Its Bigger Than a Buck: Making a Difference is Part of Business 101

It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference. - Tom Brokaw.

How would you feel going to work if all you did was make a living but never made a difference? Well, the answer depends, but for many including millennials, the answer most likely would be a resounding 'awful'. This generation of workers values employment that allows more than making money. These workers yearn for something more. They also want to make a difference and have an impact on the world around them.

As a small business owner, you may be wondering how you can instill something new in your existing employees, customers, and supporters. How about sharing that what you do is not so much about how many customers you have or the money you make but rather it is about how much value you provide and the impact you have on the community that you serve. No matter what your product or service may be, here are some useful tips that can help your small business not only stay on track but grow.

Business 101 - Tip 1: Have a clear and compelling mission statement that accents the importance of making a difference

By creating a mission statement that accents the importance of adding value to the community and making a difference, your business can appeal to a variety of stakeholders they want to be a part of your organization or already a part of your organization. An example of this would be Schoola, an organization founded by a former school principal, that provides a platform where clothing drives can be coordinated among students that have outgrown their clothes.

Through these clothing drives, schools can donate the clothes to Schoola who then sells them at an affordable price on their website. A portion of the proceeds from these online sales goes back to the schools that donated them. Proceeds from these sales have helped to create an orchestra and build a playground. Their mission or vision statement simply says, "Quality clothes get a second life. Parents help parents. Students help students. A win for all". This organization aims to make a difference in their day to day operations. Your organization can do the same.

Business 101 - Tip 2: Create job descriptions that incorporate the value of making a difference.

Another way that you can show that organization is not simply about making money but also about making a difference is by compelling creating job descriptions that incorporate language that underscore the importance of making a difference in the company's day-to-day business operations. A case in point here would be, Samasource, an organization whose mission is "to connect the one billion people living in poverty around the world to work using the power of technology". On their careers webpage, they emphasize that they are a mission-driven organization that is passionate about making an impact and conquering the world. Incorporating language that stresses how your company is committed to adding value in the world can attract people to your organization and help it grow.

Business 101 - Tip 3: Have a social media presence that highlights your commitment to making a difference. 

Here the idea is to have a social media presence where you can post videos, blogs, and other content that attest to your organization's social impact and overall commitment to making a difference. An example of this in action would be ReWalk, an organization that creates robotic exoskeletons for those with spinal cord injuries that enable them to stand, walk, turn, and go up and down stairs. This business highlights the impactful work it is doing on their Twitter account. Whether it is members of their organization visiting a conference to discuss the work they are doing or individuals sharing how ReWalk has changed their lives, this business understands fundamentally, as Tom Brokaw did, that it is easy to make a buck, but it's a lot tougher to make a difference.

We'd love to hear how your business is making a difference. Please let us know.