Episodes

  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 87: Creating Purposeful Marketing with Lauren Tilden

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 87: Creating Purposeful Marketing with Lauren Tilden
    Nov 12 2024

    Brian Thompson chats with Lauren Tilden, host of the Making Good podcast and a marketing coach dedicated to helping creative small business owners who want to get out of their own way and start making an impact. After 8 years in corporate marketing, Lauren left her corporate career and began her winding journey to owning and supporting small businesses. She offers insights into defining one’s ideal customer, creating goal-oriented marketing plans, and staying consistent with your message.

    Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses are motivated by more than money.

    Growing up, Lauren felt she had to choose between making a living and doing meaningful work. But once she entered the small business world, she realized she could achieve both purpose and profit by being intentional and putting her values first.

    “I always sort of felt like I had to choose between making money ... and doing something I cared about," Lauren said. “It wasn’t really until I got into the small business space that I realized you can do both at the same time.”

    Get clear on your marketing goals.

    Impactful marketing starts with a well-defined goal. Lauren advised small business owners to pinpoint what they need from their marketing efforts, such as increasing brand awareness, generating sales, or expanding a specific client base. Knowing your goal can help you create a campaign that helps you achieve it.

    “The first place that most people overlook is to get really, really clear on what your goal is,” Lauren said. “Marketing can do so many different things for us. If I didn't know my goal, I could end up spending my time all wrong.”

    Don’t let a niche box you in.

    Instead of solely focusing on servicing a niche, Lauren encouraged entrepreneurs to understand their ideal customer’s motivations, challenges, and values. By getting clear on these psychological details, business owners can create messaging that resonates with target customers on a deeper level.

    “What unites the people that buy from me and that are part of my community are their psychographics and what they care about,” Lauren said. “I know my ideal customer super well.”

    Design a marketing plan that meets your time requirements.

    Small business owners are busy, which is why it’s especially important to realistically assess the time you have available to dedicate to marketing. Lauren advised entrepreneurs to create achievable marketing plans they can follow consistently, even if it means starting slow and with just one or two platforms.

    “When you set yourself up for a plan you can’t actually stick to given your bandwidth, that is a recipe … for feeling bad about yourself and your ability to follow through,” Lauren said. “There is no upside to biting off more than you can chew, so create a marketing plan based on the time you have available each week.”

    Resources + Links

    • Making Good Podcast with Lauren Tilden

    • Lauren Tilden: Website, Instagram, Pinterest, 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.
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 86: Building Your Ideal Business with Adam Oh

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 86: Building Your Ideal Business with Adam Oh
    Oct 22 2024
    Brian Thompson chats with Adam Oh, founder of Adam Aligned, a business focused on helping people heal from emotional hardship, find direction, and realize their full potential. On the episode, Adam shares his journey from music artist and social media influencer to self-help entrepreneur. He emphasizes the importance of research and trial and error. He also discusses the significance of overcoming limiting beliefs and provides some actional tools to identify and address them. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses operate with core values. Adam defined a mission-driven business as one that operates from the founder’s core values and strives to make a positive change in the world. For many founders, including Adam, the business is deeply personal and an extension of their purpose. “In many cases, like for myself, the reason for starting the business is deeply personal,” Adam said. “For many people, the business itself is synonymous with their purpose.” You can be self-taught. Adam’s path toward financial independence started when he went viral as a music artist on Vine in high school and again on TikTok in college. After college graduation, he had to choose between moving to Los Angeles and pursuing a music career or moving to Utah to explore entrepreneurship and life closer to his partner. He chose Utah and spent years deep in self-help research. “If I want to get into this industry and make my voice heard and make an impact on people, I have to be about what I talk about,” Adam said. There’s just a plethora of knowledge out there and, from a young age, the music success taught me that you absolutely can be self-taught.” Don’t be limited by limiting beliefs. Limiting beliefs can often prevent entrepreneurs from achieving their full potential. Adam’s “laundry list” of limiting beliefs he had to address when he started his business included fear of failure, fear of success, and money fears. “I learned that there is a very, very strong link between your thoughts and your beliefs, especially your beliefs about yourself and what you are capable of,” Adam said. “One of the things I found from researching people who have succeeded in making their impact is that there is a very very strong link between your set of beliefs and your ability to go out in the world and accomplish that thing you want to achieve.” Build, measure, learn, repeat. Adam admitted that his new business hasn’t had the level of success he had hoped for when he first launched. While he’s still aiming to grow his social media audience as a way to earn income, like he did for his music career, he’s also set up a donation page, sold digital guides and workbooks, and explored the idea of coaching. “I launched my first product, and no, it didn’t hit my revenue goals,” Adam said. “It’s recognizing that the first thing not being a huge success doesn’t mean that it was a huge failure. It just means that you did the thing and now you have the opportunity to learn from it and try again and probably get better results next time. I’m willing to fail 100 times to make one work.” Resources + Links Adam’s Ideal Self Guide Adam Aligned: Website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, X, Facebook, LinkedIn Adam Aligned Podcast: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music 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.
    Show more Show less
    46 mins
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 85: Nursing Your Instagram Profile To Wealth with Jumer Adalin

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 85: Nursing Your Instagram Profile To Wealth with Jumer Adalin
    Oct 8 2024

    Brian Thompson chats with nurse-turned-entrepreneur, Jumer Adalin. As a social media expert, Jumer helps fellow nurse entrepreneurs grow their businesses through social media to create both impact and income. On the episode, Jumer shares his journey from ICU nurse to social media superstar. He also offers valuable tips for Instagram marketing and creating content to grow and nurture your own online audience.

    Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses focus on solving problems.

    As a nurse-by-trade, Jumer likens a mission-driven business to a healthcare team whose common goal is to bring about positive patient outcomes. Similarly, a mission-driven business focuses on solving problems for a specific group of people. In Jumer’s case, that group of people is nurses using social media to grow a business.

    “My mission in my business is to grow their online business without sacrificing their sanity, without burning out because I have been there,” Jumer said on the episode.

    Don’t hide behind the current trend.

    With the rise of content created by artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, it’s more important than ever to show up as your authentic self online. Jumer encouraged entrepreneurs to share their values, opinions, and personal stories to build genuine connections with the audience.

    “The value of a personal brand has never been higher,” Jumer said. “Authentic content creation comes down to showing your values and telling your audience what you stand for, what you stand against, and that you have an opinion in the online space.”

    Build your audience with a free but valuable resource.

    Offering a free, high-quality resource can provide immediate value to potential clients or customers, while also building your credibility with your audience, according to Jumer. He designed his free resource, the Instagram audit guide, to be an easily implementable checklist with quick wins to showcase his expertise and teaching style.

    “Creating a really valuable education resource has been pivotal in growing my email list and really showcasing my experience,” he said.

    Consistently communicate with your audience.

    Jumer emphasized the importance of consistently communicating with your audience on your platform of choice. While social media is a free, powerful tool to communicate with your audience, Jumer advised entrepreneurs to consider building their own email lists to reach their followers. Unlike social media, an email list is a direct line to your audience.

    “You don’t own Instagram, but you do own your email list,” Jumer said. “Think about the power of directly getting into a person's inbox. That builds the connection right away, and you don’t have any other competition.”

    Resources + Links

    • 28 Instant Content Remedies

    • Jumer Adalin: Website, Instagram

    • 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.
    Show more Show less
    43 mins
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 84: Improving Financial Security for the LGBTQ+ Community with Debt Free Guys David and John Auten-Schneider

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 84: Improving Financial Security for the LGBTQ+ Community with Debt Free Guys David and John Auten-Schneider
    Sep 24 2024
    Brian Thompson chats with Queer Money podcast hosts and Debt Free Guys founders David and John Auten-Schneider. David and John have more than a decade of experience helping the queer community thrive financially through their podcast, website, and emails. On the episode, they discuss the importance of being intentional with how you choose to grow and engage with your audience. They also open up about some setbacks they’ve experienced as entrepreneurs and tips they’ve learned in their decade-long entrepreneurial journey. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses have a purpose beyond profit. David and John both define a mission-driven business as one that is focused on a greater purpose than just making a profit. Whether it’s using the income from the business to contribute to a cause or running the business itself to create an impact, mission-driven entrepreneurs know they are putting in the work for a reason higher than just financial success. “What is the motivation behind getting up and putting in the 16-hour days or 60-hour weeks?” David asked. “Everyone should have the right to be able to achieve financial success and be able to have fulfillment with that, but when you have another mission that is contributing to the reason that you get up and do what you do, that is what makes your business a mission-driven business.” For David and John, the mission of Queer Money is to try and improve the financial security of the LGBTQ+ community. “The stronger we are as individuals, including our financial strength, the stronger we are as a community, and the more time, money, and resources we have to be able to protect and fight for our rights,” John said. Build your audience before your product. Before David and John started their Debt Free Guys brand, they wanted to write a book but were told by agents that they first needed to build an audience. They launched the Debt Free Guys blog as a way to share smart debt management advice while also growing an audience. In doing so, they realized the need for LGBTQ+ voices in the personal finance community, which in turn led to the Queer Money podcast. “‘Build it, and they will come’ only works in the movies,” David said. “You will not survive if you create a product and you don’t have a built-in audience who has a desire and need for it.” Don’t forget to create an email list. In the fast-paced world of modern entrepreneurship, it’s easy to get distracted by new opportunities or social media trends as a way to grow a business. Unfortunately, success on most platforms is determined by the current algorithm and chasing success on every platform is a losing game. “There are so many shiny disco balls to go at,” David said. “Find out what you can do to stay in the center of your world, or your business is going to look like a scribbly mess because you keep chasing after everybody else’s center of the world instead of your own.” David and John recommend focusing on one or two platforms that connect with your mission and your audience. They also tout building a good, old-fashioned email list as a consistent and reliable way to reach your audience. “What has consistently been a great money driver for most folks over the greatest duration has been growing your email list,” John added. “I would suggest that anybody who’s going to go down the virtual business path focus as much energy and attention on growing your email list. That’s your list. You can take that list anywhere.” Resources + Links Queer Money Podcast Episode 11: 4 Keys to Winning the Midlife Career Change Queer Money Podcast Episode 31: 3 Surprises, 3 Ah-has, and an Awesome Money Quote Queer Money Podcast: Website, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Debt Free Guys: Website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Pinterest 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.
    Show more Show less
    45 mins
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 83: Braving Discomfort to Live Your Purpose with Channyn Lynne Parker

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 83: Braving Discomfort to Live Your Purpose with Channyn Lynne Parker
    Sep 10 2024
    Brian Thompson chats with human rights advocate and Brave Space Alliance CEO Channyn Lynne Parker. Channyn is a public speaker whose accolades include the inaugural Trans100 award, Henrietta Lacks award, and Equality Illinois Freedom Award. As CEO of Brave Space Alliance, Channyn shepherds the first Black-led, trans-led TLGBQ+ center on the south side of Chicago. On the episode, Channyn shares her journey to becoming the CEO of Brave Space Alliance and the significance of finding alignment in life. She also reveals why the nursery rhyme “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” is deeper than you might think. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses are laser-focused. According to Channyn, a mission-driven business is focused on what it does best. For Brave Space Alliance, that means meeting the needs of Black TLGBQ+ individuals through the four pillars of dignity: health, housing, food, and identity. “A mission-driven business is one that is laser-focused on what we do well: to provide our constituents the greatest impact in the area of their interests and needs,” Channyn said. “Above all, we give people a safe space to be in -- or a brave space to be in, if you will.” Brave discomfort to live your purpose. When Channyn was tasked with the role of CEO of Brave Space Alliance, she initially felt like the lead of the 1980s film Gloria in which a cantankerous woman gets stuck with a young kid and has to unexpectedly take on the role of the mother. While she described the transition to CEO as “jolting” and “averse,” she has grown to love the job and the responsibility. “I love comfort, and I believe that humans are comfort-seeking machines,” Channyn said. “None of us want to be jarred out of our comfort zones, but the reality is that unless we seek or welcome challenges, we will stagnate, we will atrophy, and we will not live out the thing that we are meant to contribute to the world.” Profit can include time, talent, and treasure. Running a business, even a nonprofit like Brave Space Alliance, requires money. But Channyn reminded listeners that profit can come in non-monetary forms, too. “When I think about the intangibles of profit, it is your stakeholder satisfaction and community impact,” Channyn said. “But also I think about the gifts of time, talent, and treasure, so all of your stakeholders who believe in your mission feel they’re able to contribute to the sustainability of the mission.” Live life gently and authentically. Channyn believes there is a gap in the world that every one of us has been brought here to fill if we can become acutely and unapologetically aware of who we are and what it is we want to be. And if you don’t believe her, just listen to the song “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” “The deepest song ever is ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat,’” Channyn said. “Rowing is living, right? The stream is life, and gently means you’re not fighting against who you are. We’re meant to live this vessel gently as we flow down the stream of life.” Resources + Links Brave Space Alliance: Website, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok Channyn Lynne Parker: 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.
    Show more Show less
    45 mins
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 82: Creating a Thriving Private Social Network with Shadé Akande

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 82: Creating a Thriving Private Social Network with Shadé Akande
    Aug 27 2024

    Brian Thompson chats with Shadé Akande, founder and CEO of ONE X LEAGUE, a private social league for Black and Afro-Latina women executives and founders. With more than 18 years of global HR experience at companies like Google and Walmart, Shadé shares her journey of creating a community during that pandemic that blossomed into ONE X LEAGUE. Tune in to hear how a series of brunches sparked the idea for a business all about building relationships and how the transformative power of feedback made ONE X LEAGUE the social network it is today.

    Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses prioritize purpose above all else.

    Shadé Akande describes a mission-driven business as one that prioritizes its purpose and values over everything else. The goal is to create a company that produces a long-term positive impact.

    "A mission-driven business prioritizes its purpose and values over everything else,” Shadé said on the episode. “Its goal is to create impact and positive change."

    Community is crucial for overcoming challenges.

    When people could start gathering together again after the pandemic lockdowns, Shadé recognized the need for a space where Black and Afro-Latina women could share their experiences and support each other. She started organizing brunches across the country to foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie. Since then, ONE X LEAGUE has organized numerous events to help members build meaningful connections and navigate workplace challenges.

    "We would share what we're doing,” Shadé said. “We'd support each other and share examples of things we could take away and use in our workplace."

    Kindness is key to building a strong community.

    Shadé stressed the importance of kindness as a core value for ONE X LEAGUE members. To maintain the community's quality and engagement, membership renewals are not automatic. Members must be invited to renew, helping to maintain a supportive and safe environment for all members.

    "Our one value for members is kindness,” she said. “We take that really seriously as we invite people to become members of ONE X LEAGUE, so much so that even renewals are not automatic. You have to be invited to renew."

    Feedback and continuous improvement are essential for growth.

    Regular feedback from members is vital for the continuous improvement of ONE X LEAGUE. Shadé conducts anonymous surveys to gather insights and ensure that the community's offerings remain relevant and impactful. This feedback loop helps in making necessary adjustments and keeps the community aligned with its mission and values.

    "We do regular anonymous surveys, " she said. For instance, in a recent survey, Shadé asked members whether they agreed that they were having great experiences. “All of those who took the survey, 100%, agreed strongly.”

    Resources + Links

    • ONE X LEAGUE: Website, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube

    • Shadé Akande: 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.
    Show more Show less
    35 mins
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 81: How To Use Instagram to Amplify Your Mission and Engage Your Audience

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 81: How To Use Instagram to Amplify Your Mission and Engage Your Audience
    Aug 13 2024
    Instagram is more than just a social media platform. It has evolved into a visual storytelling hub where businesses can connect deeply with their audience among the more than 1 billion monthly active users on the platform. On this special episode, Brian delves into the intricacies of marketing on Instagram. Whether you’re just starting out looking to enhance your online presence, this episode will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to leverage Instagram effectively. Episode Highlights Outline your engagement strategy. Instagram provides a unique platform for you to showcase your brand’s story through compelling visuals, videos, and stories, helping you craft narratives that resonate with your audience and strengthen your brand. You can also amplify your impact by utilizing Instagram’s community-building engagement tools, such as polls, Q&A sessions, and live videos. Before you post on Instagram, you should know what you are trying to accomplish. Consider what you are trying to achieve with your marketing, who you are trying to reach, and whether you enjoy using the platform. Create high-quality content. Once you know your “why” for marketing on Instagram, it’s time to post. Your content strategy on Instagram should be diverse and purposeful, reflecting your brand’s mission, vision, and values. Post content that educates, informs, inspires, or entertains through a variety of post types, such as user-generated content, behind-the-scenes content, promotions, educational posts, seasonal posts, events, testimonials, and news. Here are some specifics: Optimize your profile: Your profile picture should be a clear, high-quality image representing your brand. Your bio should be concise and informative, including keywords, a call to action, and a link to your website or latest content. Add visual appeal: Experiment with high-quality photos, engaging videos, informative infographics, and visually appealing product shots. Develop a consistent theme and color palette that aligns with your brand’s aesthetic. Utilize captions and hashtags: Write engaging and informative captions to connect with the audience. Use relevant and trending hashtags to reach a wider audience. Engage your audience. Building meaningful connections with your audience is crucial for sustained growth and advocacy. Here are some ways to do that: Respond to your audience: Promptly engage with comments, direct messages, and mentions to foster a sense of community and customer care. Partner with influencers: Collaborate with influencers or brand advocates whose values align with yours to expand your reach and credibility. Encourage user-generated content: Showcase your authenticity and social proof by encouraging customers to share their experiences with your products and services. Also, know when and how often to post. For stories, post daily. For feed posts and Reels, aim to post three to five times per week. For IGTV, post one to two times per week. Tailor your posting schedule to your specific audience by using Instagram Insights, A/B testing, and considering time zones, especially if you have a global following. Resources + Links Episode 79: Niching Down with Hugo E. Gomez Episode 23: How to Get Different with Mike Michalowicz 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.
    Show more Show less
    11 mins
  • The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 80: Transforming Lives and AI with Wendy Gonzalez

    The Mission Driven Business Podcast Episode 80: Transforming Lives and AI with Wendy Gonzalez
    Jul 23 2024
    Brian chats with tech trailblazer and Sama CEO Wendy Gonzalez. Sama is a mission-driven Certified B Corp that seeks to raise the standards for both machine learning and global working conditions. The company’s innovative approach to ethically sourcing and training tech talent has lifted more than 68,000 people out of poverty since 2008. On the episode, Wendy dives deep into Sama’s unique for-profit business structure, including reserving a Board of Directors seat for its non-profit on its non-profit roots. She also touts the importance of conviction and self-awareness when building and running a business. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses can have more than one mission. Mission-driven businesses can have more than one mission, according to Wendy. For instance, Sama has a “triple bottom line” of bringing long-term value to people living in poverty, to the planet, and to the bottom line. “We were really founded on this premise that talent is distributed equally but opportunity is not,” she said. “We started with the mission first, and the core mission is what we then built a business problem to solve for around.” Hold earnings calls and learnings calls. You’ve probably heard of a company's earnings calls when the executives share updates about the firm’s financial metrics. Sama applies the same concept to its mission by hosting “learning calls,” in which the company provides updates on its impact metrics. “The idea from the very beginning is you have to track with rigor what our impact is,” Wendy said. “It’s no different than how you would track your financials.” If you’re a big company, consider B Corp Certification. Sama is a Certified B Corp, meaning it meets verified, high standards of social and environmental performance, has made a legal commitment to accountability, and transparently shares information. Wendy said the company pursued B Corp status once it transitioned from a non-profit financial structure to a for-profit structure because the B Corp Certification is the best and most recognized accreditation standard for impact-driven companies. “We were big enough that we thought B Corp Certification is going to be important for us, so that nobody believes that our transition in financing means that anything has changed,” she said. One downside to B Corp Certification is that it requires a lot of effort and expenses. If you’re a small company, you may not be able to afford the resources needed to comply with the reporting requirements, but if you’re an established impact-driven company, Wendy recommended looking into B Corp Certification. “If you’re a customer looking for a recognized seal of approval, that’s recognizable,” she said. Fire yourself annually. About once per year, Wendy does a mental exercise in which she fires herself as CEO and evaluates whether she’d rehire herself for the job. The exercise is an opportunity to reflect on the kind of leader her company needs and also where her energy and convictions lie. “If you’re the CEO, you’ve got to be not only the CEO your company needs today, but the one your company needs tomorrow,” Wendy said. Resources + Links Wendy Gonzales: LinkedIn Sama: Website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube B Corp Certification 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.
    Show more Show less
    40 mins