How do you build a business that lasts? Do you start with a great product, talented people, and an inspiring mission statement? No. While all of those things are important and they absolutely play a part in making your business successful, they can’t be the foundation.
The Right Foundation
The foundation needs to be corporate responsibility. According to Fishbowl President David Williams, if you cultivate a sense of giving early on, not expecting anything in return, you will start your business on the right foot. Before you start selling people on your products or services, you have to care about them.
In Williams’ Deseret News article “Social responsibility starts at the corporate home,” he says, “Corporate responsibility should start when you write your business plan and long before you have a profitable company. You should make ‘giving and service’ a part of your company’s fabric from the very first stitch.”
Marriott’s Success
Here’s an example of how to do this. One of my college professors who was familiar with the Marriott family said that John Willard Marriott, the founder of the successful Marriott Hotel chain, cultivated generosity long before he became a successful businessman. He wanted to have those attitudes and behaviors ingrained in himself early on, in case he ever had the means to really make a difference.
It wasn’t success that made him charitable; he had already developed that attribute when he had nothing to give but his time. And I think that his focus on other people’s needs has been a powerful factor in his legacy of success.
A Word of Caution
“There’s an added bonus: providing service to the community makes for a stronger and more profitable business as well,” Williams notes before adding a caution: “Be careful to not have service or giving enacted with a hope for personal gain. The true law of service and giving expects nothing in return and should remain anonymous as often as possible.”
People can spot a hypocrite a mile away. If you’re only doing good to get attention, your efforts will fall flat. Make sure your heart is in it. And by the way, it’s not too late to start being charitable if you’re already running a business. Take small steps that will give your company more of a service focus, like rewarding selfless acts or participating in community service.
Leading By Example
David Williams practices what he preaches about being charitable. I’m not just saying that because I’m his employee and he laughs at my jokes. From what I’ve observed, he’s a kind, honest and good man. In fact, I could say the same thing about pretty much every Fishbowl employee (I would just have to replace “man” with “woman” and that would cover all the rest). That’s because good people tend to gravitate toward each other, and pretty soon you have an entire corporate culture built around kindness and decency. That makes Fishbowl a great company to do business with.
We don’t just sell inventory management software; we build relationships, strive to help customers, and serve whenever we see a need. We’re on the right path to long-term success, and we invite other businesses large and small to join us.
