Running Your Business On Purpose

I was in a recent meeting with a service provider negotiating terms for us using their service. During the conversation all the purveyor talked about is the various charges and how he benefited from the transaction. It quickly became obvious that we could not do business together, not because of his price or the quality of his service, but because our core values were not aligned.

Instead of asking me what he could do to ensure I received the highest level of service, he only focused on how he could make the most money, which is in direct conflict of our values of being empathetic and using our talents to improve the lives of our clients. It was also obvious the owner did not have a clear grasp of his purpose.

When we are coaching business leaders or owners on how to grow their company, our focus is always in one of four areas vision; purpose; provision; or mastery. These four elements encompass all of the foundational principles that make a company valuable, memorable, and sustainable.

Purpose in our definition is a sense of direction, significance, and passion, guiding actions, and decisions toward the realization of the company’s vision. It's the "why" behind what you do and the deep-rooted belief that your efforts will have a meaningful impact on your customers and community.

For example, if you are a massage therapist and your vision is to help lower the stress level of project managers in construction companies, your purpose could be to lower the rate of high blood pressure and heart attacks due to stress.

This purpose would cause you to learn more about the construction industry, what a project manager does, potential stressors, and how those stressors are alleviated. It would birth strategies that far exceed a massage, but a holistic approach to delivering the highest level of service in reducing stress whether that was a referral to a nutritionist, acupuncturist, or music therapy.

A purpose-driven business begins by understanding its customers deeply. It listens to their needs, aspirations, and pain points. By focusing on solving real customer problems, it creates products and services that resonate on a personal level. This results in innovation that isn't just about technology but about making customers' lives better.

Purpose-driven businesses prioritize building long-term relationships with customers. They don't chase quick profits but focus on delivering consistent value over time, which promotes customer loyalty and advocacy.

Incorporating purpose into your business is not a one-time endeavor; it's an ongoing commitment to making a positive impact. When businesses align their vision and purpose with the well-being of their community and customers, they find innovative solutions, build trust, nurture long-term relationships, empower employees, and build strong brand experience.

I will take the time to express this to the business owner I spoke with because my purpose is to help build strong communities through building better relationships. I am more interested in his business thriving through his customers feeling like their needs are as important, as making money.