Does your financial duty trump your moral one as a business leader? For sure, we want to align the two if we can, but what if there is a conflict? Here are 4 books I’ve really enjoyed, which complement each other really well, and should be read by everyone building a purposeful business (i.e. a […]
Profit
Profit or purpose first
You’ve seen a lot about how purpose is good for profit. It can be. Sometimes it’s not. But regardless, pursuing purpose on that basis is a dangerous road to go down. The more we talk about companies needing to lead with purpose and values because this is more profitable (which I hear A LOT) – […]
If you want your business to make a difference, make sure it makes money
If you want your business to make a difference, make sure it makes money. This is not about “me first”, which I abhor and have written about elsewhere (https://btq.wpengine.com/blogs/blog/bsbt/the-me-economy/). It is about ensuring that your business is in a position to serve the causes it cares about. I’ve seen analogies comparing businesses with people. Those […]
Your company can only contribute sustainably if it is profitable
When discussions with my clients turns towards the contribution their company makes to their community or environment, I obsess that they need to be reliably profitable. Especially if their contribution is philanthropic. I’m a governor at my kids’ primary school. I was astonished how many children struggle to do their best simply because their families […]
Purpose AND Profit
There is still a face-off between Purpose and Profit in much of the business press these days. This is counterproductive. If we’re looking at businesses (not charities), then they need profit to achieve their purpose. Having a more than bucketload of purpose and less than a thimbleful of profit is a guaranteed way to ensure […]