Working From the Inside Out: The Power of Purpose and Why It Maters for Your Business

By Tricia Scott.

Last week was heeeccttiiccc, let me tell you. Meetings, seminars, negotiations, ideas and finalising the details of our next magazine issue coming to you later this month. It was one of those where I looked back on Friday and thought, is it all worth it? 

I was tired, exhausted, to be honest. As I was pulling on a giant hoodie, ready to flop onto the settee (you didn't expect me to be going out, did you?), my work phone pinged. While nothing unusual in that, I looked over at it because I would usually have switched it off by now. 

There was an email from a reader. It was someone I'd never met before or had any interaction with. She told me she had been in business for two years and, like most of us, found it a massive rollercoaster of emotion. Recently, she has faced some particular challenges and shared with me that one of the things keeping her motivation going and her business alive was our Monday email; she has a collection of her favourites saved and refers to them when she needs a boost. In my knackered state, I ugly cried. 

We all need a reminder sometimes, don't we? We get caught up in the 'doing' of our work and the daily grind, but how often do we step back and remind ourselves why we started? What was it about what you do that excited you in the beginning? What made you take the first step? Can you even remember? 

It was a timely reminder to me. It took me back to my days of blogging on deliberately obscure platforms, sharing the ridiculous mistakes I was making in my then-startup, too embarrassed even to use my real name. I remembered how I thought I would die if anyone I knew read it—I just felt so amateurish! It wasn't until other women started to write back (I still have no idea how they found my buried-on-the-10,00000-page of-Google blog) to say they did the same (and worse) that it began to dawn on me. 

No one really knows what they're doing either; we're all just figuring it out while trying to look like we're right on top of it. 

Back then, I needed what The Female CEO offers now. I needed the emails I write every week. I needed to know that I wasn't the only one struggling to figure it all out. I needed a community of people in the same boat at different stages in business. I needed access to the vast collection of amazing articles, coaches and mentors covering everything from business to mindset to spirituality from some of the best industry leaders worldwide to help me answer a million questions running wild in my brain. 

So that's what I created. That was, and always will be my why. 

We all know what we do and mostly know how we do it, but do you know why you do it (aside from profit)? What's the message? What's the cause? What drives you? Remember;

People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it' ← I'd love to take the credit for this, but it's from Simon Sinek (excellent TED talk here).

This week, make time to look at your business. Why are you here? What does it feel like? What are your beliefs? This is the message you need to project to the world and what will distinguish you from your competitors all day long. By working this way, you attract people who believe what you believe, people who buy into you and your product or service, and they'll stay loyal because they're buying into you, not just what you sell. Also, this week, go ahead and reach out to a content creator you enjoy or whose information has helped you in some way. A little kindness goes a long way and you might just inspire them too! 

Work from the inside out. 

I believe in you (always), 

PS—It is also the secret sauce for recruitment: Hire people who believe what you believe, and you'll have the best people around you forever. 

👉🏼If you want to journey with me through 2024, I email our Hello CEO mailing list every Monday. To join, head to The Homepage and sign up!

Tricia Scott is a passionate startup business mentor and the Founder and Editor of The Female CEO - Create Evolve Overcome, a platform and digital magazine holding the space to showcase female entrepreneurs from all over the world. 

The Female CEO is gaining global recognition daily and Tricia is able to bring her own level of expertise as a start-up mentor and multi-company director to her very exclusive table along with her team of brilliant Guest Editors and Contributors. You'll usually find her with her MacBook in one hand and a coffee or a glass of something fizzy in the other. Reach out anytime!