that’s the vision of what you want to see.
There’s a mission statement, and that’s a statement of what you want to do. What will your business do in the world?
But a purpose statement is what impact are you going to have? And this is important because people get on board with impact. I mean, vision’s great. So’s mission. They’re important. They’re vital.
You will find employees and customers who want to get on board with you because of your purpose.
One of my favorite companies that’s an example of this is Tom’s shoes. Their purpose is to provide shoes for people who don’t have them. So for every pair of Tom’s shoes that you or I buy, they give a pair of shoes to someone in a developing nation that wouldn’t have a pair otherwise. Now that’s impact.
Another company that has a great purpose is Southwest airlines. Obviously their mission, of course, is to transport people from point A to point B, but their purpose is to spread love. Did you know that on the New York stock exchange, when Southwest airlines stocks are traded, their call letters are not SWA, SouthWest Airlines, but L U V. That’s why, if you’ve ever flown Southwest, you know that their flight attendants are fun and funny.
I ask you now, what is your business’s purpose? If you are just starting your business, get clear on this before you file your first paperwork. If you’ve already started a business, but you’re not quite off the ground yet, this might be why. Think about your business’s purpose, and then make sure that you and everyone that you do business with knows what it is. Live it every day. Articulate it, have it posted on your website.
It is the powerful secret that will make your business thrive in ways that you can’t even imagine now. So enjoy finding your purpose. Visit my website to connect with me.
