Business Is About Giving

26 Sep Business Is About Giving

If being an entrepreneur for over 15 years has taught me one very important lesson, then it is this… Giving is part of business.

Every single business I’ve had, I have spent time drilling down to discover what my customers want and need. And, as business owners, we are really good at finding out what we can get. But, the real value in business is about providing massive value to others.

For example, when you pitch your business, you’re actively trying to convince a customer to give you their money or to give your business a good word to a friend to get a referral. Of course, making money is part of running a business. But, what would happen if you shifted your perspective from “what I can get?” to “what can I give?”

That’s why several times a year, I make a conscious effort to give back. Whether that is in the form of mentoring startups to grow, or attending workshops all over the country to share my business insights, or even maintaining my podcasts to share information with the business world – I make giving back a priority in all that I do.

Of course, I could charge for my podcast, or only attend conferences if I am a paid speaker, but that would be focusing on “getting”, instead of “giving”. 

I work with a group of entrepreneurs, here in the Atlanta area, who are committed to learning how to grow their business. I have a wealth of knowledge from my success and my failures, throughout my career, so I take the time every month to serve as a mentor. I don’t get any monetary compensation out of the program, but I don’t need to. It’s about me giving back to others, paying it forward (so to speak) to help inspire the next generation of amazing business owners.

The importance of giving is two fold: it increases our value to others and it helps us to build meaningful connections. This is not to say that by selling your product or service that you can’t do the same thing, but the impact is different because the focus is still on facilitating a transaction. However, when you give and give freely, without an expectation of any type of return, you are able to unlock a new level of understanding the world around you. Not to mention the energy you get that keeps you motivated to do what you do best, when you see that you can have an impact on someone’s business, life, or relationships.

So, this week, I challenge you to find one way that you can give back. It could be in your business, within your community, or to an organization.