What does it mean to be a role model in the business world?
A few things actually.
If its starting a completely new venture from scratch.... it means paving a path and taking a risk that others are maybe too scared to take on for fear of failure. Along with this risk, it also means more research, more guessing, more open communication and observation. It involves a lot of thinking because you’re trying to figure out if you can provide something new that others will want and you are trying to make sure that in fact enough people actually will want it.
It means a different level of support is needed. You will need more support from family and friends, you will need to have more authentic conversation with potential customers. When you open, you will have to develop more solid relationships and trust with your customers because they took that leap with you and you want to keep them around. Additionally, it will mean that you need to provide support for others that might want to follow, and if you do well this will be inevitable, so you need to make sure to protect your idea and your intellectual property. You need to make sure you’re strategic about your marketing and your customer base, and that you provide just enough insight to others that they serve as an ally, not direct competition. If you’re reading this blog I know you’re not planning to open just another generic business and that you are looking to create something meaningful for your community and the world around you. Therefore you need to keep that positive vibe going but still remain successful!
So how can you personally be a role model for other businesses to follow even if you aren’t the first business/idea of its kind, and instead you're simply trying to evolve your current business?
You can innovate within your current business to be a leader in sustainability and community engagement!
Whether it’s the products you carry, the packaging it comes in, the way you dispose of your waste, the community or charitable organizations you take part in, or even how you treat your customers- there are tools left and right to make you a better leader that others can look up to.
IDEAS!
Maybe your business hosts clean ups or gives a prize to customers that bring in a jar of plastics they’ve collected?
Perhaps you create sustainability challenges for your customers to take part in which teach them and encourage them to do something different.
Maybe you partner up with a nonprofit you love and a percentage of all sales goes to them, or a percentage of specific items?
Maybe you partner with other sustainable businesses that have memberships and you provide discounts to members of that business?
CASE STUDY!!
One of our fav clients- Koko-kai, goes beyond what is expected of a small business in order to give back to their community. they accept and ask for all their containers back, which they reuse. They partner with non profits who are doing beach clean ups. they source every possible ingredient they can locally, working directly with the farmers. they produce everything in Oahu in small batches. check it out!
Want more ideas?! Contact us!
Why does it matter if you’re a role model or if you do “good business”? Because someone has to set a standard that others can measure up to. Someone has to create a standard that customers measure competition on and that adds additional value to their dollars spent. If it was only about convenience and price, Amazon would be even larger than it is now and only take-out food would be offered by food establishments. But small niche online stores and marketplaces are still thriving and there are bricks and mortar everywhere for shops and food establishments.
Additionally, someone has to establish the road map for others to follow in terms of innovation and sustainability, and prove that good business can be profitable. Someone has to change the idea of what profitability truly means and encourage the definition to be a measure that includes well-being of the community now and in the future. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you want to learn more and have us prepare a custom plan for how your business can take the right steps to be a role model or if you’re looking to start a new business and need guidance on business planning and market research, contact us today!
Your first meeting is complementary!
