Winning with purpose

In business, the concept of winning is often narrowly defined by financial metrics — the top line, the bottom line and market share. But that’s not the only way I think about winning at Wipfli. True winning transcends these measures. It’s not just the numbers on the scoreboard; it’s about how we play the game, how we grow through challenges and how we align our actions with our deeper purpose.

Winning, to me, is that feeling of fulfillment I get when I live my purpose with the teams and communities I surround myself with. It’s the satisfaction of knowing our work is both profitable and meaningful. It’s seeing our colleagues grow, our clients thrive and our communities strengthen because of the work we do every day.

This is more than just my personal philosophy — it’s a vision we’re cultivating together at Wipfli. We’re working hard to develop a common understanding of success, one that we can communicate clearly and that inspires all of us. Our shared definition of success combines all our individual goals and aspirations, coming together to form a clear picture of what winning looks like for the entire team.

In sports, a team doesn’t win because every player tries to do everything. Victory comes when each player excels in their position, using their unique strengths to benefit the whole. The same principle applies to our firm. When we all play to our strengths and focus on our positions, we win. This approach allows us to bring our best selves to work, to complement each other’s abilities and to achieve outcomes that none of us could accomplish alone.

Our commitment to winning with purpose is deeply embedded in how we operate. Take, for instance, a few recent Wipfli milestones: our recent summit, the development of our strategic plan and the building of our FY 2025 targets. In each of these crucial processes, we approached our work with intentionality, discipline and authenticity.

This intentionality also extends to other decisions and changes we make. We always ask two questions: 1) What is the immediate purpose of this decision or change? and 2) How does it further our overarching purpose as a firm? These two questions help us ensure that our day-to-day actions always align with the bigger picture.

Of course, the path to success isn’t always smooth. There are times when we’re not playing at our full potential, when challenges arise that test our resolve. But it’s precisely these moments that offer the greatest opportunities for growth and learning.

These challenges are chances to deepen our resilience. Each obstacle we overcome and each problem we solve builds our capacity to handle future challenges. We use this skill set and each experience to become a stronger and more adaptable team.

Ultimately, our approach to winning is about more than just our own bottom line. It’s about our impact on our clients, our communities and each other. When we win with purpose, we create ripple effects that extend far beyond our immediate sphere.

This is the essence of winning at Wipfli. It’s challenging, it's rewarding and it's what sets us apart. With clarity of purpose and unity of vision, there’s no limit to what we can achieve together.