Starting a business with a purpose, goal, and resolution to a challenge of humans for humans goes beyond financial success. It is about creating a business that aligns with your values, solves meaningful problems, and has a social impact—whether on humans, other organizations, or the community.
In today’s world, serving and delivering services and goods that help advance the ecosystem and empower humans is more important than ever.
6 Steps to Build A Successful Business
Consumers, stakeholders, and employees are drawn to organizations with a purpose and a positive impact. When you have a business idea in mind, identify your goals, purpose, and the pain you are solving for organizations and humans.
Here is a quick guide on the first steps and what to consider when building your business.
1. Define your clear purpose
What problem do you solve, who is your target audience? Be clear about whom you are serving. You can also have several target audiences for your services and goods. The fundamental question to ask is: For what do we stand for? What’s the reason your business exists? The answers shall reflect your core values and the impact you want to make in this world.
Let’s take my drive to create my business. InnKick stands for “Inner Kick for action.” We kick your mind, your body, and your soul to take action. Action for living a fulfilled professional life. Our target audience is Professionals in the middle of their careers who feel stuck and frustrated. This is where my book Break Free from Your Hamsterhweel was born.
We aim to help and guide professionals out of their daily struggles.
Are professionals our only target audience? No, we also serve corporates whose employees are essential and who want to empower them in a sustainable manner.
All our workshops are tailored to the needs of employees and humans. As a coach, I converse with many diverse professionals, who give us the knowledge to serve them even better and with more impact. This is why we named this year “Capacity Building” for InnKick.
2. Measure and communicate impact
Purpose without measurable outcomes may feel vague. For each service or good you deliver, you need to establish Key Performance Indicators. These will help you stay on track, measure your impact, and give you direction and goals for your business. And regularly communicate your success and outcomes within and outside the organization via social media and other means.
InnKick is delivering services, and we measure our social media impact, such as the number of clicks on the website, the number of people who see our posts, the number of events, the number of participants, and the like.
Each business is different, and you are the one who drives it. As the CEO, CFO, or CTO of your own business, together with your employees or stakeholders, define what success means for you and the key milestones.
Remember, the journey towards achieving your goals and KPIs is equally important and more rewarding as it is filled with learning and gaining experience.
3. Innovate around your mission
Continues learning, following the trends and evolving technologies are important for your business. You need to be curious, connect, read and participate in conferences and events which are in your field of business. You might need to change your goals or pivot to a different business model to foster your purpose and your why. And even your purpose might shift in this fast-paced world.
4. Build Partnerships
No one can be successful in isolation. Collaborate with like minded organizations, entrepreneurs. Create combined services and compliment each other.
I like to work with my peers in the industry of personal development. Mix and mingling topics in our workshops and having two different perspectives and voices are enriching and colourful for me as well as for the audience.
5. Empower your clients
Let them be part of your services and goods, of your business. Ask for feed forward and conduct constant interviews of your consumers to understand better what their needs are. Listen and create a bond and community.
6. Be authentic
Authenticity is the corner stone of any purpose driven company. This builds trust and credibility. Be honest and transparent and show your vulnerable side.
Sometimes, you create something that humans are not interested in. Embrace it and change. Stay true to your values, even if it is challenging. Believe in your business and in yourself.
Final words
Building your business with purpose is a journey and there is no destination, as you will be always working on it to enhance, make it better and have a deep social impact. It requires consistency, patience, passion and curiosity. Fostering loyal customers and engaging employees are the goals to thrive for as a purpose driven organization.
Always remember, that your values are the north star for your decision you are going to make. It is not only a monetary reward, but also the legacy that you will leave behind which will make it so precious.
Do you need help with creating your business?
With InnKick, professionals can find a clear path to follow their vocation, craft their authentic personal and company brand, with tangible results.