To Increase Revenue, Focus on Your Impact

It may seem counter-intuitive, but the financial results of companies like Eileen Fisher, Patagonia, and Dr. Bronner’s bear this out. There are really two key words here: impact and focus. If your impact isn’t infused into every aspect of your business, you won’t realize your company’s full potential. It’s that consistent and inclusive focus on impact that guides you to more financial success. With my impact-focused clients, it all begins with developing your Impact Purpose, a clear statement of the impact you want to have. Do you find your Impact Purpose inspiring? Does it fill you with energy? If it doesn’t, at least most of the time, you might be on the wrong track. Your clarity about the impact you want to have, whether it’s social or environmental or both, serves as the rock on which you build and grow your impactful business. When you steadily focus on your Impact Purpose, you’ll find your thoughts turning from short-term pain to what you could achieve in your business and community. This thinking about others, and not just yourself, is a way to bring you out of the doldrums or away from unhelpful divergent thinking, and back into focus on your impact. Reinforce this by having your Impact Purpose statement in front of you, every day. Have it on your desk or screen. In your wallet. On your fridge. Wherever you will be regularly reminded of what you intend, personally and with your company. Plan your day and week with your Impact Purpose in mind. Include your company’s Impact Purpose in your decisions about how time, money, and resources are spent, and with whom. Spend the time and effort to ensure that your team understands the company’s Impact Purpose just as well as you do, so that they can make those aligned decisions as well. Thoughts aligned with purpose are a powerful creative force. Fill your and your team’s attention with something worthwhile. Focusing your company around impact, infusing it throughout your company, is a significant and powerful growth strategy.