It is common to think that starting a business is a means to earn money. While you can start a business to make money, fight for more than that. If the only reason for your business is to make money, you will be more willing to give up when your business is not making money. However, if you link a reason why you are starting your business, you are now giving yourself an additional boost.
There are thousands of entrepreneurs who have started a business not only to earn money, but also to make an impact in the world. I like to call entrepreneurs who also make an impact in the world while earning an income, Philanthropreneurs.
Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Marc Angelo Coppola, who is the founder of the Academy of Superheroes. Marc has an impact on others through his company in which he allows entrepreneurs and sustainable business leaders to help change the world and inspire sustainability movements in their lifestyle.
After talking to Marc, I asked him what he would say to an entrepreneur who wants to start a business or who already has a business and wants to make more impact.
Below are the 6 best actions to take a greater impact on your business:
1. Gain Clarity
There is a million and a business that you can start. If you try to start too many businesses at once, it will get too thin. You’ll want to choose a business that knows more than most and another that you think can help make an impact on others. To help gain clarity, you need to have time for yourself.
You will want to take a day and write potential business ideas. From there, you will want to investigate your ideas and see if there is a viable option to start your business or if your idea is already in a saturated market. Remember, you want the business where you begin to stand the test of time and do not get involved with a fad or trend.
When you choose a business idea to work with, you’ll want to commit from six months to a year so you can get through the tough times. At the end of six months or a year, you will want to set an exact day where you can analyze your business, which will allow you to turn or continue in the direction you like.
2. Understand your Purpose
Once you have the business you want, you must determine if the business is within the scope of your purpose. Is it something that you feel comfortable with? Is it something you can see yourself doing even when times get tough?
If your company does not align with your purpose, you should take another day for yourself and research your other possible business ideas. Starting a business that aligns with your purpose and has an impact is not something that can be done overnight. It is a process that can take months, even years, to complete.
3. Focus on your Audience
The fact that your business is aligned with your purpose and you believe that it will have an impact, you must ensure that your potential customers buy your product or service. Before investing your life savings, you’ll want to check if your audience will buy your product. You can create a website, but you do not want to exploit thousands.
You can post ads but do not spend hundreds. You will know in six months if you have created a product that your audience would want. You do not have to be perfect. In six months it does not mean that you are getting figures of six, but it means that you have had enough people who have bought your product, which you think could be successful if you continue to work in your business.
4. Align your Impact with your Income
If your first business fails, do not be discouraged. Marc said he found too many potential entrepreneurs who give up too soon or fail without trying to start a business again.
There are innumerable stories of entrepreneurs who failed, but they did not give up. Whatever business you end up being successful with, be sure to always align your impact with your income. It is tempting to start a business that only makes money without aligning with its purpose, but as it was said before, when things get difficult, it is more likely to give up.
5. Stay focused on your Mission
Not everything will work properly when you start your business. It is expected to fail, but no matter how difficult it may be, always stay focused on your mission and what you are trying to achieve.
Because you started a business that is aligned with your purpose and not just to make money, understand that your business will take it to its limits. You will go further than you thought possible and, in return, you will make a greater impact on the world and on others than you thought.
6. Be Daring
No idea is too big. There’s no reason why you can not take a picture of the moon. Never let others tell you that your idea is stupid or impossible because it has not been done before. If you believe 100% in your heart that your idea will change the world, do not let others discourage you.
Be BOLD in your life. The bigger you think, the greater the impact you will have, and the more impact you have, the greater your net worth. The most important idea that I got from Marc was never to think that you can not do something because if you believe in yourself and your idea enough, everything can be achieved!
It was a pleasure to talk to Marc and learn how he can impact the world when he starts his business. Now, do not wait for tomorrow or the next day to obtain clarity when investigating your possible business ideas because time is advancing rapidly and, eventually, someday you will want to start that business, but there will not be more time and that is not life. person who wants to impact the world lives.