8 Unique Ways Regular Businesses Can Make an Impact
What consumers expect from businesses has drastically changed over the years. Consumers now seek organizations with ties to causes they care about and the beliefs they share. Whether it be sustainability, animal welfare or poverty, businesses must begin to adopt a greater purpose.
With more emphasis on the triple-bottom-line--people, planet and profit--there’s a variety of ways businesses can incorporate meaningful change.
Eight thought leaders share ideas on how businesses can make an impact in the world and in their communities.
Stay Open for Business
Almost 50% of new businesses fail within the first five years. In order for your business to make a real impact on the world, it has to keep its doors open. Stay focused on your mission and don’t get distracted. Push through hardships and remember why you started your business in the first place.
- Dan Reck, MATClinics
Solve the Everyday Problems
In most cases, the buyer's journey starts with someone having a problem that needs to be solved, they then search for a product or service to solve that problem for them. The first step in making an impactful difference in the world is to create a product or service that looks to solve people’s everyday problems.
- Zack McCarty, Qwick
Create a Mission Statement
One of the simplest ways a regular business can make an impact is to create a mission statement. This statement helps define your purpose in business, but also extends to how the company plans to make good on its promises, connect people from all walks of life to the brand, and inspire one and all. Make your mission statement one that is easy to remember and understand. Be transparent and authentic in choosing meaningful words that are representative of your brand narrative. Try to set a reasonable goal, or accomplishment, you may be able to achieve within your business for the mission statement, too.
- Deborah Sweeney, MyCorporation
Find a Relatable Cause to Support
If you want to make a powerful impact on the world, you have to go beyond making revenue. Find a cause that both you and your employees can stand behind while not driving away too much from your company mission and vision. For us, it's improving company communication and making it possible to work from wherever in the world, using team chat apps and collaboration tools.
- Jane Kovalkova, Chanty
Get Involved
To make an impact on the world, your business should work to solve one of the world’s many issues. Get involved with a charity, partner with a non-profit organization or take a stance on a social issue. Sometimes making a real impact is scary for a business to do, but taking the steps to go outside of your normal business functions to invest in something that matters will speak volumes to your customers.
- Kenna Hamm, Texas Adoption Center
Actively Make the World a Better Place
Don't just focus on making money. Make the world a better place and follow your heart. For us, it's our passion for the planet and the environment. Our mission is to get more people outdoors, and in turn, they will protect what they love. We truly believe that the more people connect with nature, the better off both humans and the Earth will be.
- Julie Singh, TripOutside
Support a Local Initiative
A good way for regular business to make an impact is to support a local initiative or a charity. Sometimes these organizations don’t only need the money - instead, they need certain services or simply a large community supporting them publicly. This type of support should be a regular, long-term practice and businesses should invest a certain amount of time and resources into truly helping local initiatives. It may seem small, but if every business did the same thing, lots of important organizations and movements would have a much bigger chance of making a difference in society.
- Aleksandra Arsic, CapitalCounselor
Businesses Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Be a Trendsetter
Be the first, or among the first, to truly dedicate resources and efforts to a cause that employees and other stakeholders are passionate about that you can tackle. Do you produce clothing? Make it a mission to donate to children in need of clothing around the world. Business is no longer about simply making money.
- Emily Bosak, Nonprofit SEO Company
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