Profit Isn’t a Dirty Word
it’s actually fuel you need
Photo by Visual Stories || Micheile on Unsplash
With the purpose-driven model gaining momentum, there’s an increase in terms and conversations that position profit as a dirty word.
They suggest that somehow by making money, you’re doing something wrong — or worse, evil.
It’s a little understandable in that it’s easy to blame the money. It’s an embodiment of the things we’re rejecting: hyper, dehumanizing efficiency; growth for growth’s sake; work without a point; the always-on trap — all of which can make us resentful of the company and its financial growth.
Unfortunately, money isn’t actually the problem, and a healthy bottom line isn’t wrong at all.
In fact, when we make money dirty, we cause problems like:
Not hiring the people we need
Underpaying the people we have
Not investing in infrastructure
Take a look at nonprofits. It’s called the nonprofit starvation cycle, whereby nonprofits skimp on overhead so badly they can “barely function as organizations — let alone serve their beneficiaries.”
We don’t need to make money evil. The shift we actually need to make is as follows:
From: I’m here to make money and everything I do drives toward that
To: I’m here to deliver value and everything I do drives toward that
Now you’re using money as a resource to advance your purpose. You can invest in the technology you need to support your work, the best talent to make things happen, and opportunities to help those humans grow.
Because you need all of those things to succeed.
So if you’re a nonprofit, ask your donors for the funds you need and tell them what you need them for.
If you’re a business, deliver value to your customers so they come back. Again. And again. That’s what will help you scale your reach and impact.
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