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Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. Often, the most restorative habits are the ones that fit effortlessly into our lives: taking a deep breath before a meeting, jotting down a few thoughts before bed, or spending time doing something you genuinely enjoy.
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Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. Often, the most restorative habits are the ones that fit effortlessly into our lives: taking a deep breath before a meeting, jotting down a few thoughts before bed, or spending time doing something you genuinely enjoy.
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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
When I started out, the goal was pretty straightforward: Make lots of money. Like most new entrepreneurs, I figured once I’d “made it,” then I’d give back. That part would come later. Success first, impact second.
Looking back, I now realize that mentality was a massive mistake. In fact, I believe it was one of the fundamental reasons it took me years to find any success. I now realize that pushing purpose to the back burner might be the thing that stalls your growth even more than poor marketing.
Everything turned around for me when I stopped “chasing paper” and started asking how I could help. When that shift happened, my business started to thrive in ways I never expected. And the money? It followed, as a side effect. It’s a fact that we all know deep down, but too often forget.
We’re told that giving back is something you earn the right to do once your company is big, your team is built, and your bank account looks a certain way. But the reality is that purpose isn’t a luxury; it’s a growth strategy. This attitude of abundance needs to be something that you embody both internally and externally as well.
Related: How to Balance Profits With Purpose at Your Business
The first focus needs to be on how you approach your day-to-day operations. At BotBuilders, our work centers around AI and automation. But that’s not really what drives us. The deeper mission is helping small business owners believe in what they’re building and giving them tools to actually pull it off.
The more we’ve invested in our clients’ success, the more we’ve seen our own business expand. Not just in revenue, but in reach, loyalty and community. Real relationships have carried us further than any marketing tactic ever could. It’s not something you can track or budget for, but we’ve all experienced how one relationship can lead to exponential growth, on many levels.
The second way to have an impact is how your company shows outside of your core competency. Namely, in your community. How often do you and your team get out and serve those who need it most? Money is great, but there is no comparison to the difference that a smile can make.
One of the biggest culture-shaping moments we’ve ever had started in the most unexpected place: a bowling alley in Arizona. Working with Special Olympics Arizona, we put together the Bowl-A-Thon Bash. The annual event pairs athletes with local business owners for high-fives, gutter balls, and a whole lot of laughter.
At first, it felt like a one-off community event. But after that night, something shifted. It became tradition. And every year we go back it resets something in us. We leave lighter, clearer, and more in tune with what really matters. That one night has done more to anchor our company values than any vision statement ever could.
Don’t get me wrong, money is important. I’m not dismissing that. But if we’re talking about real impact? Giving your time and actually showing up, things just hit different. Over the years, our team has done all kinds of small things that ended up being huge. We’ve served meals at shelters. We’ve planted trees. We’ve hosted holiday parties in retirement homes just to bring some joy to folks who don’t get many visitors.
None of that was fancy. None of it was scalable or “optimized.” But the growth those moments sparked? You could feel it. In how we communicated, how we worked together and how we showed up on Monday mornings. When we work together to do good for others, we are connected on a level much deeper than winning awards or even with traditional team-building activities.
So if you’re leading a team, never forget the fact that your values are contagious. Culture doesn’t come from the posters on your wall or the perks in your handbook. It’s built in the quiet choices. It shows up in how you respond when no one’s watching. It’s shaped by what you say “yes” to, and what you’re willing to let slide. As my angel-of-a-mother always says, “never miss a chance to help someone out.”
When you lead with meaning, people notice. They step up. And the ripple effects extend way beyond your team. So don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. You don’t need a giant audience, a massive checkbook or a five-year plan to make an impact. You just need to care enough to begin. You’ll be amazed by what comes of it on every level of your organization.
Pick something simple. Volunteer for a day, and invite your team into the process. Whatever you do, it doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be real. Because when your business stands for something more, people stand with you. And that is when things really start to grow.
When I started out, the goal was pretty straightforward: Make lots of money. Like most new entrepreneurs, I figured once I’d “made it,” then I’d give back. That part would come later. Success first, impact second.
Looking back, I now realize that mentality was a massive mistake. In fact, I believe it was one of the fundamental reasons it took me years to find any success. I now realize that pushing purpose to the back burner might be the thing that stalls your growth even more than poor marketing.
Everything turned around for me when I stopped “chasing paper” and started asking how I could help. When that shift happened, my business started to thrive in ways I never expected. And the money? It followed, as a side effect. It’s a fact that we all know deep down, but too often forget.
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Matt Leitz
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Over the last 10 years, investing in and leading companies, I’ve wrestled with one big question: How do you build something that lasts in a world that changes faster every day?
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ve probably felt it too. There’s always a new AI tool, a new social platform or a new business model. It’s not just noise — it’s acceleration. Thanks to positive feedback loops (like Wright’s Law), the pace of technological change really is speeding up. Better tools lead to better tools. It’s exponential.
So how do we keep up? How do we lead teams, build products and stay relevant without burning out or constantly pivoting?
Here’s what I’ve learned: You need a North Star. A clear purpose that guides every decision — no matter how fast the world changes.
Related: Stop Searching for Your Purpose — It’s Delaying Your Success. Here’s What to Focus on Instead.
Technology is rewriting the rules daily. If your business is built around a single product or service, it’s only a matter of time before someone else builds something better, cheaper or smarter.
But if you’re anchored to a purpose — a meaningful problem you’re solving — you can’t be disrupted. You might need to change how you deliver on that mission, but the mission itself keeps you steady.
Let me give you a few examples that have shaped my thinking:
If you’re a founder, CEO or builder, here’s how I recommend you apply this thinking:
There’s no stopping the pace of change. But you don’t need to outrun it. You need to out-align it — with purpose.
In my experience, there’s no better edge than knowing exactly why you’re doing what you’re doing. When your team is aligned around that North Star, it’s not just your product that wins. It’s your brand, your culture and your long-term relevance.
That’s how you build something that doesn’t just survive disruption — but drives it.
Over the last 10 years, investing in and leading companies, I’ve wrestled with one big question: How do you build something that lasts in a world that changes faster every day?
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ve probably felt it too. There’s always a new AI tool, a new social platform or a new business model. It’s not just noise — it’s acceleration. Thanks to positive feedback loops (like Wright’s Law), the pace of technological change really is speeding up. Better tools lead to better tools. It’s exponential.
So how do we keep up? How do we lead teams, build products and stay relevant without burning out or constantly pivoting?
The rest of this article is locked.
Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.
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Aaron Vaccaro
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In a world that rewards short-term thinking and instant gratification, staying true to a long-term mission is becoming increasingly rare. In this personal reflection, I share the challenges and rewards of dedicating 15 years to The Emotion Machine, and why fighting the temptation of rapid success is key to building something truly meaningful and lasting.
When I first started this website in 2009, I told myself it was a lifelong project that I could continue to build on until the day I died. Fifteen years later, I still stubbornly hold onto this belief, but I underestimated the difficulty of this commitment.
Our current society does not reward long-term thinking. We are taught to live in the moment, take what is right in front of you, and indulge in what is comfortable and convenient; not in what is meaningful, but hard.
This short-term attitude has taken over all of our society from business to politics to relationships.
It’s rare to see someone think on a long timeline, especially 10, 20, 50, or 100 years into the future. In many ways, our brains aren’t wired to think on this scale; but we’re capable of doing it, and developing real foresight and concern about the future is a necessary ingredient to almost all human greatness.
But who is really thinking about the future today?
Companies focus on their daily stock prices and quarterly earnings, politicians focus on their election seasons, new relationships are just one swipe away on a dating app, and modern work has become increasingly focused on gigs and temporary contracts.
Today, it’s rare to see anyone committed to anything for over 10 years, whether it’s a career, a relationship, a creative hobby, or a personal goal.
It’s not completely our faults. Our current world incentives this short-term thinking by promoting hedonism (“give pleasure now”), materialism (“money is the most important thing”), and nihilism (“nothing really matters because eventually I’ll die.”)
All of these beliefs and attitudes come together to create an epidemic of shortsightedness and selfishness, which ultimately lead to a lack of real meaning and purpose. This is not just an individual problem, but a systemic problem that permeates our society and institutions on almost every level.
Our society lacks long-term vision and it manifests itself in countless ways. One example I know from firsthand experience is short-term thinking within the online creator “self help” spaces.
As someone who has been writing and sharing content for over a decade, I’ve seen thousands of other websites, blogs, and social media accounts come and go. Many of them get really hyped up on some version of “become your own boss” or “I’m going to be an influencer”-type mindset, and then give up after a couple months of disappointment.
One fundamental problem is they weren’t ever emotionally invested in what they were building. Their work wasn’t driven by a long-term vision or deep-seated convictions, they were solely interested in what they perceived as an easy and convenient way to get popular or make money.
Once again, materialism shows its weakness. Money can be a bad motivator – even a destructive one – when it clashes with certain goals that require you to think beyond a mere trader mindset to achieve. If you are only motivated by money, then you are at the whims of money. If you are motivated by something deeper, then it takes more than money (or lack of) to stop you.
This same attitude reveals itself within a lot of startup and tech companies. Many of today’s entrepreneurs start new companies or new projects just so they can sell it to a bigger corporation in a couple years. They don’t build things from cradle-to-grave anymore. They don’t care about creative ownership of their projects, or what happens to what they’ve built when it reaches the marketplace, they just see these projects as vehicles for quick bucks and rapid exits.
Over the years I’ve had many opportunities to abandon the mission of this website for quick personal gain, but I chose not to.
I’ve rejected numerous money-making opportunities because I felt they jeopardized the integrity of the website, from paid sponsorships, to SEO backlinks, to advertisements, to having tempting offers to buy the website outright.
In theory, I could sell this website overnight and it would be a massive financial relief to me, especially as costs of living increase and more people experience economic hardship and debt-based living.
These are difficult temptations I wrestle with. This world incentives short-term thinking and immediate rewards. I have to remind myself on a daily basis what my core values are.
I imagine my life if I sold this website. Sure, it takes care of financial problems and it gives me more free time. I definitely have other goals and passions that I could put more energy into like music or screenwriting, but it’s also walking away from fifteen years of blood, sweat, and tears. That’s an emotional investment that is hard to rebuild with anything.
Most importantly, there’s more work to do. I still have hundreds of ideas and drafts for future articles that I need to write and publish. There’s still more to say – and I feel like I’d be doing a disservice to the world if I didn’t say it.
I look around the self help space today and believe my work still adds something special and valuable.
Fifteen years isn’t that long compared to the timescale I’m thinking on.
All of the content on this site is designed to be evergreen, so someone can read an article a hundred years into the future and still take something valuable from it. In contrast, the majority of content on the internet that is focused on news, pop culture, or current events is barely relevant after a week.
From an intergenerational perspective, The Emotion Machine could be a website that exists long after my death if I can find someone to pass it down to as a successor at some point. I would love for it to be an ongoing project. Our tagline is “Self Improvement in the 21st Century” so I’m at least thinking on a one hundred year scale. I’ll have to remember to update that in 2100.
To be completely honest, I’m proud of the work accomplished here so far, even when I feel it isn’t fully appreciated. This site has a vast library of articles, quizzes, and worksheets, and while I find that most people (including monthly members) don’t fully take advantage of these resources, I know they stand on their own as evergreen education for whomever is willing to learn.
This article is a declaration to myself more than anything. It’s been a tough year so far and I needed to remind myself what really matters to me and why I invest my energy in the things I do. People like you also help keep me going, especially those that join and support this work. Thank you.
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Steven Handel
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Turns out, most of us have absolutely no idea what we actually want from life.
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Being a sensitive person who can pick up on the feelings and energy of others sets you up for uncommonly close connections. It can be a very nourishing experience to feel so in tune with the people and world around you. Yet being a hyper-perceptive empath who picks up on everything—including the energy of spaces and subtleties in physical stimuli—can also be overwhelming.
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“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science.”
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What do you think of when you hear the term self-care? Maybe it’s a long journaling session, a steamy bubble bath, or some overall “me” time. However, critical care surgeon and physician-scientist Stephen Trzeciak, M.D., MPH, author of Wonder Drug, says we should flip the script: What if the best way to practice self-care is to actually serve others?
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Do you see yourself as more of a “trader” or a “hero?” Learn about these two distinct mindsets, and understand how balancing moral duty and economic ambition can lead to a more harmonious and sustainable future for humanity.
The hero mindset vs. the trader mindset are two distinct ways people see their roles and responsibilities in a healthy society.
Each one focuses on different values and priorities, but a balance of both is often needed for a society to function and flourish.
Here’s an outline of what defines each mindset.
The trader mindset dominates our current culture. It places emphasis on individualism, material gain, and personal freedom. This mentality often asks, “What can life give me?” and is driven by the pursuit of happiness, pleasure, and profit.
It’s especially characteristic of American life and contemporary Western thinking, where people tend to see their value only in terms of economic or material output: “What do you do for a living? How much money do you make? How big is your house?”
Key attributes of the trader mindset include:
The trader mindset is a product of liberal and Enlightenment philosophy, reflecting the values of individual rights and free market capitalism. It promotes a “mind your own business” attitude which emphasizes personal freedom and the pursuit of happiness, but can also lack a sense of social duty.
In excess, the trader mindset can lead to negative behaviors such as excessive swindling, grifting, corruption, and fraudulent schemes. People become willing to seek material gain at any moral cost, believing that everyone is inherently greedy and selfish, thus creating a “dog eat dog” world.
The hero mindset is less common and in many ways it’s more needed in our current society.
The heroic mindset is characterized by a focus on duty, sacrifice, and the greater good. Those with this mentality often ask, “What can I give to life?” rather than “What can life give me?” This approach emphasizes responsibilities over rights and prioritizes the well-being of others over personal gain.
Key attributes of the hero mindset include:
In essence, the heroic mindset is about fighting for something greater than oneself.
Heroes can take many different forms. It’s not only about sacrificing yourself on a battlefield or saving a child from a burning house. Being a hero can also mean dedicating your life to a social cause, being a leader in your local community, taking care of your family, or creating more beauty in the world through art or music.
While the heroic mindset can lead to noble actions, in excess it can also result in zealotry, self-destructive martyrdom, or an inflexible approach to moral issues. Extreme idealism might push individuals to pursue their goals without considering practical consequences, potentially leading to conflict and alienation.
Ultimately, both the hero and trader mindsets offer valuable insights into different motivations behind our behaviors and life choices. While the heroic mindset emphasizes sacrifice, duty, and the greater good, the trader mindset focuses on personal gain, freedom, and material success.
A healthy and sustainable society needs both traders and heroes. A society run solely by traders may prioritize profit over moral values, leading to widespread corruption and a lack of social responsibility. On the other hand, a society with only a heroic mindset might struggle with practicality and flexibility, leading to social conflicts and unrest.
Striking a balance between these mindsets can help us achieve a harmonious approach to personal fulfillment and social responsibility, creating a society that values both individual rights and communal well-being.
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Steven Handel
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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Becoming an entrepreneur and creating a company that creates positive change is a dream that has driven ambitious people since the beginning of the modern economy.
But where do you start? How will you create a meaningful product or service that stands out amid the noise of today’s highly competitive and saturated marketplace? The traditional path of finding a niche and competing on quality or price is no longer enough.
Today, if you want truly enduring and evangelical customer loyalty, you must deliver an authentic product or service that resonates with customers on an emotional level. It is important to connect them to other people, making them sincerely feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. In short, you need to start a movement.
For hundreds of years, social movements have been catalysts for transformative, impactful and historic change.
Throughout history, they have served as catalysts for profound and transformative change. Dr. Martin Luther King marched on Washington with tens of thousands of supporters as part of the Civil Rights movement. Nelson Mandela’s raised fist upon being released from prison after 27 years became a powerful symbol in the movement that crushed apartheid in South Africa. The women’s suffrage movement fought for a century to get voting rights for women in America. Each one of those historic, world-changing movements was anchored in one unifying and all-encompassing force: purpose.
Related: Looking For A Business Idea? Start With Your Purpose
You may be thinking that those historic movements were important, but what does that have to do with business success? What does purpose have to do with business? Study after study shows that you can’t even think about starting a business in today’s economy unless it is driven by a clearly defined, tangible and unique purpose. In doing so, you and your team members will be much happier in the process, as supported by Harvard Business Review and other reporting.
Purpose is the equivalent of “why”? The “why” encompasses a company’s contributions and impact on the world. It is the company’s reason for existing and the reason they are in business in the first place. Purpose is an enabler, a conduit and a vehicle, fueling the innovation of the world’s economy. Blackrock’s CEO, Larry Fink, says, “Without a sense of purpose, no company, either public or private, can achieve its full potential.”
Some of the most successful companies have embraced this ethos and are fully rooted in purpose. When we look at Tesla, we may think its purpose is to sell cars, which is part of it. But its stated true purpose “is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.” That purpose is what drove the EV car revolution — a global movement that powered EV car sales from 0.4% of the light-duty vehicle marketplace in 2004 to 15.8% in 2023. And while it sparked the EV movement, Tesla continues to be its leader. In 2023, it held 19.9% of the global EV market and is the most valuable car company in the world.
The highly profitable clothing company Patagonia is another example of a company that started a movement based on its purpose. In 2022, the company, long known for its environmental activism, doubled down on its purpose, which is updated to “In business to save the planet.”
But it was more than just a statement. With its purpose well defined, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard announced the transfer of company ownership ($3 billion in global assets and $100 million in annual profits) to a trust fund, with its dividends going to environmental advocacy organizations. With this bold support of her own movement, Chouinard declared, “Earth is our only shareholder.”
In today’s purpose-driven economy, identifying that unifying purpose for your company — your north star — is the most critical aspect of starting any business or social enterprise. Purpose-driven companies make more money, have more engaged employees and more loyal customers and are even better at innovation and transformational change.
Consumers are increasingly supporting businesses that stand on principle. According to Accenture, 62% of consumers want companies to take a stand on important societal issues such as sustainability, transparency and fair employment practices. The demand for authentic and purpose-driven companies is strongest among the younger generations. According to Deloitte, “millennials are driving this societal trend, with 40% of those polled believing the goal of businesses should be to ‘improve society.’” Those who ignore the intersection of business and purpose do so at their own peril, as millennials (those aged 28-43) account for $15 trillion in global purchasing power.
As a powerhouse financial company, Deloitte is probably not the first company that comes to mind in thinking of a firm driven by purpose. Yet, it is a strong proponent of the belief that exceptional organizations are led by a purpose. To amplify and advance Deloitte’s purpose, it named its first-ever chief purpose officer and established a Purpose Office. Its goals are to consistently embed purpose in the organization’s strategy and deepen the impact and positive change they are making for clients, people, and communities.
Trust in a company has long-term benefits by creating brand loyalty and turning customers into advocates for your product. According to Edelman, “trust drives growth. When consumers trust a brand, they are more likely to purchase its products (59%) and stay loyal to and advocate for the brand (67%).”
A company’s purpose must start at the top. Whether it’s a small business run by a sole proprietor or a major corporation led by a CEO, the leader sets the tone and must lead by example. Employees need to see the commitment to purpose reflected in the actions of leadership; otherwise, the stated purpose becomes nothing more than a catchy slogan that fails to resonate with consumers.
Infusing purpose into your new venture is not merely a trend but a necessity to compete and thrive in the modern economy. To stand out, foster trust and create lasting connections with consumers — in other words, to build a movement — today’s companies and organizations need to find their purpose and adopt it fully until it permeates every part of their operation.
By defining and articulating your purpose, you are laying the groundwork to start a business and, perhaps, even a movement. If you do it right, both can build value and help change the world.
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Marc Kielburger
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Fast-forward to today, and I’ve transitioned into a mindset coach, guiding individuals with the tools to discover their niche, harmonize their deepest passions, and capitalize on business opportunities—thanks to the same program that revolutionized my life.
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More than $100,000 in cash, luxury watches and a safe were reportedly stolen from the San Fernando Valley home of Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Pierce last week.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to The Times on Tuesday that officers responded to a burglary around 9 a.m. Friday on the Woodland Hills block where Pierce lives. “Unknown items” were stolen, according to the LAPD, and no arrests have been made.
TMZ first reported that Pierce’s house had been burglarized on Friday while the 10-time NBA All-Star was not home.
The LAPD declined to comment on whether the incident may be connected to a growing trend of “burglary tourism,” in which thieves from South America enter the United States for the purpose of committing robberies, typically in wealthy neighborhoods.
A former standout player at Inglewood High, Pierce was a first-round draft pick for the Boston Celtics in 1998. He was named the MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals, in which the Celtics defeated the Lakers in six games for the only championship of Pierce’s career.
After 15 seasons in Boston, Pierce spent a year each with the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, then played two years with the Clippers before retiring after the 2016-17 season. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2021.
After his retirement from the NBA, Pierce served as a basketball analyst for ESPN and more recently was a cast member on the Fox reality series “Stars on Mars.”
Last year, Pierce reached a $1.4-million settlement agreement with the Securities and Exchanges Commission over alleged unlawful crypto promotion. Pierce admitted to no wrongdoing in making the settlement.
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Chuck Schilken
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In the process of answering these questions, clients may realize that they’re resourceful, creative, curious, or persistent—all strengths that can be useful for implementing new health habits. Your thoughts create your reality, so focusing on the positive (like your strengths and past successes) will set the groundwork for your well-being vision.
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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In the flow of a workday, it’s easy to spend your time putting out fires — we’ve all been there. This reactionary brand of management results in a disconnected, chaotic feeling for everyone from the workforce to the customers. Focusing on your original vision for your company can create a synergy that connects your staff, your clients and the community you serve.
It’s possible to create a culture of purpose in your workforce and keep a positive, engaging reputation in the marketplace, but this will require that your executive team stays true to the original motivation you had in your mind and heart when you began your journey in business.
Related: Embrace Your Purpose As a Path to Success
Leadership and staff can work together to discover common ground and agree on goals, but this process begins in the interview. One of the best predictors of loyalty is a candidate’s desire to focus on meaningful work.
I run my company as a blind CEO. When I interview a candidate, I mostly want to learn why they want to work for me. I’m always shocked when job seekers reveal they have never been to the website as opposed to those who are excited to share why they feel connected to our mission. When I interview a candidate, it’s often the vulnerability in their answers that speaks to me. Sometimes the person I’m interviewing tells me of a personal disability or limitation, which to me is an act of openness and transparency. I love to hear people say they are passionate about working in an inspirational environment. When our conversation begins, I’m listening for a story.
What many candidates don’t know is the interviewer is waiting for them to have their breakout moment. This departure from the usual Q&A often reveals their passion for the work or vulnerability.
It’s important to make sure your interview questions allow you to see a prospective employee’s connection to your mission. You can start by asking candidates what measurable impact they would like to make in the position offered. You can also find out how they envision their work life five years from now.
Doing purposeful work means the executive team must create educational opportunities for staff as well as clients, extending engagement with the company beyond “business hours.” This is a chance to show your team and your customers that their needs matter beyond the job description or the product or service you offer.
Having a corporate reputation as a company that births new leaders and supports hard work and ambition will go a long way toward retaining good team members with the savvy to innovate, create and energize your workforce. Whether it is a group meeting or a corporate retreat, it’s important to mix staff together, allowing employees from across departments and positions to collaborate, exchange ideas, rise as leaders and support each other.
This kind of shift can start by simply reassigning tasks or creating challenges that give employees a chance to spread their wings. You can take some projects off the administrative assistant’s plate or reassign some items on the to-do list to a staff member who has shown initiative. A team member could send out invitations to meetings or reminders to committee members taken from a list of goals. A staffer could also create a committee to help plan a corporate event and see it through.
Keep a watchful eye on employees who stand out and give them the opportunity to be seen as experts. Let some be advisors, coaches or provide support to other team members. This will make the staff feel recognized and encourage others to rise to that purposeful level. This kind of support will give you a “pool” of potential leaders, helping your team members feel that their contributions are noticed and rewarded.
Related: 3 Reasons Why a Strong Purpose Is a Good Business Idea
Although you can never eliminate negative reviews, the best approach to a positive corporate reputation is actively implementing a variety of ways to get reviews from employees and customers alike. While it’s estimated that 99% of customers read reviews from time to time, only 13% would choose a product or service from a company with a two-star rating.
There are several proven ways to generate positive reviews. The process can be as simple as using comment cards. You can also ask for an email address from the customer. Some businesses have a physical “register;” others have an email link where people can sign in and provide this information. From there, it’s easy to follow up and ask for a rating or comment. Other stores offer rewards in exchange for reviews. This offer is usually seen on banners or signs within the physical store, on the receipt (physical or via email) or on the company’s homepage. Some businesses use a QR code leading directly to the online review spot; you have likely seen a kiosk within the store allowing immediate feedback.
Another way to generate rave reviews is to get endorsements or recommendations from businesses you have partnered with over the years. These allies can speak of important attributes of your company that go beyond a rating system or short comment and may attract traffic to your website and new clients responding to the positive vibes.
The mantra “If you don’t ask, you don’t get” works well here. There are more ways to get positive feedback for your business than ever before thanks to evolving technology. Rather than running from a corporate fear of bad reviews, make it your business to seek and obtain the best reviews by engaging the community in the process.
You can direct your company’s reputation by finding new ways to engage your workforce and the people you serve. By promoting outstanding employees, offering training and opportunities for leadership and by making positive feedback a priority, your company can stop putting out fires and start basking in the culture of purpose you always intended.
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Nancy Solari
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