After thirty-three years, Jill turns over the reins of her parts distribution business to her nephews and starts consulting. She grosses over a million dollars a year, but has become tired of traveling forty out of fifty-two weeks each year. Her health is poor, her marriage is on the rocks, and she lives in a funk.
Meanwhile, under her nephews' control, the family business languishes. Because of a focus on sales rather than profitability, the business is under a heavy debt load.
Jill quits consulting, and returns to the family business. Her bank's review of the numbers shows they have breached two of the three loan covenants.
A time bomb is ticking.
Her nephews don't get it. They live a lavish monster truck lifestyle while none of the 139 employees have received a raise in the seven years of Jill's absence.
Jill's heart breaks as she learns about employees on food stamps. She shows up on the night shift and meets Melia from Guatemala, and through a translator, learns her story.
Melia's story of grueling struggle drives Jill. Getting to know someone who does not look like her or speak her language moves her to discover a new purpose in her life. She comes to believe that the family business must be profitable to meet its financial obligations, care for its people, and help its community thrive, with jobs and investment.
The banker renegotiates the covenants based on Jill's financial discipline plan. She immediately raises the minimum pay from $7.85 to $10 for starting temps and lifts the earnings of all the line workers.
Jill is changing the world by changing her world. She is blooming in the spot where she is planted. Building a profitable business to benefit those people in her life right now is her priority. Finding the purpose for the business releases a fantastic enthusiasm and desire in Jill. Her health and marriage are on the mend. She has found the "seed" that will bring success and significance.
What is the purpose that drives your business? Entrepreneurs like Jill, who believe that their business should bring impact, have moved from the pursuit of pleasure to meaning.
Victor Frankl taught that this transition from pleasure to meaning is necessary for significance. To help you, I have designed a resource Cultivating Impact Business Plan, that will help you know the "seed" that a business should grow from.
Stop working just for money.
Start working for your purpose.
Harry T. Jones
P.S. Don't forget to get my free resource, the Cultivating Impact Business Plan.
*Like all my stories, Jill's story is real; her name and some particulars are changed to protect her.
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