Starting a business requires a lot of effort and intention. And without a sense of purpose behind what you’re doing, who you’re helping, and the impact you want to make, chances are the initial excitement surrounding your idea and business plan will fade quickly.
This year marks 40 years since I graduated from secondary school, and while I was flipping through my old yearbook recently, I came across two things:
- My graduation write-up, where I shared that I wanted to start my own advertising company.
- A photo of me from when I was part of Junior Achievement, a program that teaches entrepreneurship.
Like many small business owners, I initially spent time in more traditional and corporate roles. But that entrepreneurial spirit was always with me.
I knew I wanted something different. I craved more freedom and flexibility, more ownership over my work, and the ability to make decisions that aligned with my values.
I wanted to build something meaningful, that felt like mine, and that gave back in the ways I cared about.
If you’re reading this post, chances are this need to build something purpose-driven will resonate with you as well.
The bumps that come along the way
I’m proud to say I eventually fulfilled my dream with Crummy Media Solutions.
That journey was long (it took 26 years to fully transition into running my own business), and certainly didn’t come without challenges.
Initially, the passion and motivation behind what you’re building are easy to hold onto. There’s often a strong desire for change that pushes you toward something new.
But as any business owner knows, it doesn’t take long before you get pulled into the day-to-day.
Client work, deadlines, invoices, emails, marketing, administrative tasks – your list keeps growing. There are slow periods that feel stressful, busy periods that feel overwhelming, and constant pressure to figure out how to do more with limited time and resources.
Somewhere along the way, the bigger picture can start to fade.
The ambitions you had to give back, be involved in your community, make a difference through your work, and build something truly meaningful can quietly get pushed to the side.
I’ve experienced many phases of business myself. There have been periods where I was barely involved in my community because I was simply trying to keep up with the demands of running a business, and there have also been times where I said yes to too much, took on too many volunteer commitments, and ended up completely drained.
Finding a good balance has been a work in progress.
But what I’ve come back to again and again is this: purpose isn’t something you set once and forget. It’s something you actively build into your business over time.
Here are six things that have helped me build a more purpose-driven business, that might support you too.
01: Your values should guide your decision-making
People buy from brands they trust, and that trust is built through clear communication of your values.
Be honest with yourself: are your values something you wrote on your website years ago but haven’t looked at since? Or are they actively guiding your decisions today?
Take some time to revisit your values, or define them for the first time if this isn’t something you’ve thought about before.
Consider:
- What do you stand for?
- What do you stand against?
- How do those values actually show up in your business? Or how could they?
For example:
If you value transparency, is your pricing clear? Are your offers and products marketed in a way that feels honest and authentic?
If you value community, are you supporting other local businesses? Donating to organizations you care about? Hosting collaborative events or creating opportunities to connect with others?
If you value accessibility, are there ways to make your services or content more approachable? Could you offer flexible payment options? Have you made sure you’re using accessible website design? Can you offer information in multiple formats?
When your values are visible and consistent, people know what to expect. They can quickly tell whether your business aligns with them or not. That clarity builds trust over time, as people experience what you offer, how you operate, and the ways you visibly live up to the values you share.
Yes, your values should be visible in your marketing. But more importantly, they need to be actively practiced in the ways you run your business each day.
02: Connection will always matter more than perfection
It’s easy to get caught up in trying to make everything look polished.
Your website, social media posts, and other content can consume an incredible amount of time and energy when you’re trying to make everything feel “perfect.”
But polished doesn’t always mean relatable.
People want to know there’s a real person behind the business. They want to understand your perspective, your story, and the way you think about your work.
Purpose-driven businesses tend to feel more human because they’re built around genuine care and intention, not just appearances.
So instead of trying to make everything perfect, allow yourself to show up as you are. Show the real side of your business. Share behind-the-scenes of what you’re building and how. Talk about what you’re learning, what’s challenging you, and why your work matters deeply to you.
Consider:
- Does your content sound like you? Or does it sound like something that could have been written by anyone? Does it sound too polished, or too much like AI?
- Where could you share more about your own experiences or perspective?
You don’t need to share everything (boundaries are important). But allowing people to see the human side of your business will help build a stronger connection than perfectly curated content ever will.
03: Community is more important than transactions
It can be tempting to focus heavily on sales, especially when business feels slow or uncertain. But long-term, the relationships you build are likely going to be more helpful in sustaining your business.
Purpose-driven businesses aren’t built solely on transactions. They’re built on trust, connection, and community.
Consider,
- Do your clients feel comfortable reaching out to you?
- Do you stay connected after someone works with you?
- Are you creating opportunities for conversation?
- Are you nurturing relationships, or only showing up when you have something to sell?
When you lead with connection, sales tend to follow naturally.
People want to work with businesses that help them feel seen, valued, and supported. Not those that seem to view them just as a number.
04: It’s okay to say no, and not everyone is meant for your business
When you’re building something, especially early on, it can feel like you need to say yes to everything. Every client and project feels like an opportunity you can’t miss out on.
But over time, you’ve likely started to notice patterns.
Some commitments and projects feel aligned, while others feel like you’re moving in the wrong direction. Some clients energize you, while others leave you feeling drained. Some work feels natural and exciting, while other tasks feel like pulling teeth.
One of the most helpful things about having a clear sense of purpose is that it makes decisions easier. It helps you recognize what to focus on, and just as importantly, what to let go of.
- What kind of work excites you?
- Which clients feel energizing to work with?
- What feels like a compromise of your values?
- What has been draining you?
- What direction do you want your business to move toward? What no longer aligns with that direction?
Purpose doesn’t just guide what you say yes to. It also gives you permission to say no.
You’re not meant to serve everyone. In fact, both you and your clients are better off when you don’t.
05: Giving back doesn’t have to be all or nothing
Sometimes my volunteer work involves large commitments and big time investments. Other times, they’re simple decisions I’ve made about the way I show up in and operate my business.
Sometimes I’m leading a project, and other times I’m simply offering support where I can.
Purpose and give-back won’t look the same for every business owner, and they’re not even going to look the same for you in every season of your life or business.
So don’t compare yourself to others. And don’t be hard on yourself if your capacity fluctuates.
Here are some examples of ways to build purpose and impact into your work:
- Offer pro-bono work for an organization you care about
- Provide discounts or sliding scale pricing for specific communities
- Donate a portion of your income
- Volunteer at local events or with community groups
- Support other small businesses in your area
- Mentor new business owners
- Sponsor local events and initiatives
- Share about organizations doing meaningful work to help amplify their voice and impact
- Collaborate with local businesses
- Create educational resources for your audience
Sometimes giving back is highly visible, while other times it happens quietly behind the scenes. Both kinds matter!
06: It’s not always about doing more
Purpose-driven work doesn’t always require adding more to your plate. It can also mean being more intentional with what you’re already doing:
- How you communicate with and show up for your clients
- The boundaries you set
- The businesses you support
- The ways you market your business
- The people you choose to collaborate with
- The clients you choose to work with
- The care you put into your work
What small changes could you make to these areas of your business to create more impact? These are great places to start.
Crummy Media Solutions and our give-back initiatives
For me, volunteering and community involvement have been some of the most meaningful ways to stay connected to my purpose.
In recent years, I’ve:
- Supported organizations like CHD2 Canada and 100 Women Who Care Lanark County through website development, marketing, and event photography.
- Celebrated my love for animals by offering pro-bono website support for a nonprofit in my area, Rocky Road Rescue.
- Have supported hosting and maintaining the Carleton Place and District Youth Centre website for years pro-bono.
- Frequently partnered with organizations such as Connect and Collaborate Ottawa Valley, The Small Business Advisory Centre, Carleton Place Chamber of Commerce, Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce, Perth & District Chamber of Commerce, and the Municipality of Mississippi Mills, to host webinars and workshops that help small business owners learn more about marketing, websites, content creation, and online visibility.
- Supported new entrepreneurs in Starter Company Plus and Summer Company, in my roles as a grant committee member and marketing trainer.
Regardless of what my give-back looks like in any given month, the goal is to step outside of my day-to-day client projects.
This volunteer work reminds me why I started my business in the first place: to use my skills in ways that feel meaningful.
Radical generosity and the Magnificent Marketer’s Club
In recent years, I’ve also collaborated with my friend Karen to create the Magnificent Marketers Club. This is a wildly affordable and supportive online networking community and learning space for small business owners who feel like they’re navigating marketing alone.
One of the things I love most about the Club is that it reflects many of the values we’ve built our businesses around.
In the marketing world, there’s a concept called “radical generosity.” As the name suggests, this business model is built on the idea that not everything needs to be transaction-focused or profit-driven.
Sometimes, the most meaningful impact comes from creating spaces where people can learn, ask questions, share resources, support one another, and access valuable information without significant financial barriers.
That’s what we set out to create. The Club is a low-cost membership where business owners can connect, learn, ask questions, receive feedback, celebrate wins, and feel supported while growing their businesses.
Of course, there are costs associated with running a community like this, and membership fees help cover those expenses. But the goal has never been to create a major revenue stream. The goal is to make marketing support, education, and community more accessible for small business owners who may not be in a position to invest in private consulting or larger programs.
For us, it’s a way to share our knowledge, build trust, create meaningful connections, and help other business owners succeed.
Consider how this might apply to your own business. Where can you give back in a way that feels manageable and aligned with your values?
Meaningful work brings energy back into your business
No matter how good your intentions are, the reality is that things aren’t going to feel aligned all of the time.
There will be busy seasons and stressful periods where you feel too stretched thin to take more on. In those moments, recognize the impact you’ve already made and allow yourself to rest. Celebrate your wins, take time to recalibrate, and take care of yourself so you can come back to your commitments and work in an even stronger way.
There will also be moments where you feel disconnected from the bigger picture and need to realign. When that happens, allow yourself to dream again.
- What would feel meaningful to invest in?
- What would help you reconnect with your work?
- What kinds of projects, people, or causes are energizing and exciting you recently?
Join communities with other business owners to get inspired. Make time for conversations, journaling and brainstorming. Allow yourself and your goals to evolve over time.
Fluctuation in any business is normal. And that’s especially true in small businesses where so much responsibility falls on one person.
Take the time you need to reflect, adjust, and make changes that bring your business back into alignment with what matters to you.
Because when your business feels aligned:
- You’ll feel more energized by your work
- Your decisions become clearer
- Your messaging will feel more natural
- And you’ll attract the right clients and opportunities with greater ease
It becomes a cycle.
The more aligned your work feels, the more you show up in a way that reflects that. And the more you show up that way, the more you attract the kinds of opportunities and people that will continue to support your goals.
So if things have felt a little off lately, start small.
Revisit your values, reconnect with your purpose, and look for a couple of ways to bring those elements back into your work.If this is something you want to talk through out loud or brainstorm ideas around, I’m here to help. Schedule a free consultation call today.
