How to create a successful purposeful business

For entrepreneurs and start-ups, defining your purpose is important.

Better still is to make your purpose one that answers an environmental, social, or ethical problem. This is what separates businesses and purposeful businesses: the consideration for the impact they are making, and how this can be offset or improved.

If this is something that is important to you, or a core focus of your work, read on for tips on how to grow a purposeful business, as well as examples of the most successful purposeful businesses around today.

What is a purposeful business?

A purposeful business is one that combines selling a product/service with tackling a problem or challenge in the world. The sale of your products and services become a vehicle for this positive change.

What is the point of running a purposeful business?

The main benefits of running a purposeful business are:

  • Products/services are worth a higher value

  • Strong brand loyalty from customers

  • Neutral/positive impact on environment

  • Culture of consideration for other people

  • Partnerships with charities/non-for-profits

  • Greater feelings of accomplishment

  • Social/environmental success alongside financial success

Alongside these benefits, you may also find your work/business to be more popular with consumers. These days, customers expect to know who made their clothes, where their homewares are made, and what ingredients are in their food. A purposeful business can provide that information, and add value to its products by being transparent about its supply chain, working with ethical factories, sourcing from responsible suppliers, and getting independently certified by bodies such as B-Corp, Fairtrade, Soil Association.

This is noticeably more costly and time-consuming than simply not caring about these factors. But not only will your consumers appreciate your effort, they will be willing to pay more, and foster a strong loyalty with your brand.

How do you create a purposeful business?

Here are a few steps you can take to develop your business into a purposeful one:

  1. Define your purpose - what is important to you personally?

  2. Align with a bigger cause - this may be a charity, an activist movement, or an online community

  3. Articulate the purpose across your branding, copy, communications, marketing, and website

  4. Recognise opportunities to do more - could you become a face for the movement?

As much as it’s important to understand your business goals, creating your own self-care plan will help to ensure you feel energised, productive, and aligned to the bigger picture of a meaningful life.