Tips for Purposeful Business Growth

When you set out to build a company that is good for society, how do you make sure your intentions go beyond just window dressing? In the 21 years that I have written about startups for Bloomberg Businessweek and Fortune and WIRED, I've seen a lot of companies make short-sighted decisions that compromise their social goals. They blame the economy, or the stock market, or a competitive business landscape. They say it's impossible. But companies like Warby Parker prove it’s possible to build a strong business that does good, *even* after 16 years and *even* in this economy. So how do we ensure that purpose stays at the heart of our work? Cofounder Neil Blumenthal shared his thoughts on a recent episode of the #HelloMondayPodcast: 1. Define Clear Values: Purpose can’t just be a buzzword. Embed your company’s core values into everything you do—from how you hire and treat employees to the sustainability of your supply chain. 2. Measure and Share Impact: Be transparent about your goals and track your progress with hard data. Share what’s working, and just as importantly, what’s not. True commitment to change means accountability, not perfection. 3. Engage Stakeholders: Your employees, customers, and communities should have a voice. Create feedback loops that allow for honest input and adjust your approach based on their needs, not just what looks good in a mission statement. 4. Lead by Example: It’s not enough to talk about doing good—your leadership needs to embody these values. Authenticity comes from action at every level of the company. We don't have to sacrifice social impact for growth. It takes intentionality and accountability, but it’s possible to stay true to mission. And: Big gratitude to Leanne Pittsford & the Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Summit for inviting us to record this episode live in September in New York City! What do you think? How can businesses balance purpose with profitability in today’s challenging environment? Who is doing it well?

4 lessons that changed everything for me in leadership and growth. After years of scaling businesses, leading teams, and making strategic decisions, there are a few lessons I keep coming back to. These have shaped my approach to business, leadership, and growth. Here’s what I’ve learned that really sticks: 1/ Embrace Change & Adapt Change is constant, and that’s a good thing. Don’t be afraid to pivot when things aren’t working—become the force that drives progress, not just the one reacting to it. 2/ Build with Purpose & Vision Growth should be strategic. It’s not just about increasing numbers, it’s about growing in ways that align with your core values and long-term vision. Every decision, from business strategy to partnerships, is focused on creating long-lasting, meaningful impact. 3/ Lead with Empathy This is a big one for me! Leadership isn’t just about driving results; it’s about understanding people, building relationships, and motivating others. When you put people first, you get the best from them. I make a conscious effort to balance high expectations with a strong focus on supporting my teams. That’s been one of my greatest leadership successes! 4/ Data-Driven Decisions Make a Difference I’ve always relied on data to inform my decisions. Whether it’s optimizing operations, revising strategies, or improving customer experience, using data to guide choices is crucial. If you’re not tracking your progress, you’re just guessing. Looking Ahead... Right now, I’m advising on some exciting projects and actively exploring new opportunities. If you’re looking for a leader with experience in scaling operations, strategic growth, or building high-performance teams, I’d love to connect and see how we can collaborate. #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #CareerGrowth #TeamBuilding #NewOpportunities

We had 4 locations and $15 million Now we have 8 locations and $50 million What gave us the fuel for our growth? ⬇️⬇️⬇️ There are three things that REALLY stick out. 1️⃣ Core Values / Purpose Driven We knew we needed to create profits. That’s obvious to self sustain. But none of us were really got pumped about building a business just for money. So over a 3 year period we got really serious about creating our core values and purpose. We knew the best way for big growth was through amazing people. So we had to have an incredible culture. In order to get that culture we had to think differently - this meant hiring based on values instead of experience and resume. Yes those things can be important for sure, but attitude was MOST important. It also meant standing for something other than just profits. If we were going to accomplish anything we would be proud of - we had to do it with a soul. The heart of things mattered. Focusing hard on the type of people we wanted to join us on this journey - and then actually finding those people was Fuel ⛽️ #1 2️⃣ Healthy Work Atmosphere There has to be a healthy balance between ambition and mental health. Like we absolutely had drive forward and work harder than our competitors. But we also had to make sure we had a clear head space. These two have to work in conjunction - you can drive forward and push hard but you also need to take time off and create some margin. So while we pushed our people harder than ever we also tripled paid holidays off and doubled vacation days. If we were going to demand more we also had to give them more time off. Another thing - we had to make sure the bosses were humble. We had all had those big ego a hole bosses and they demotivate. So we really focused on promoting leaders from within our company. Ones we knew had this incredible drive but also an amazing heart for people. And it was genuine. If we were going to build trust we had to promote humility from the bosses. 3️⃣ We Gave Them The Keys We understood that while it might be easier to centralize everything with a few key executives creating all the strategy - it wouldn’t multiply. We needed THEM to be mini executives too. So we gave them the keys. This meant we wouldn’t tell them what to do. We would ask them “what do you think we should do?” This subtle, yet very critical shift was empowering. It created autonomy and ambition overflowed - because each one of our 8 locations got to choose their strategy. We decentralized it all. We would just coach. Not tell. They make their goals. They create their budget. They create their strategy. They pick their teammates (as long as they align with values) This shift to empowerment - was so powerful. It engaged the entire team. It was THEIR BRANCH. Not ours. And that ownership that came with it was like putting gas on a fire. We exploded. We’ve now got single locations that make more money in a month than our entire company used to make in a year! 😘