Why Having a Business Mission Gives You a Better Life, Too

At DesignGood, before we create anything for our clients, we spend some time thoroughly getting to know them through our unique Brand Discovery Method. We find out how their business works, their goals, their challenges and who their target customers are. But we also go a little deeper to talk about their business mission. What is it that gets them up in the morning? After all, being an entrepreneur isn't for the faint of heart. It’s important for us to know, and for our clients to know, why they started this journey.

This is a fun thing to do. When our clients talk about what drives their passion for their business, their enthusiasm is contagious. We help them bring their business mission front and center in all the places they communicate with their target customers or clients. That's because their authentic passion helps build relationships, create connections and drive sales.

But there's another benefit to getting clear on your business mission and letting it infuse everything you do: You'll have a more satisfying life overall. After all, as entrepreneurs, our businesses tend to become our lives.

‍A Mission Is Good For Business…

‍Before we talk about why your business mission benefits your life outside of work, let's back up for a second and talk what having a mission means and how it fuels your success. When you hear the words "business mission," the first thing that comes to mind for you might be companies that have a social good component. One of the most famous is TOMS Shoes, which boasts "with every product you purchase, TOMS will help a person in need."

Today's customers love companies that incorporate a social mission. If you're interested in learning more about why doing good is also good business, we recommend exploring the website of our client Digital Union. Business missions can take many forms, though. At DesignGood, our mission is about giving entrepreneurs and small businesses the tools they need to bring their great ideas and products into the world. Our client Tom Perry of Engaged Pursuit is on a quest to solve the disengagement crisis by helping people build careers that fit who they truly are. Another client, interior designer Joshua Smith, wants to help people create homes that support their souls. Their well-defined business missions help Tom and Joshua stand out from their competitors. They're more memorable and better able to connect with their target customers.

‍…And Good For Your Life

‍Your business mission impacts more than your bottom line. It also affects your overall wellbeing. As humans, we're wired for meaning. Our mental health and physical health change when we're living a life in pursuit of a higher purpose. Many of us draw at least some of our sense of meaning from our work.

If that's true for you, as it is for us, you can probably cite plenty of times when your sense of mission or purpose helped you power through times you felt scared or overwhelmed or just plain pissed off.

The alternative is separating your work from your sense of meaning or purpose. And that's just not sustainable in the long term even if everything else is going well. This is one of the key messages of our pal Jen Spencer of The Creative Executive. Jen teaches that if your values and your work never intersect, you're going to pay the price eventually, whether that means your business loses its way or you burn out. (We recommend downloading Jen's free values assessment. It's a great tool for looking at your life and work.)

That's why we believe that a business mission is one of the keys to your long-term success. It doesn't have to follow any trends or look like anyone else's mission. But it does have to be true to who you are.

You can tell that we love this subject — and we'd love to talk more about it with you. Contact us today to learn more about how DesignGood can help you build the business and the life you want.