Ultimate Business Clarity

Understanding the Why Behind Your Business & How the Mission Statement Relates to It

Do you understand the why behind your business?

In other words, if someone were holding a knife to your throat (sorry for the graphic visual) and asked you why exactly you do what you do, and why you started your business - would you be able to answer wholeheartedly?

Too often entrepreneurs are eager to get their business idea off the ground and running to start making money. I get it money is a great reason behind your business, but making money is not your “Why”. It goes so much deeper than that. The secret to those wildly successful, massive companies like Apple? You guessed it, they have a completely clear understanding of the “Why” behind their business. Every single employee is aware of it and completely aligned with it, which is why they do so well.

The WHY

Your why is the core of your business; it is the reason behind establishing your business beyond financial and monetary gains. If you don’t already know the “why” behind your business, here are a few guiding questions that you could ask yourself to become more connected behind the heart of your business:

What problem(s) did you want to solve? 

How did you want to help someone?

What unique skill or gift can you bring to the world?

What transformation did you want to guide someone through?

Do you eventually want to create your own foundation for a cause that you’re passionate about and your business is a stepping stone to that point?

Did you want to create a business that gave back?

When you know why you're starting your business, you create a much deeper connection with your business, and in times when you're feeling unmotivated (which will happen, trust me), your why is the reason you continue to show up for your biz and your audience.

The Mission Statement

Establishing your Mission is the "external" embodiment of your why. In other words, you, your team, your employees, are connected to the "why" and you help your audience connect to your "why" through your mission statement. Your mission allows your customer to know who you are, what you do, and what the greater purpose of your business is. 

Mission statements are the “branding” core of your business - when your audience understands your business they will feel more drawn to you and your business.

So how do you even write a mission statement? Mission statements answer the questions:

Who are you?

What do you do?’

Who do you help?

What transformation do you provide?

What is the bigger picture of your business?

A sample mission statement:

I'm a business and empowerment coach for the woman who desires to be the best version of herself. In a time when we are not encouraged to be our authentic, powerful selves, I show my client what she is capable of. I help her step into the power she was born with by teaching her balancing, discipline, and how to honor herself.

Yup, you bet I’m using my own mission statement as an example! Your mission statement does not have to be one sentence or a one-liner. It can be if that feels aligned for your business but there is no limit to how short or long it is supposed to be.

Here is a cool template you could try if you need a little more guidance:

“I am a   [coach/teacher/guide/etc.]   for  [your ideal client/who you work with]   who desire  [the transformation your ideal client seeks]. In a time when [current struggle] I show that [what you do & what you believe].

Having clarity around your why and then creating a mission statement that embodies it is the cornerstone to your business. A simple way to remember this is that the WHY is internal understanding and the MISSION is an external description to help your audience get on board with your biz.

Need help getting some clarity in your business? Schedule a 30-minute consultation with me to see if 1:1 coaching is what you need for your business right now!