Give Your Business a Reason for Being

We all have them. Those days when everything is a chore, a grind, just hard work.

It’s ok to have those days and there doesn’t always have to be a “good reason” – they just happen and the best thing you can do is walk away because quite frankly you are getting little done anyway.

Stepping away is of course beneficial and should be mandatory for business owners. But it’s also fine when you’re just having one of those days.

But if this feeling persists. If you’re having more and more of these kinds of days then you could have fallen into a rut that you’re struggling to get out of. This is of course more serious. This is when giving your business a reason for existing can really help you climb out the other side.

So why does your business exist? Of course you own and run a business with the aim to give you a certain lifestyle and support you when you finally hang up your entrepreneurial hat.

That can be fulfilling enough for some but from a more altruistic perspective, what does your business do for others? What difference do you make to them? Nail that down and you can create a compelling and inspirational purpose for your business that can support you and pull you out of that rut when you need it.

Ask a mobile hairdresser, who does house calls that includes older people or those who struggle to get out of their house, what she does and she’ll likely tell you she cuts hair.

But ask those customers I’ve just described and they’ll talk more about the lovely company they have or how much better they feel after she’s visited. The haircut is simply a bonus. Her business probably has a more positive impact than she realises and a far more compelling reason for being.

Having pulled myself out of a deep hole when my first business failed, I formed this business with the purpose of reducing the number of businesses that struggle and fail. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what I did and so I help prevent others doing so by helping them grow a strong, successful business.

It’s a simple, but for me, an inspiring purpose and it supports and guides me when I need it.

The benefits of having a strong, compelling purpose statement shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s the core reason why your business exists and hence its soul. It can also be that guiding light that keeps you passionate about what you do and helps you stay focused and moving forward in the right direction. It can inspire you and it can inspire others whether they are employees, partners or customers.

If you’re having more than one of those days, if you’re questioning if all your efforts are worth it, if you’re having a crisis of confidence or if you’re tired and you feel you’ve had enough, think about why your business exists, think about those people who benefit from it and who, no matter in how small a way, are better for your business existing.

Create an inspirational Purpose Statement, put it on your wall and use it to help you climb out of that rut.

So, why does your business exist? Answer that and find a true purpose for what you do.

As a good friend Philip Ling, founder of Enginuity Europe and one of the smartest people I know said to me recently, “Don’t worry about the dips in the road, there’s always a better view on the crest of the next hill.”

Giving your business a purpose is a key strength of a business. Click here to find out more.

Related posts:
If You Value Your Business No. 1 – Walk Away