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  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 79: Niching Down with Hugo E. Gomez

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 79: Niching Down with Hugo E. Gomez
    2024/07/09
    Brian chats with entrepreneur and Hispanic marketing leader Hugo E. Gomez. As the founder of HispanicMarketing.com, Hugo helps U.S. businesses connect with the Hispanic market. On the episode, Hugo discusses the importance of niching down for marketing and creating personal branding on social media. He also shares the lessons learned on his journey from an employee to self-employed, including embracing uncertainty and trusting himself to figure things out. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses seek win-wins. HispanicMarketing.com is composed of four sub-brands -- Abogados NOW, Doctores NOW, Gene NOW, and SpanishLeads.ai -- that all share a two-fold mission. The first is to help U.S.-based businesses connect with the U.S. Hispanic market, and the second is to ensure the U.S. Hispanic market has access to financial, healthcare, and legal resources. “It’s a win-win for our mission because we’re giving our clients something new, and at the same time providing a lot of goodwill to the community,” Hugo said. Niching down is the path of least resistance. In marketing and entrepreneurship, niching down your market and services is a powerful tool for attracting customers. If you already understand your customers’ industries and challenges, it becomes much easier to get sales acceleration. “I’d seen so many great use cases of niching down that I thought that’s probably the best way to build a company,” Hugo said. “If you tell someone in a sales funnel that you know where they come from and their challenges, it’s so much easier to have a call about the next steps.” Start your business while you have another job. Successful entrepreneurship requires smart risk management strategies, which is why Hugo advocates for aspiring business owners to start a new company while they still have a job. That’s the approach he followed when exploring whether HispanicMarketing.com could be a full-time business. “You can have a job and your own business. That’s probably the safest and most respectful path for your own wellbeing,” Hugo said. “Building something and proving it out at the smallest level is a great proof of concept to see if you’re really interested in running a business.” Don’t forget marketing. When it comes to modern marketing techniques, Hugo is bullish on social videos, such as Instagram and Facebook Reels, because the social media companies do the work of matching your content to people who are interested in watching. He also recommends publicizing employees of companies rather than company pages. “Most people right now don’t want to follow a company page,” he said. They want to follow people who work inside the company. The ones with the personal video brands are going to do the best.” Resources + Links Hugo Gomez: LinkedIn HispanicMarketing.com Abogados NOW: Website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok Doctores NOW: Website, Instagram, Facebook Gente NOW: Website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X SpanishLeads.ai Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
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    43 分
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 78: Debunking Overnight Success with John Driscoll

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 78: Debunking Overnight Success with John Driscoll
    2024/06/25
    Brian chats with entrepreneur and mobile app pioneer John Driscoll. As the co-founder and CEO of Naked Development, John and his team are rewriting the rules of mobile app development, raising the bar for innovation and creativity. John shares invaluable insights on the courage, patience, and perseverance needed to navigate the unpredictable to succeed in business. He also debunks the myth of overnight success. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses pick their fight. John believes you shouldn’t start a business unless you have a mission because having a true mission is like picking a fight. To be successful, companies should have a point of view that influences how they see the world and, as a result, how they connect with their target audience. “Your company, whatever it’s doing, is connected to that point of view,” John said. “You have to point whatever you’re doing at a group of people, and by definition if you’re pointing at a group, you’re not pointing at the rest of them. It’s exclusion on purpose.” Have the courage to niche yourself out. John often uses the expression “niche yourself out” as a way to convey the importance of having an authentic point of view that connects with your target audience. Niching yourself out as a company takes real courage because, by definition, not everyone is going to agree with your decisions. “Whether it’s calling your company Naked, like I did, or something else, you are going to have people who disagree,” John said. “That might even be your family -- it was for me -- and you have to just be okay with it. You have to expect it.” Fire bullets before cannonballs. Many entrepreneurs struggle with when to move out of the research phase and into getting experience. After all, being an entrepreneur is all about managing risk, and while risk can be transferred, it cannot be eliminated, so it’s best to get real-world experience as quickly as you can. “A lot of people think they can curb their risk by doing more research upfront,” John said. “I’m not anti-research, but I am anti-waiting. You don’t get the rewards without the risk.” One strategy to prioritize gaining real-world experience is to fire bullets before cannonballs, an expression that John borrowed from John Collins. The phrase encapsulates trying something small first before you go all in on an idea. “I’ve blown it many times, where I’ve gone in and done the whole thing,” John said. “When you do that, and you get it wrong, whatever mistake you had made is compounded. Normally, if something works small, it’ll work big.” Real success requires patience. A very common mistake that John sees among young founders is impatience. He says many young entrepreneurs have an idea in their head of what success looks like, which is often overnight success. However, he believes overnight success is a myth. “Instagram is probably one of the biggest overnight successes you could mention,” John said. “The founders started Instagram, and a year or two later had a billion dollar exit. That’s incredible, intense growth, but people forget to mention the app, Burbn, that the founders had started before Instagram and completely trashed. Even that example of overnight success still took time.” Resources + Links “Fire Bullets, Then Cannonballs” by Jim Collins The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance by Tom Brady Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire by Dan Martell John Driscoll: Website, LinkedIn Naked Development: Website, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
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    38 分
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 77: Master Your Mid-Year Business Review In 3 Easy Steps

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 77: Master Your Mid-Year Business Review In 3 Easy Steps
    2024/06/11
    On this special episode, Brian dives into the all-important mid-year business review. Whether you’re navigating the early stages of entrepreneurship or deep into running a medium-sized business, the mid-year business review is the perfect opportunity to take stock of your progress so you can stay on track toward your goals. Learn why the mid-year review is essential, what key areas to focus on, and three practical steps to conduct a thorough assessment. Episode Highlights 1. Revisit your mission, vision, and values. Your mission statement is the heartbeat of your business, articulating its core purpose for existing. To evaluate your mission, ask yourself the following questions: Is your mission statement authentic? Does it reflect the values and aspirations that drive your business forward? Is your mission statement still relevant in the current business, landscape, and societal context? Is your mission statement clear and concise, communicating your business’s purpose in a compelling and easily understandable manner? Does your mission statement align with the needs and aspirations of your target audience? Your vision statement paints a compelling picture of where you aspire to be and serves as a beacon of inspiration and guidance for your business journey. To evaluate your vision, ask yourself the following questions: Is your vision bold and ambitious enough to inspire action and innovation? Is your vision adaptable to changing circumstances and evolving dynamics? Does your vision align with your mission and core values? Is it in harmony with the overarching purpose and principles of your business identity and direction? Does your vision inspire excitement, enthusiasm, and commitment among your team members and stakeholders? Your core values are the ethical principles and beliefs that guide your behavior and decision-making as a business owner. To evaluate your values, ask yourself the following questions: Are your core values rooted in honesty, transparency, and integrity? Do your core values promote accountability and responsibility among your team members? Are your core values inclusive and respectful of diversity? Do your core values empower and inspire your team members to unleash their full potential? 2. Conduct a comprehensive financial review. Your business’s financial health is not just about the bottom line -- it’s a reflection of your ability to create value, manage resources efficiently, and sustain growth for the long term. By conducting a mid-year review of your financial performance, you can gain insights into the health of the business, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions. To conduct a mid-year financial review, take the following steps: Analyze your revenue streams - Analyzing your revenue streams allows you to identify growth opportunities, optimize your product or service offerings, and prioritize resource allocation effectively. Review your expenses - Conducting a thorough review of your expenses allows you to identify inefficiencies, streamline processes, and optimize cost structures. Examine your cash flow - Managing cash flow effectively is essential for ensuring liquidity, stability, and resilience in the face of economic uncertainty. 3. Evaluate operations. Optimizing workflow, effectively leveraging technology, and nurturing high-performing teams are essential for business innovation and growth. Conducting a mid-year review of your critical systems allows you to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities to improve in the second half of the year. Below are three key areas to review when assessing your operations: Assess your workflow - Identify bottlenecks, streamline processes, leverage technology, and continuously improve to minimize waste and deliver value to your customers. Review your technology stack - Evaluate current tools, identify new technologies, ensure integration and compatibility with existing systems, and provide training and support to improve collaboration and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth. Evaluate team performance - Assess the alignment of your team members with business goals, review individuals’ skills and competencies, review resource and support needs, and foster a culture of collaboration and communication to create a culture of excellence. Resources + Links Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners ...
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    21 分
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 76: Finding Your Golden Threads with Elizabeth Jetton

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 76: Finding Your Golden Threads with Elizabeth Jetton
    2024/05/28

    Brian chats with financial planner-turned-business coach Elizabeth Jetton, M.Ed., CFP. Elizabeth has made igniting passion a throughline of her career, evolving from the first female stockbroker in Atlanta to founding a financial planning firm and now working as a business coach and teacher. On the episode, Elizabeth gets to the heart of what makes a mission-driven business successful. She dives deep into how to identify your unique gifts and utilize them to create a business that serves your needs and makes an impact.

    Episode Highlights

    Mission-driven businesses reflect their owners’ golden threads.

    Mission-driven businesses reflect what their owners deeply care about and the difference they want to make in the world. When that sense of purpose is then combined with the owners’ unique gifts and talents, Elizabeth says the result is “golden threads.”

    “Golden threads are those sort of innate gifts we bring to our lives that we can bring to our work to make a difference,” Elizabeth said. “A mission-driven business is that beautiful intersection of what we are capable of doing, what we are skilled and competent at doing, and what we have the gifts to do.”

    Think about what you don’t delegate.

    If you’re stuck on finding your golden threads, Elizabeth recommends thinking about what you’re drawn to. It can also be helpful to reflect on the tasks that you don’t like to delegate.

    “That’s the passion piece,” she said. “Sometimes we try to delegate something when in fact that’s the very thing we actually love to do easily, and then we’re frustrated because the people we delegate it to just don’t get it or because nobody’s going to get it like we do.”

    Say no -- especially when you’re just starting.

    As a business owner, it’s essential to escape the scarcity mentality that can lead you to take on work that doesn’t reflect your golden threads. Elizabeth emphasized the need to be selective in the projects you take on and to say no to things that don’t align with your mission. While many business owners struggle with saying no, she says the problem is especially prominent among novice business owners.

    “When we’re novices, we don’t have the experience, so we don’t have the conviction and confidence,” she said. “When we’re in that state, that’s when we have a tendency to say yes too much because we think we have something to prove.”

    Perfection is the enemy of good enough.

    Elizabeth is a big believer in prototyping. Especially when you’re just starting a business, you can’t get too attached to what you think the business will be because it will change.

    “Don’t wait until you think you’ve got it perfect,” she said. “You’re going to learn more from having a client and seeing what worked and what didn’t than anything else. Perfection is the enemy of good enough."

    Resources + Links

    • The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Reis

    • Follow Elizabeth Jetton Online: LinkedIn

    • Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast

    • Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes

    About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast

    Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit.

    On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
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    44 分
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 75: Building A Vision-Driven Business with Cara Bedford

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 75: Building A Vision-Driven Business with Cara Bedford
    2024/05/14
    Brian chats with marketing expert Cara Bedford. As the founder and CEO of Infinite Marketing, Cara leverages the global talent economy to drive impactful campaigns for mid-to-large-sized businesses, startups, and Fortune 500 companies. On the episode, Cara shares why having a clear vision for a business can create an authentic, cohesive brand narrative. She also stresses the importance of clear communication, effective delegation, and asking the right questions. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses are vision-driven businesses. When Cara thinks about mission-driven businesses, she can’t help but associate the word mission with the day-to-day tactics of running a business. But what inspires her is the vision that a mission-driven business works to make a reality. “When I think about why I get out of bed everyday, vision really resonates with me,” she said. “Mission is tactical, whereas vision is the future, the dream, the destination.” At Infinite Marketing, Cara’s vision is to create a future where work is a source of joy and growth for everyone. She aspires to run a company that moves beyond work-life balance into work-life freedom. “From the growth of our digital nomad culture that we’re seeing in the creative class, people are seeking not just employment but a journey of self-discovery and personal growth and purpose,” she said. “I want a world where work is a source of pride and fulfillment and gratification, not simply a means to an end.” Create a brand guide. Cara is a big believer in the power of brand guides, which can help inform the branding decisions for a business and identify gaps in business processes. The brand guides Infinite Marketing builds for clients are living documents that span 34 to 112 pages and detail the rules and processes of going to market. “This booklet guides all of your branding decisions,” Cara explained. “People don’t understand how impactful that is to a business.” Don’t be afraid to hire outside help. Entrepreneurs can often benefit from outside expertise to help increase their chances of success. For instance, when working to redesign her logo Cara learned to trust the designer’s process, which resulted in a design more beautiful than she could have imagined. She passes on that same advice to companies thinking about hiring a marketer. Once a business reaches a certain size, hiring someone to run marketing and sales efforts will further that business growth. For instance, a new business may not need a detailed brand guide, but Cara says investing in a brand guide is imperative for businesses with revenue in the $2 million - $5 million range. “It’s a living document that grows with you,” she said. “You add pages to it as you grow, and you build frameworks as you grow.” Resources + Links The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks Cara Bedford: LinkedIn Infinite Marketing: Website, LinkedIn Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
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    40 分
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 74: Using Data To Drive Diversity with Ken Janssens

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 74: Using Data To Drive Diversity with Ken Janssens
    2024/04/23
    Brian chats with diversity, equity, and inclusion trailblazer Ken Janssens. During his 25-year-long career at JPMorgan Chase, Ken co-founded and chaired the company’s LGBTQ+ Executive Council, championing diversity and inclusivity at the highest levels. He’s also the former Board Chair for leading LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion non-profit Out & Equal. On the episode, Ken discusses his new venture, Windō, which aims to make corporate sustainability transparent and to connect young people with employers that share their values. He also shares his journey from activist leader to visionary entrepreneur and touts why establishing a clear mission and vision makes financial sense for companies. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses place purpose at their core. Ken defines a mission-driven business as one that puts purpose at its core. He also pointed out that purpose is especially important to Gen Z employees, who are the first generation to place purpose over pay when finding an employer. “Whilst a lot of companies have adopted purpose statements, there are many that still haven’t,” Ken said. “Purpose can rally an entire organization around something that is usually quite simple but very powerful.” Keep it simple. Ken co-founded Windō to connect young talent with value-aligned employers. Having such a simple mission statement has made it easy for him to recall and ensure his daily decisions are grounded in the company’s purpose. “Our mission just rolls off the tongue, but obviously, you don’t just come up with that willy nilly,” he said. “You really think about it, but then it’s very clear. It grounds us and makes it easy to talk about what we’re about in one simple sentence.” Use data to drive diversity. While Windō’s data focuses on large companies, Ken says that small business owners can still take inspiration from some of the top performers. For instance, a company of any size can implement self-ID, which allows employees to disclose their demographic information to break down large data sets by diverse groups. Companies can then use the self-ID data to measure how employee satisfaction varies among different groups of people and, ideally, use the resulting awareness to improve year over year. “I think every company is aiming for belonging, and that’s difficult to measure,“ Ken said. “This is a great way of doing that. You ask employees different kinds of questions and get the results by a diverse group, and you don’t guard the results as a secret when there’s work to do.” Transparency builds trust. The ultimate goal of sustainability reports is to build trust, according to Ken. However, you can’t have trust without transparency, commitment, and accountability. He also emphasized that potential employees know that increasing workplace diversity can be challenging and that progress isn’t always linear. “Gen Z is okay with the numbers being low, but they want to see progress,” Ken said. “Moving the dial is hard, and sometimes you have a dip. It’s okay if they’re still in the grand scheme making progress.” Resources + Links The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks The Activist Leader: A New Mindset for Doing Business by Lucy Parker and Jon Miller Ken Janssens: LinkedIn Windō: Website, LinkedIn Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
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    38 分
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 73: Tech, Ethics, and Empowerment with Amanda Wilson

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 73: Tech, Ethics, and Empowerment with Amanda Wilson
    2024/04/09
    Brian chats with Amanda Wilson, the co-founder of #open, a dating app for ethically non-monogamous relationships. On the episode, Amanda opens up about the fear she faced pivoting from running political campaigns to launching a sex-positive tech business with her business and life partner. She also shares essential strategies and tactics for navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship and how she utilizes AI to fuel growth and innovation at #open. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses balance making money with benefiting society. Amanda defines a mission-driven business as one that doesn’t just focus on finances as the number one goal. As part of making #open a mission-driven business, Amanda is setting up the company to become a​​ Certified B Corporation, which requires balancing making money with the responsibility to benefit society. “Our mission is to create safer spaces for marginalized and at-risk communities to form authentic connections,” Amanda said. “That’s exceptionally important to us because we are a dating app for people that are in ethically non-monogamous relationships, which is still a hard road for people who are doing that.” Keep your customers safe. One of the goals of #open is to build a safe space for the sex-positive community. To do that, the company makes it a point to listen to its user base, including by talking to customers through the #open support team and by reading app store reviews. Amanda also says the company prioritizes safety through data privacy. “Your data is just an extension of you, so your data needs to be treated as respectfully as we would treat another person standing right here in front of us,” Amanda said. “#Open can always strive to be a safer place.” Use AI to improve your human touch. Amanda sees the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a way to improve the personal touch of businesses and marketing strategies. For instance, #open reviews every picture that goes inside its app, and AI can help flag images that may break the company's content policies. Also, Amanda uses an AI transcription tool to review her podcast interviews and find points she can improve upon for next time. “AI definitely helps us to be able to have that personal touch,” she said. “Building our community is one of the strategies and tactics we use.” Hire your potential customers. #Open emphasizes hiring people within the community they’re serving, so that the people creating the tools can better understand the dynamics around the software’s real-world use. “We try and hire as many women and other marginalized people as we can,” Amanda said. “My one request is if we can get more women in tech, life would be so much better for so many people.” Resources + Links B Corp Certification Otter.AI Amanda Wilson: LinkedIn #open: Website, Instagram, Facebook, X, Tumblr, YouTube Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
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    37 分
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 72: Crafting A Legacy Of Leadership with Amanda Bauer-Frisch

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 72: Crafting A Legacy Of Leadership with Amanda Bauer-Frisch
    2024/03/26
    Brian chats with serial entrepreneur and visionary leader Amanda Bauer-Frisch. As the CEO of Small Legacies, Amanda creates a way to give thoughtful, high-quality learning tools that enhance a child’s development. She also oversees several other small, legacy-driven businesses under the Enduring Legacy brand. On the episode, Amanda opens up about how becoming a young widow and being open to the right, new opportunities shaped her entrepreneurial journey. She also provides a behind-the-scenes look at how she’s purchased several existing brands and shares tips for finding and acquiring businesses. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses exist for a reason deeper than profit. Amanda defines a mission-driven business as one that exists for a reason deeper than profit. When she started Small Legacies, she created a hand-made wooden bank to teach her oldest son the basic financial literacy skills of saving, spending, and giving. But she also had a deeper meaning in mind. “My first husband passed away in 2017 from a genetic heart condition at 30 years old,” she said. “So making this bank for my oldest was like helping to carry on my husband’s legacy and memory.” Elevate and delegate. When Amanda started Small Legacies, she built the company’s signature wooden bank boxes in her garage. Eventually, Small Legacies received so many orders that she needed to find a wood toy manufacturer to meet the demand, which in turn made it possible to acquire and take over the operations of another family-owned woodworking business. She wouldn’t have been able to grow if she hadn’t practiced the principle of “delegate and elevate.” “That’s still a daily part of my journey -- trying to figure out where I can shine and what things bring me the most joy but also yield the most results for the business,” Amanda said. “And then how can I find the right people to support me in the business on the things that, frankly, bring me no joy or I’m not good at them.” Hire and fire based on your values. For Amanda, one of the hardest parts of running a mission-driven small business is knowing that she is responsible for the well-being of the employees on her payroll. Finding the right teammates that fit her company’s mission, vision, and values is already challenging, but gets even more complex when acquiring employees of another company. Amanda experienced this challenge firsthand last year when an existing employee of a company she had acquired refused to comply with Enduring Legacy’s policy of being open and accepting to any employee. Although the employee had a lot of knowledge about the newly acquired brand and processes, Amanda decided to end the company’s relationship with him because he wouldn’t be a good fit for the company’s values. Even though the decision required Amanda to cash in her 401(k) to buy new equipment, she knew it was the right thing to do. “It was an incredibly easy decision,” she said. “It was a difficult day, but at the same time, I went to bed and slept great that night because it was the right thing to do.” Resources + Links What the Heck is EOS? A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer Amanda Bauer-Frisch: LinkedIn Small Legacies: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok Navy Paddles: Website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly known as Twitter), Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
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    35 分