How to Balance Being of Service While Operating a Business

I have something to confess. I've been struggling with a real dilemma.

My struggle has to do with profit and service. It's this: is it ethically possible, am I comfortable with, helping people on a for-profit basis?

Must we function as a non-profit to be truly helpful?! To maintain the ideals of altruism for which I continually espouse? Unconditional love - being of service without the expectation of anything in return - is an element of one of Transcend's pillars for goodness sake! But then I remember, how will I support my beautiful family if I do my work for free? And how will our employees support their families? After all, the resources we provide require capital. That's the truth. 

MY resolution lies in recognizing the value of both our mission and our individual contributions. I must recognize my value without believing that my value makes me any better than anyone else. I must realize that it is a gift to share my value, as is everyone's gift. We have built something wonderful here and I must remember that this community, and the value I bring to it, is of great worth. 

So we operate with a sort of hybrid model. Whenever we can financially help someone for free, or at a heavily discounted rate, we do. I call us a socially-minded for-profit. I rely on my community to hold me accountable to this model and make sure that we always come back to it. We must grow and we must serve. Always. When I'm uncomfortable negotiating rates for our services I know it is my own issue and question of value and has nothing to do with the actual work. Luckily, I can rely on my team and community to remind me that if someone cannot afford our services we can still be of service. 

That is the importance and power of our collective value. The world is a warm and beautiful place with all of us in it. And we must do what we can to help others when and how we can. This week let’s connect with each other. Offer our love and support. That is free (to those who need it, at the very least). I can assure you this will only enhance your sense of value. Share our story, share this love, share this power. But your way. Since you are a perfectly imperfect, wonderful human.

Accountability, Community, Unconditional Love.

-Asher Gottesman, CEO & Founder of Transcend Recovery Community