This one sentence changed how I lead (and how I build)
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Years ago, I was asked to lead a brand-new team at a Fortune 500 company.
We had tight deadlines. High visibility. No real playbook.
So I did what I knew would create alignment fast: I wanted to get clear on why we were doing this together.
Take a minute to define our purpose.
But my boss didn’t agree.
“Purpose statements are a waste of time. No one ever uses them.”
I may have given him some sass at the time (and I'm grateful he put up with me ;)
But I remember thinking: No, you just don’t understand what a purpose is actually for.
And in fairness… a lot of people don’t.
They write a version that sounds nice, slap it on a slide, and never touch it again.
But that’s not the purpose of a purpose.
The point isn’t to have a fancy sentence. It’s to have an anchor... especially when things feel messy, unclear, or just incredible chaotic.
Fast forward to now... we’re not a part of a team anymore.
We’re leading ourselves. And this same issue still shows up.
You left your job... or maybe thinking about it... to build something more meaningful. But some days, it still feels... directionless.
You’re not lazy. You’re not flaky. You’re not broken.
You just haven’t clearly asked:
“Why am I building this?”
So let’s make this useful. If your purpose statement has always felt vague (think “I want to help people” or “I want to empower women”), take a few this week to reflect and capture.
When the purpose of your business is:
→ real
→ defined
→ and actually used
... it becomes one of the most strategic tools you have.
Here’s what a strong purpose does for your business:
It keeps you going when things get hard.
When you're tired, second-guessing, or wondering why you ever started this business- a clear purpose answers that. Not in a cute way. In a get-your-sh*t-together-and-keep-going kind of way.
It draws the right people in.
When you're clear about why you do what you do, collaborators notice. Other purpose-led businesses want to partner. People show up in your inbox saying “I’ve been watching you for a while... I believe in what you’re building.” And magic happens.
It builds trust before the sale with clients.
Even if someone isn’t ready to buy from you today, your purpose gives them a reason to stick around. They’re not here for your offer, they’re here for your why.
And if you really want to nerd out, do a little Google research and you'll find that humans are more likely to trust and stick with a brand when it leads with clear purpose.
Many entrepreneurs never stop long enough to define this clearly.
They’re too busy building the thing to ask, “Why does this exist?”
But when you do define the purpose, you’ll notice it starts doing quiet work in the background. Keeping you aligned, attracting the right people, and making the whole thing feel less chaotic.
Let it do its job 😉
Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help:
1) The Unscattered Business Method: My signature program to help you get clear, build structure, and follow through (with less chaos). Start with a 3-day guest pass→
2) 1:1 Fractional Chief-of-Staff Support: Running a team or scaling fast? I act as your second brain to help you think, plan, and execute like a CEO. Let's chat→
