Starting with “WHY” is becoming a well known thought process thanks to Simon Sinkek’s great TED talks and seminars. It isn’t however as easy as you might think, even if it is “the worlds simplest idea”.
As someone who coaches lots of different businesses in lots of different sectors when you first ask a business owner “why” they do what they do they often look at you a bit blank.
So “why” do you do what you do?… Is it just for the money, is it because you thought you could do it better than someone else or is there something deeper going on, something that gives you a real purpose to your business.
What does your business fundamentally exist for, whats its purpose. For me I want to give business owners freedom of choice from the businesses they own. Freedom to work in it or not, to have the security from it they deserve, for it to be a facilitator for everything else, not something they are beholden to. When I focus on these things, the business just comes.
Let me give you an example. One of my clients delivers frozen meals to the elderly, great meals, highly nutritious, but thats not their “why”. The “why” is “they help people stay independent in their own home for as long as possible” Now thats a great why, thats an inspiring why, thats a why that attracts a certain type of person to want to work there, it drives their sales as they don’t want people to be denied their why, its a why that drives you to make sure more people can get to experience their service. It also allows them to diversify into anything that helps keep people independent in their homes. You wouldn’t question a different product or service being offered by them, but you would if they were just a food comapny.
Starting with why helps you get to the real purpose of your business and potentially opens all sorts of new opportunities. Thank you Mr Sinek…
