Don’t Wait For The Stars to Align
Photo by Nathan Anderson via Unsplash
At Swell Impact, we believe a brand’s purpose is the North Star that guides a business toward meaningful impact. The key to impactful and enduring change lies in aligning your purpose with every aspect of your business so you can operationalize your conscious purpose into everything you do and communicate those impacts transparently with your people. Successful brands infuse their core purpose into every fibre of their being. So, how do you put this into action in your own business? Don’t wait for the stars to align; we’ll show you how to start with your purpose to guide the way!
Defining Your Brand Core with Intention to Guide Transformation
Building upon the wisdom of Simon Sinek, we wholeheartedly endorse the idea that your 'why' should be the North Star behind your brand and sustainability strategies, of course, but it doesn’t stop there. Your conscious purpose guides all value chains in your business, from hiring talent to procurement to financing. A truly sustainable business strategy isn't just a checklist of green initiatives; it's a dynamic and purposeful journey leading to profound impact and lasting success.
In practical terms, integrating a strong brand purpose, vision and values (your brand core) into the fabric of your operations paves the way for developing a flourishing business model. We’ll touch on values in a future post. This model isn't just about maintaining a static equilibrium; it's about fostering thriving systems where your impact doesn't merely sustain but actively regenerates the environment and the communities in which you operate. There is no time for the status quo!
Collaboration is fundamental to the success of a regenerative approach. By forging partnerships with local communities, NGOs, and other businesses that share your vision, you can co-create solutions that address immediate business needs and the broader challenges society and the environment face. This collaborative spirit fosters mutual growth and amplifies the impact of our combined efforts, creating a ripple effect (or swell) that extends far beyond the boundaries of your operations—your business, among many, becomes a collective catalyst for change.
The Golden Circle. Sinek, S. (2011). Start with why. Penguin Books.
Starting With Your Why (Purpose)
Defining your brand's purpose, or the 'why' is crucial in establishing a meaningful and lasting connection with all stakeholders, especially your audience. To determine your conscious brand purpose, you must clearly understand why your company exists. Reflect on what drives your team and why your business truly matters beyond profit and your products or services. Your 'why' should have a conscious purpose that contributes to social or environmental causes and aligns with your vision for a better future for all (that comes next).
Purpose Prompt - If you’re unclear the first time, you answer, ‘Why does our business exist?’ keep repeating why five times to dig deeper. This is called the 5 WHYs method.
Still Need Inspiration? An excellent way to frame your conscious purpose is to understand what cause is essential to your business through the lens of the SDGs Framework. With 17 Sustainable Goals to address globally, you can align your purpose with 1-3 interconnected goals at a minimum to guide you. For example, your hotel is working toward building a flourishing community in which it operates (SDG 11) by providing decent work (SDG 8) for women (SDGs 5 and 10).
Articulate this purpose in a clear and concise statement that encapsulates your commitment to positively impacting the world. This conscious purpose should resonate with both your internal team and your external audience, serving as a guiding light for all your business operations and communications.
Bringing Your Future Vision into Focus
To pair your brand purpose with a positive vision for the future, envision the ideal world you want your business to contribute to. Consider how your products or services can bring about tangible change and improve the lives of your customers and the broader community. Develop a forward-thinking narrative illustrating how your brand's values and actions shape this vision. Communicating this positive future can inspire your team, customers, stakeholders, and partners to become part of a more extensive, meaningful journey toward progress and betterment.
Vision Prompt! Imagine your brand has made national or international news for success in 15-20 years. What is the media saying about your brand’s achievements?
Embedding your conscious brand purpose and positive vision into all facets of your business operations and communications is vital to creating a cohesive and impactful brand. Ensure that every aspect of your company, from product development and customer service to marketing and corporate social responsibility initiatives, reflects and reinforces this purpose-driven narrative. Use your brand purpose as a filter for decision-making and a compass for strategic planning, ensuring that all your actions are aligned with your higher mission and contribute to the positive future you aspire to create. Consistent and authentic communication of your brand purpose across various channels will strengthen brand loyalty and attract like-minded individuals and organizations who share your vision for a better tomorrow.
Final Words of Advice
A final tip for establishing your brand core is not to get easily distracted by terms—even the ones we mention in this post. They serve as a framework to simplify the brand strategy process. The ultimate goal is to get clear on what your brand stands for to guide transformation across all value chains of your business, connect with and rally your people, and help you confidently communicate the impacts of your journey.
Lighting The Way Forward
Embracing this philosophy has not only defined our path at Swell Impact but inspired us to focus our efforts on uplifting people and communities by helping businesses in travel and tourism do the same. Whether exercising our creative prowess or implementing sustainability strategies, our focus remains steadfast on maximizing social and environmental value for all stakeholders involved. We understand that true success is not achieved in isolation but through the collective prosperity of every individual, community, and partner intertwined with our purpose.
We believe that a purpose-driven approach isn't just the right way to do business; it's the only way to create a sustainable and regenerative future for all. Centring your 'why' in everything you do transforms your business into a catalyst for positive change. We can help you explore the possibilities of your holistic brand strategy, flourishing business model and integrated sustainability strategy with an action plan. Join us on this journey of transformation, where the stars don't just align but illuminate the path to a brighter and more sustainable tomorrow.
