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Tag: purpose driven

  • How Conscious CEOs Can Transform Today’s Purpose Into Tomorrow’s Legacy

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    This article is written by Kent Gregoire, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization member who is co-founder and CEO of Symphony Advantage, where he helps purpose-driven CEOs build regenerative operating systems for stakeholder value creation with his regenerative business readiness assessment.

    You’ve read the books, attended the conferences, and even restructured your company around a higher purpose. Yet here you are, wondering why your passionate commitment to making a difference feels like pushing water uphill. You’re not alone. After years of advising purpose-driven CEOs and being certified as the seventh person globally in Conscious Capitalism, I’ve witnessed a troubling pattern: Leaders with genuine intentions to create positive change often struggle to translate their purpose into lasting legacy. The problem isn’t your purpose. It’s the gap between what you build today and what remains tomorrow. 

    The great disconnect 

    Here’s what keeps conscious entrepreneurs awake at night: Despite their commitment to stakeholder capitalism and their investment in purpose-driven initiatives, they’re not seeing the transformational impact they envisioned. Employee engagement remains flat. Community partnerships feel transactional. The business grows, but the legacy doesn’t compound. 

    According to King’s Business School, while purpose-driven companies achieve growth rates triple those of their traditional counterparts, most CEOs report difficulty in translating purpose into measurable, lasting change. Companies that make strong commitments to purpose show up to three times the compound annual growth rate as their closest competitors. Yet the disconnect isn’t in the intention. It’s in the execution. 

    Think of purpose and legacy as two sides of the same coin. Purpose is what you build today through daily decisions, cultural choices, and stakeholder interactions. Legacy is what remains tomorrow—the systemic changes, transformed lives, and regenerative cycles that continue long after you’ve left the building. Most purpose-driven leaders focus intensely on one side of this coin while unconsciously neglecting the other. 

    The three legacy gaps 

    Through my work with conscious CEOs, I’ve identified three critical gaps that prevent purpose from becoming legacy: 

    • The measurement gap. You measure profit meticulously but treat impact anecdotally. While you track revenue to the penny, stakeholder value creation remains a feel-good story rather than a managed metric. What gets measured gets done, and what gets done repeatedly becomes legacy. 
    • The integration gap. Your purpose lives in mission statements and annual reports but hasn’t infiltrated your operating system. It’s an add-on rather than the engine. Legacy emerges when purpose drives every decision, from hiring practices to supply chain choices, from product development to community engagement. 
    • The regeneration gap. You’re focused on doing less harm when you should be creating systems that generate increasing good. Legacy isn’t built through sustainability alone. It’s built through regenerative practices that create expanding circles of positive impact. 

    The shift from purpose to legacy requires evolving from an extractive mindset to a regenerative one. Traditional business extracts value from stakeholders to concentrate it for shareholders. Conscious business seeks to optimize value creation across all stakeholders. However, legacy-building requires something more. It requires regenerative business practices that create expanding value for all stakeholders simultaneously. 

    Consider Ray Anderson of Interface, who in 1994 experienced what he called a “spear in the chest moment” after reading Paul Hawken’s The Ecology of Commerce. He unilaterally transformed Interface from a traditional carpet manufacturer into a restorative enterprise, setting ambitious goals that seemed impossible at the time. By 2022, Interface had achieved carbon neutrality, reducing carbon emissions by 96 percent along the way. The company that started as an industrial polluter now leads Climate Take Back, creating regenerative systems that continue expanding positive impact long after Anderson’s passing in 2011. 

    Consider Patagonia, whose founder, Yvon Chouinard, shocked the business world in 2022 by giving away the entire $3 billion company to fight climate change. Here’s what matters for legacy: Patagonia’s purpose-driven approach generated consistent growth from $270 million in 2008 to over $1 billion annually by 2017, while maintaining an employee turnover rate of just 4 percent, compared with the industry average of 20 percent. The company achieved a B Corp score of 151.4, nearly triple the median score of 50.9. This isn’t sacrifice. It’s a regenerative business creating compound value. 

    Also, consider Miren Oca of Ocaquatics Swim School in Miami, who transformed a single-mother’s survival strategy—teaching swimming lessons—into a regenerative legacy machine. Starting in backyard pools in 1994, she built a company that now delivers 250,000 swim lessons annually across five sustainable facilities. However, here’s the regenerative twist: In 2024, Oca transitioned Ocaquatics into one of only 50 Employee Ownership Trusts in the United States, making her 165 team members the owners. As the world’s first B Corp-certified swim school, Ocaquatics doesn’t just teach swimming. It builds community wealth, reduces drowning rates, and creates expanding circles of environmental and social impact. This is what happens when purpose compounds: a swimming instructor becomes a force for generational change. 

    The lesson is clear. Purpose, on its own, is not enough. Legacy emerges when leaders close the gaps by measuring impact as rigorously as profit, integrating purpose into the core of your operations, and shifting from sustainability to regeneration. When you build systems that create expanding circles of value, your influence compounds far beyond quarterly results. The question is not whether your business will make a difference. It already does. The question is whether it is a difference-maker that will endure. Purpose is what starts the journey, but legacy ensures it continues to move the world forward. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Entrepreneurs’ Organization

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  • I’ve Built 3 Multimillion-Dollar Businesses — and Here’s My Simple Secret to Success | Entrepreneur

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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.

    Related: This CEO Says Prioritizing Purpose Over Profit Is Key to Consistent Growth and Sustainable Profit — Here’s Why.

    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.

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    Matt Leitz

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  • How I Built a Business That Thrives Through Constant Disruption — and How You Can Too | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    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.

    Purpose over product

    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:

    • Tesla started with expensive electric cars. Now it builds batteries, solar panels, a charging network — even autonomous taxis. All in service of one purpose: to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
    • John Deere is known for tractors. But today, they employ just as many software engineers as mechanical ones. Why? Because their mission isn’t just selling green machines — it’s empowering the people who feed the world. That now includes satellite data, AI and automation.
    • At Singularity University, where I serve as CEO, our purpose isn’t programs or events — it’s to educate, inspire and empower leaders to create breakthroughs powered by exponential technology. That’s our filter for everything. If it doesn’t align with the mission, we don’t do it.

    What this looks like in practice

    If you’re a founder, CEO or builder, here’s how I recommend you apply this thinking:

    • Define your purpose. Not what you do, but why you exist. What’s the problem you’re solving and why does it matter?
    • Get your team aligned. People don’t want to just punch a clock — they want to work on something that matters.
    • Use your purpose as a filter. New product idea? Strategic hire? Partnership? Ask: Does this move us closer to our mission?
    • Let go of distractions. Misaligned initiatives confuse your team and dilute your energy. Focus builds momentum.
    • Align your business model. Purpose and profit should work together. The more impact you make, the more value you create.
    • Stay flexible. Tech and markets evolve. You don’t need to cling to what worked before — but your mission should stay rock solid.

    Final thought

    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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  • Why Your Company Needs to Rethink Its Purpose to Acquire Loyal Customers — And Drive More Sales. | Entrepreneur

    Why Your Company Needs to Rethink Its Purpose to Acquire Loyal Customers — And Drive More Sales. | Entrepreneur

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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.

    Related: This CEO Says Prioritizing Purpose Over Profit Is Key to Consistent Growth and Sustainable Profit — Here’s Why.

    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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  • 3 Ways to Build a Company Culture Based on Your Purpose | Entrepreneur

    3 Ways to Build a Company Culture Based on Your Purpose | Entrepreneur

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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

    1. Capture standout employees in the interview

    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.

    2. Create a culture of engagement

    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

    3. Build a positive online reputation for your business

    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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  • 3 Insights I’ve Learned From Turning My Passion Into a Nonprofit | Entrepreneur

    3 Insights I’ve Learned From Turning My Passion Into a Nonprofit | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    About five years ago, I found myself back at Harvard with some of my fellow MBA grads, engaging in discussions with a very different lens than my 24-year-old self would have had.

    The exercise was part of a program a fellow grad and I co-created, in partnership with the university, to bring together alumni seeking to have greater impact and purpose in the second half of their careers.

    Research shows 70% of employees say their personal sense of purpose is defined by their work — with Gen Xers holding 61% of leadership roles globally, many seasoned leaders are contemplating how to find deeper meaning within the framework of longer careers and lifespans.

    While I can attest that purpose can be found in a corporate job, there are also ways to expand your impact outside of work, such as starting a nonprofit or supporting a social venture. Here are three insights I’ve gained from starting a nonprofit side hustle in the second half of my career.

    Related: 5 Compelling Reasons Why Every Entrepreneur Should Consider Starting a Nonprofit Organization

    1. Focus on what most speaks to your heart

    Back on campus, I was struck by something Thomas DeLong, a renowned Harvard professor, said to our group: “If you don’t know what to do with the back half of your life, run towards the thing that most breaks your heart.”

    As fulfilling as our corporate ventures can be, they won’t always solve the societal problems we feel compelled to fix after life has kicked us around a little. If you’re thinking of starting or joining a purpose-led venture, the first step is to identify the cause that most speaks to your heart — for me that was youth mental health.

    Getting clear on what fulfills you personally also helps align you professionally with the people who share your passion and drive. Shortly after heeding DeLong’s advice, a fellow grad and I co-founded The Goodness Web together with our spouses. The nonprofit focuses on activating leaders to invest in solutions for youth mental health.

    Having senior leaders with varying backgrounds aligned on supporting youth mental health has been a powerful combination that has also brought perspective to my corporate career. The more senior you become at an organization, the more distant you often are from the front lines of action. From editing newsletters to putting together PowerPoint presentations, joining a social venture can be a humble reminder of how much work it takes to complete tasks when you’re not in a position to outsource them.

    Considering a staggering 79% of employees report quitting due to inadequate appreciation from their managers, this perspective shift can benefit both your career and your social venture.

    Related: Purpose-Driven Companies Grow 3 Times Faster — So Here’s How to Become One Without Sacrificing Profit.

    2. Leverage strengths from your ‘second curve’

    We often hear about Gen Z and millennials starting values-based ventures, but in many ways, older generations are uniquely positioned to have a social impact. In his book, Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, Arthur Brooks talks about how the technical skills and functional knowledge we develop to create success in the first half of our careers, change as leaders approach the “second curve.”

    While research has shown some skill sets decline as we age, aptitudes such as wisdom, teaching and sharing ideas tend to increase. Leaders wanting to start a social venture in the second half of their careers, should look to leverage these evolved strengths, along with the networks they’ve established over time.

    The experience I’ve gained over decades of working in a multi-billion-dollar corporation, for instance, has allowed me the vantage point to see where our nonprofit can strategically invest, scale systems and change initiatives across the youth mental health landscape.

    Likewise, the vast network my co-founders and I have built over the years proved critical in establishing our first 100 founding families. The collective power of that network allowed us to grant $6.1 million to youth mental health organizations in our launch year alone. By leveraging our robust life experiences, we can often offer a unique lens into the best way to solve problems, which can accelerate progress at scale.

    Related: When It Makes Sense to Turn a Passion Project Into a Nonprofit

    3. Be open to expanding your connections

    It’s not uncommon for our worlds to get smaller as we age — mobility and travel can become restricted, as can our ability to participate in our communities. A meta-analysis of 277 studies on age-related social changes found friendship networks expand during adolescence and shrink during later adulthood.

    When you’re looking to create social impact later in life, however, it’s important to be open to expanding your connections. Reaching out to others who are passionate about your cause is not only the best way to raise necessary funds, but it’s foundational for building a sense of community and a shared vision for your organization.

    It can also be helpful to connect with other startup founders and organizations. One of the first things I did when I co-founded my nonprofit was join YPO, a global leadership community, made up of entrepreneurial thinkers who are inspired to make a difference. The sheer force of being around a group of creative and experienced professionals who are driven to have a positive impact has become a great resource and source of inspiration.

    Not only can expanding our connections benefit our ventures, but they can also benefit us as we age: Research has shown people who participate in community activities and have a strong sense of social connection have a lower risk of developing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

    As we become more seasoned in our lives and careers, we have a unique opportunity to share our learnings and leverage our experiences in the service of others. When we do, we not only accelerate the pace of change, but also evolve into better leaders and more fulfilled people.

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    Jan Swartz

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  • 3 Strategies to Boost Employee Engagement at Your Company | Entrepreneur

    3 Strategies to Boost Employee Engagement at Your Company | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Employees seem to be following a pattern of professional detachment. Since the beginning of 2020, Gallup’s worker engagement polls have shown steady employee-organization distancing. In the last three years, employee engagement levels dropped four percentage points. Given it can take nearly six months to break even after hiring and onboarding new talent, leaders everywhere are contemplating strategies to bring engagement numbers up again. One solution is to focus on fostering purpose for your employees.

    Why purpose? Employee engagement is the measure of a team member’s emotional investment in their job, the company and their overall well-being. In other words, it’s the intrinsic value someone feels. When a professional feels valued by their bosses, coworkers and employer, they are more likely to plant roots. As those roots take hold, these people become dedicated, enthusiastic advocates. They’re less likely to leave and more likely to become vital ingredients to the success of their organization.

    Related: 6 Employee Engagement Tips for Strong Retention

    According to McKinsey & Company’s findings, 70% of professionals noted a link between their sense of purpose and what they did for a living. When seven out of 10 people say that they equate their work with their merit, that’s a sign that it’s time to look for ways to fuel engagement among your employees.

    There’s no one way to impart a sense of purpose at all businesses, of course. You’ll need to conduct some trial and error. When you do, you’ll be able to measure which initiatives are working. For instance, when the members of your workforce become more connected to their work, you should notice an uptick in innovation, productivity and morale, as well as a lowering in your churn rates. Since replacing a worker can cost up to 213% of the worker’s annual salary, that’s a huge savings that goes right back into your overall profits.

    You might also see a spike in job seekers actively coming to your organization, whether or not you have openings. Your employee referral program will see more opportunities with an attractive culture and incentives. That’s a nice side benefit. Companies with a reputation for being employee-centered generally have lower recruitment costs because they’re seen as top places to work. When you’re known for your collaborative, supportive, healthy and trusting environment, you’ll naturally attract high performers. This will also have positive effects within your sales process, as your potential clients will appreciate working with top talent.

    If you’re struggling with engagement, try some of these approaches to become a more fulfilling workplace.

    1. Build engagement responsibilities into leaders’ profiles

    Leaders need to be on the front lines of modeling purpose-driven behavior for their employees. For example, we have a Director of Employee Engagement and Corporate Culture. This individual is in charge of knowing, communicating, organizing and measuring all engagement-related initiatives. Having this position makes sure our employee engagement is never left to chance.

    As president, I’m also tasked with fostering purpose in team members daily. I have to be the first to provide the support and mentorship that I expect to see in colleagues who have direct reports. We expect our managers to create trusting, collaborative environments where they listen to their colleagues’ needs and leverage that insight for everyone’s success. We’ve gone so far as to name “Captains” on each of our teams who report back to our Director of Employee Engagement and Corporate Culture. The Captains are in charge of ensuring everyone knows about upcoming events and fostering our culture among their individual teams.

    Our rising employee retention rates indicate that having a purpose-focused structure embedded into our organizational makeup encourages A-players to thrive. They take ownership of their projects and have no problem asking for help, opportunities and resources.

    Related: Top 10 Employee Engagement Strategies That Matter

    2. Make time for recognition and celebrations

    Work can become hectic at times. Nevertheless, it’s important to celebrate the things that are going well. In the aforementioned Gallup piece, the authors made a fascinating connection between organizations that celebrated achievements and those that didn’t. It turns out that companies that won Gallup’s Exceptional Workplace Award in 2022 showcased more than two times the engagement rates of non-winners. Coincidence? I doubt it. I suspect it’s because those businesses are investing in the satisfaction of their people through employee recognition programs.

    At our company, acknowledging the efforts of our colleagues is not considered optional. We participate in what we call “forced recognition,” which mandates that our employees recognize each other at least once per week during meetings. We also conduct monthly and quarterly company meetings where awards are presented, and we regularly celebrate team members in our Slack channels and through other celebration tools. We encourage these moments of recognition to be specific, timely and, most importantly, genuine.

    We provide recognition in other ways, too. This can be through verbal means or via ceremonies, rewards, you name it. When our Sales Development Representatives schedule client appointments, we host floor-wide celebrations where each team has its own silent celebration tool. All these measures add up to a more cohesive and fun culture.

    3. Offer more incentive to your employees than just a paycheck

    The best way to create employee engagement is to be people-focused. That’s not possible if you aren’t open to meeting the various needs of your team members.

    Take Nike as a noteworthy example. The company believes in supporting employees in myriad ways, such as providing access to continuing education and training, offering competitive insurance plans and encouraging participation in fitness programs. Nike promotes work-life balance in order to maintain an engaged workforce, and you would be wise to follow its lead in order to keep your valued colleagues from burning out. Just do it.

    While it can be hard to implement what you hear — and you might not always be able to adjust your company to the “wish list” requirements of all employees — it’s all about putting forth your best effort. In the end, establishing a culture where employees can feel purpose and satisfaction at work just makes sense. You’ll have stronger internal and external partnerships, not to mention sustainable business growth. Plus, you’ll never lose sleep wondering whether your employee engagement is waxing or waning.

    Related: This Is What Happens When Employees Find Meaning at Work

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    Eric Watkins

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  • How Social Entrepreneurs Are Changing the World | Entrepreneur

    How Social Entrepreneurs Are Changing the World | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In a rapidly evolving world facing an array of pressing challenges, the rise of purpose-driven entrepreneurship has emerged as a beacon of hope.

    Social entrepreneurs are individuals who use entrepreneurial principles, innovative thinking and business acumen to create positive and sustainable social or environmental impact. They are driven by a strong sense of purpose to address pressing societal challenges and improve the well-being of communities and the planet.

    Social entrepreneurs apply the same entrepreneurial mindset used in traditional business ventures to develop innovative solutions to complex social problems. Their primary goal is to generate positive outcomes rather than solely seeking financial profit. They often work to empower marginalized groups, improve access to essential services, address environmental issues and promote social justice.

    This article delves into the transformative force of purpose-driven ventures, exploring their sustainable impact and the supportive ecosystem propelling their success.

    Related: 3 Steps to Forge Your Company’s Purpose-Driven Path

    The emergence of purpose-driven ventures

    Traditionally, entrepreneurship has been associated with profit-driven motives, but a paradigm shift is underway. Social entrepreneurs have recognized that addressing societal and environmental challenges requires more than just good intentions; it demands a sustainable approach that integrates purpose into business strategies. These visionary leaders view challenges as opportunities and harness the power of innovation and empathy to create lasting impact.

    For example, Patagonia, founded by Yvon Chouinard, is a renowned outdoor apparel company that embraces sustainability and environmental responsibility as part of its core mission. They prioritize eco-friendly materials, minimize waste and actively support environmental causes through campaigns like “1% for the Planet,” where they donate a portion of their revenue to environmental initiatives.

    The power of profit and purpose alignment

    Contrary to the notion that profit and purpose are conflicting concepts, social entrepreneurs have unlocked the potential of aligning the two forces for the greater good. By imbuing their ventures with a meaningful mission, they attract a loyal customer base and engage employees who are deeply committed to the cause. This alignment fuels passion, creativity and dedication, propelling these purpose-driven ventures towards remarkable success.

    A good example is Warby Parker, an eyewear company co-founded by four friends (Neil Blumenthal, Dave Gilboa, Andrew Hunt and Jeffrey Raider), which has a “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” business model. For every pair of glasses sold, they provide a pair to someone in need through partnerships with nonprofit organizations. This alignment of profit and purpose has resulted in both business success and significant social impact.

    Related: How to Build a Business that Makes a Positive Impact

    Driving sustainable impact

    One defining characteristic of purpose-driven entrepreneurship is its commitment to sustainable impact. Social entrepreneurs look beyond short-term gains, focusing on solutions that create lasting change. Whether it’s tackling environmental issues, empowering marginalized communities or improving healthcare access, these ventures invest in projects with far-reaching and enduring effects, leaving behind a positive legacy for generations to come.

    Green School, for example, founded by John and Cynthia Hardy, is an innovative, eco-focused school in Bali that integrates sustainability, environmental education and holistic learning into its curriculum. The school’s unique approach empowers students to become changemakers, fostering a generation of environmentally conscious leaders.

    Inspiring stories of social entrepreneurs

    Tony Elumelu is a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist who has become a leading example of purpose-driven entrepreneurship. As the founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, he is empowering African entrepreneurs to drive sustainable economic growth and social development on the continent. Through his foundation’s flagship initiative, the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP), Tony Elumelu has provided mentorship and training to 1,500,000 and seed funding to 18,000 young African entrepreneurs.

    There’s also Kiva, an online micro-lending platform, co-founded by Jessica Jackley and Matt Flannery. It connects individuals looking to lend small amounts of money (as little as $25) to entrepreneurs in developing countries. This peer-to-peer lending model empowers entrepreneurs to start or grow their businesses, with the goal of lifting them out of poverty.

    The support ecosystem

    Behind every successful social entrepreneur stands a supportive ecosystem that nourishes their vision. Impact investors, philanthropic organizations and government initiatives play a pivotal role in nurturing purpose-driven ventures. The collective effort of these stakeholders provides access to capital, mentorship and networks that amplify the ventures’ reach and potential.

    Related: 3 Steps for Making a Positive Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Impact

    Spreading the movement

    The rise of purpose-driven entrepreneurship is not an isolated phenomenon. It is part of a global movement towards a more sustainable and equitable world. As these social entrepreneurs blaze a trail, they inspire others to follow suit, creating a ripple effect that catalyzes positive change across industries and borders.

    B Corporations, also known as B Corps, are businesses that meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. These Save & Send for Review companies include Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s and Seventh Generation, among others. The B Corp movement is spreading globally, inspiring businesses to pursue not just profit but also purpose and positive impact.

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    Taiwo Sotikare

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  • 3 Key Lessons Business Founders Can Learn From Our Founding Fathers This Independence Day | Entrepreneur

    3 Key Lessons Business Founders Can Learn From Our Founding Fathers This Independence Day | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    247 years ago, a group of men signed the Declaration of Independence and I think we can all agree that when it comes to a “founder’s story,” this one is pretty epic. What is a founder’s story? It tells the tale of how the organization got started, who started it and why they were inspired to start it. A good founder’s story tells much about a company’s principles, history and ethics.

    Wouldn’t it be great if the startup stories of our businesses were as compelling as the story behind the American Revolution? They can be. That’s because the narrative behind how America was founded teaches us three lessons that can help any business owner create their own founder’s story.

    Related: The Most Successful Startup Founders Are This Age, Study Finds (And No, It’s Not Early 20s)

    Lesson one: A good founder’s story is always about people

    When I think of the founding of America, I think about Franklin and Washington, Jefferson and Hamilton and all the other men and women who contributed to our nation’s birth. The bravery and battles for independence in New York, Germantown and Yorktown. The writing of a historic document in a sweltering Philadelphia room during the early summer of 1776. The diplomatic missions to France, the cold winter in Valley Forge, the massacres and revolt in Boston. These are all stories about people that we’ve learned since elementary school — and even today, we feel a connection to the lives of our founding fathers because of the tales that have been told. Shouldn’t our customers and community know the stories about our people too? Of course they should.

    Lesson two: People love to read about risk-takers

    What kind of a person is brave enough to risk their livelihoods and even their own and their families safety for an idea? Who is so courageous that they would stand up and fight — against all odds — to oppose one of the most powerful armies in the world? How passionate about their cause does one have to be in order to defy a king? The risks our founding fathers took were enormous and potentially fatal. The risks we took to found our businesses were not as extreme but that’s not to play down the impact these risks had on our lives. Our customers and community should know about these risks too, shouldn’t they?

    Lesson three: A great founder’s story demonstrates purpose

    America’s founding fathers all have interesting stories. They all took big risks. But why? For them, it was because of a desire to be independent of someone else’s rule. To have the ability to practice religion without fear of persecution. To be able to choose who governs them and not to have that government forced upon them. They had reasons for doing what they did. They wanted to make the world a better place. As founders ourselves, so do we, even in our own little ways.

    Every company has a founder’s story because, like America, every company has to start from somewhere. Of course, your founder’s story probably isn’t as dramatic as the founding of America in 1776. But it’s still your story, and it’s an important story to tell. Knowing this story helps your customers and community better engage, connect and create a relationship with you and your team.

    Related: Unwound: One Founder’s Story of Finding Success in Failure

    So how can this apply to the founding story of our businesses? Let’s put these lessons into action.

    For starters, and like our founding fathers, we must also tell the stories of our founders. Our customers and community should better know us, where we come from, what we like to do, what kind of people we are. They should know a little about our families, how we give back to the community, what we find important in our lives. This is what makes us interesting. This is what connects us to our communities.

    Next, let’s never forget that every business owner takes risks. It’s what sets apart an entrepreneur from an employee. People love stories about risk-takers. Think about some of the greatest startups we know: the founders of HP and Dell launching their businesses in a garage, a food equipment salesman named Ray Kroc who opened his first McDonald’s restaurant, the fledgling startup Microsoft taking on IBM, a small-time investor named Warren Buffett who struggled with just a few clients. We love how these people started from little and took risks to pursue a dream. So make sure your founder’s story talks about the risks you and your partners took to start your business. And then explain why.

    Yes, why. Because most importantly, a great founder’s story also has to include purpose. This explains why you took the risk that you took. Franklin, Jefferson, Washington and all the other founding fathers didn’t want power for themselves. They wanted freedom. And they were willing to risk their lives for that cause. You and I likely didn’t risk our lives to start our businesses, but we did risk other things: money, time, relationships. Why? For me, it was to build a company that would help our clients do things quicker, better and wiser with technology. For Ray Kroc, it was to sell affordable burgers to the masses. For Microsoft, it was to put a personal computer in everyone’s home. What’s your purpose?

    A great founder’s story is about the people who started it, the risks that were taken and the reasons why they took those risks. Sure, there’s a financial motive. But to start a new venture requires more motivation than just money. It requires a passion to do things a little better and a desire to create something that provides value. Or in the case of our own founding fathers, to change the world.

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    Gene Marks

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  • How to Balance Purpose and Profit for Long-Term Success | Entrepreneur

    How to Balance Purpose and Profit for Long-Term Success | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    It used to be enough to drive profitability, but modern businesses (and their employees) now require a transcendent higher purpose. This is the “why” behind your company’s mission and vision statements and helps align the decisions you make when dealing with uncertainty in business.

    Purpose-driven organizations are valued by stakeholders because they grow three times faster on average than non-purpose-driven competitors. Purpose-led organizations encourage personal development among all employees with the understanding that businesses have a powerful influence on society and should be focused on more than just financial goals.

    Of course, creating a purpose-driven organization without sacrificing long-term profits is easier said than done. It requires the right catalyst and transformative leaders understand that authentically reaching for something deeper and more meaningful achieves better business results. There are four ways to be a change catalyst and lead your organization with purpose.

    Related: Why a Purpose-Driven Business Is the Real Key to Success

    1. Look to the voice of your organization

    Purpose isn’t invented — it’s discovered. And the best way to discover your organization’s purpose is to listen to it. I call it “hearing the voice of the organization,” and it’s the future of leadership development. Committed leaders at purpose-driven organizations model behavior with appropriate rewards and consequences that are aligned with societal standards and organizational objectives.

    Being a change catalyst means you must recognize your organization’s higher calling and be transparent and open about how that must be balanced with financial stability. Money alone is not a driving factor, and you need clarity on the true vision you want everybody to follow. This will help you influence those around you to become change champions, too.

    Take Burt’s Bees and its mission of “For Nature. For All.” as an example of this idea in action. The popular skin and lip care manufacturer has emerged as a leader in sustainability efforts over the years, with the vast majority of its products’ packaging being 100% recyclable. While its corporate mission could stop there and be fulfilled, the leaders at Burt’s Bees take their mission further by ensuring their products are sourced responsibly and not bringing more harm to the environment. Its operations are landfill-free by directing waste to compost, recycling and waste-to-energy sites.

    As co-founder Roxanne Quimby said, “We take from nature, so we must respect and preserve it.” It’s a stance that has served the company well. Is Burt’s Bees sacrificing some profit to be an industry leader in sustainability? Without a doubt. Is it the right thing to do for the long-term health of the company and, beyond that, the communities it serves? Absolutely, and it all begins with its mission.

    Related: Why a Purpose-Driven Business Is the Real Key to Success

    2. Be genuine about your vision

    Your purpose will be the arbiter of all business decisions, so it must relate your courage and conviction to investors, employees and customers. Change champions must take accountability for making important decisions, no matter how difficult they may be. We are naturally drawn to people with courage and conviction in their actions, even if it means facing consequences.

    When it comes to being genuine in their convictions, Patagonia and its founder, Yvon Chouinard, have been a consistent example of this with the mission statement, “We’re in business to save our home planet.” As a company, Patagonia donates 1% of its profits to charity each year and became a certified B Corporation. Patagonia also emphasizes the quality of clothing to combat the waste of fast fashion. To support this, the company created the Worn Wear program to divert more garments from landfills by repairing consumers’ Patagonia clothing and allowing customers to trade them in for different items. Patagonia could stop its initiatives at its activism efforts, but to stay true to its mission, Patagonia makes efforts to ensure its products are better for the planet.

    Speak from the heart when communicating your vision to the team. Your passion and resolve will spread and become a driving force in managing uncertainty in business that would normally create anxiety and pressure. When you are genuine in your purpose, it makes business easier.

    Related: Power With Purpose: The Four Pillars Of Leadership

    3. Connect each employee to the purpose

    An organization is only as good as its individual people, and converting your team into change champions means investing in leadership development. Every employee in every department should feel appreciated and meaningful in what they do with their professional lives.

    Finding a purpose isn’t easy, and changing your organization to follow it after the fact is even harder. According to Bain & Company research, only 12% of companies undergoing large-scale change management fully achieve their goals. This shows that creating a purpose-driven organization is easier than converting a wayward one after the fact, but enacting the change isn’t impossible.

    Purpose-driven organizations empower every employee to do their best for the greater good. This motivational factor will give your entry-level employees more agency to work smarter and make bolder decisions that can improve overall operational performance. A sense of purpose can increase both customer and employee loyalty, making the business more profitable in the long run.

    Related: How to Build More Purpose Into Your Work

    4. Align changes back to the same purpose every time

    The most important ingredient in creating purpose-driven organizations is consistency. Change is the only constant in business, and you must consistently show progress toward the same goal through all of these changes. When Apple pivoted from Macintosh computers to iTunes, iPods, iPhones and everything else, it maintained its same greater mission throughout: “Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and internet offerings.”

    Although the landscape and your business will change often throughout your lifetime, your higher calling should not. Consistency is a powerful weapon when dealing with uncertainty in business because it provides a safe foundation for people to work and build on proactively.

    The hardest part isn’t starting the habit. It’s keeping it. This is something you believe in, so share your passion for the goals, share that vision with your employees and listen to their feedback. They might even know how to make the purpose of your organization become a reality faster.

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    Anjan Thakor

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  • Entrepreneur | How to Create a High-Impact Company With a High-Impact Purpose

    Entrepreneur | How to Create a High-Impact Company With a High-Impact Purpose

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    Purpose at work is crucial if you want to love your job and have a meaningful career. I know this to be true from experience. Before I came to work at StoneAge, the global manufacturing leader in high-pressure industrial cleaning equipment, over 16 years ago, I was purposeless and lost — which, in part, led to addiction issues and low self-esteem. I was miserable in my job at the time, which led me to underperform, which made me more miserable. Back then, I didn’t understand the value of purpose, much less why the company’s purpose should resonate with me — truth be told, I wasn’t clear on what the company’s purpose was. Even worse, I was purposeless myself. All of it came crashing down when I overdosed in 2006. To recover and heal, I moved home with my mom to rebuild my life after an overdose in 2006.

    Fast-forward a decade and a half later, and I now realize how common this is. Maybe not the overdosing part but feeling miserable at work because your purpose and your company’s purpose either don’t align or don’t exist. I learned by working at StoneAge the power a company’s purpose has on motivating employees and helping them find more meaning in their work. Now, every day I live my personal purpose — to be an impactful leader that improves the lives of my customers and teammates — and am inspired by our company’s purpose of helping our customers go home to their families every night less stressed and uninjured because we make products that help them do their challenging jobs safer, easier and better. When you help your employees tap into the power of purpose, you can create an unstoppable organization. But it isn’t easy unless you have a clear company purpose.

    Related: Why a Purpose-Driven Business Is the Real Key to Success

    So, why is having a clear company purpose so important? When people are inspired and aligned with purpose, a company can easily attract and retain employees and build a loyal customer base. Having a higher purpose can help a company create a positive social and environmental impact, which can benefit society — which I believe should be a mission of all executive leaders. And most importantly, a clear purpose helps leaders make better strategic decisions that align with their values and goals, leading to long-term success.

    Don’t believe me? Look at Fortune Magazine’s “Most Admired Companies List. According to Korn Ferry, 97% of leaders at companies that have made the “Most Admired Company List” said employees embrace the organization’s purpose, and 95% believe their organization’s purpose aligns with the company’s vision and goals. Leading with purpose leads to success.

    Take Patagonia, for example. Patagonia has a higher purpose of helping save the planet from the devastating effects of climate change. In fact, Patagonia pledges 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. This purpose is evident in every aspect of the company’s operations, from its sustainable manufacturing processes to its political activism and support for environmental causes. Patagonia’s employees are deeply engaged and motivated by the company’s mission and feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment in their work. This, in turn, has helped Patagonia to build a loyal customer base and become a leader in the sustainable clothing industry.

    How should a company go about developing a higher purpose? Here’s what we did:

    We defined the impact we wanted to make

    We make high-pressure industrial cleaning equipment and serve a notoriously dangerous industry — cleaning industrial facilities such as refineries, chemical plants, power plants, food processing plants and more. Our products make a hazardous and difficult job easier and safer. And our customers, although an essential part of the supply chain, are often looked at as glorified janitors, an undeserved label placed upon a critical industry.

    Industrial cleaning contractors rely on us to help them finish their jobs on time, on budget and as safely and easily as possible. We understand that our products, backed by our commitment to service, make their lives easier. We also understand that manufacturing everything we humans use daily would come to a screeching halt without industrial cleaning. Quite simply, the world is dirty, and we help keep it clean so you don’t have to worry about it. We clearly defined how we positively impact the world, which motivates us to innovate products and better serve our customers.

    Related: 3 Reasons Why a Strong Purpose Is a Good Business Idea

    We not only aligned our purpose with our values, we made our purpose a value

    We believe in keeping things simple. We don’t want our values to be an eye-roll-inducing poster that hangs on a wall. So, we narrowed our values to three principles that our employees understand and can speak to: Practice Self-Leadership, Be a Great Teammate and Deliver on the StoneAge Assurance Promise. The StoneAge Assurance Promise is our commitment to doing whatever it takes to help our customers complete their cleaning jobs safely, on time, on budget and as easily as possible — our purpose.

    We engaged stakeholders throughout the organization

    A higher purpose isn’t developed in a conference room by the executive management team, at least not one that stakeholders are inspired by. So, we set out to engage our team. Together, we developed the StoneAge Assurance Promise and our other two core values. Then we asked our customers what they thought about it, and the feedback was resoundingly positive. We hit a home run; our purpose aligned perfectly with what our customers needed and wanted from us.

    We continuously communicate our purpose

    What good is a higher purpose if no one knows what it is? That’s why the StoneAge Assurance Promise is everywhere. We discuss how well we deliver our promise to our customers daily and recognize employees who go above and beyond in embodying the promise. It’s woven into our hiring and onboarding practices and performance review process. It’s also on our website and marketing content; our customers even talk about it. Undoubtedly, our purpose is embedded in everything we do because of our commitment to communicating about it regularly.

    Related: What’s Your Purpose? 5 Reasons You Need to Set One for Your Business.

    Finally, we lead by example because we embody our purpose

    Every day, our employees lead by example by taking action and making decisions that align with our higher purpose. Our commitment to our promise builds trust and credibility with our customers and each other. Everyone demonstrates the company’s commitment to its purpose; there is no StoneAge without the StoneAge Assurance Promise.

    A higher purpose is essential for a company’s success and should be a priority for leaders. Helping your employees understand and embrace purpose will create a more engaged, motivated and purposeful workforce aligned with your company’s mission and values. The results can be outstanding if done correctly — long-term success and a positive impact on society.

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    Kerry Siggins

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