Think your business is too small for purpose-driven strategy? Think again. Discover how aligning your values and community unlocks sustainable growth for you and others.
We know from our work that values and ambitions aren’t just for big organisations: they form the core of any business, regardless of size.
But when you’re eager to scale and resources are stretched, does purpose still matter? What about community, connection, values and the empowerment of others? Are these things nice-to-haves or unnecessary distractions?
Rather than getting in the way or wasting precious resources, these things are superpowers in unlocking potential: both yours and that of others. There are no better roots for sustainable growth.
A real-life story of purpose-first success
We spoke to Shraddha Varma, CEO of Fuzia. She heads up a global organisation that brings creatives and business together, and hers is a powerful story of how human and commercial success go hand in hand.
🎧 Listen to the whole conversation here
Transforming a girls’ writing club into a lucrative, global ecosystem, Shraddha created an open, safe space for creativity to flourish. But there’s nothing flimsy about her approach, ‘Inspiration is not enough, empowerment has to be economic,’ she says.
So fueled by vision, she built something remarkable – and you can too. But how?
These are a few things we love about Shraddha’s story.
When purpose sparks growth, it also sparks:
Confidence. Natural flair will only take you so far.
‘What stood out for me wasn’t a lack of talent, it was hesitation,’ Shraddha says about the women she worked with in the early days of Fuzia. So, in line with her purpose, she set out to give them the judgement-free space they really needed to express themselves and move forward with unfettered focus.
‘Visibility changes identity,’ she goes on. ‘When someone sees their art, it shifts how they see themselves. It builds confidence, voice and eventually action.’
When you know what’s inside and you know what you’ve come here to do, you can grab opportunities when they come along. ‘If you don’t believe in yourself, your team won’t believe in you either.’ Shraddha explains. This kind of energy clearly ignites others, too.
And there’s nothing better for growth in tough times.
Connection. ROI isn’t always about the numbers. If you ignore the value of other assets and metrics of growth, you could be leaving good money on the table.
In Shraddha’s case, the asset was the community. ‘At the time, I didn’t think about monetising it,’ she says, which sounds counterintuitive. But after time, the network grew and out of that, commercial success. Today, thousands of businesses across the world have unlocked their potential through Fuzia’s network of creatives.
But community came first.
Clarity. An essential part of the journey from start-up to scale-up is going from doing things alone to building an aligned support system.
‘Founders try to do everything themselves and I did the same,’ Shraddha says, ‘It feels like ownership but ultimately it becomes a bottleneck.’ So she set about forming a team, delegating, outsourcing and partnering. None of this would be possible if she didn’t already have a handle on where they were heading and what they stood for.
‘Clarity is more valuable than effort,’ Shraddha says.
It involves knowing what your core values, vision and what you’re building are so that you can share them with others. ‘That’s what goes a long way,’ she goes on. ‘Otherwise, everything becomes very temporary.’
You don’t have to have everything figured out
It’s a theme we hear regularly but it’s so clearly played out here. Knowing your north star is enough, and in Shraddha’s case, she knew she could be a bridge between talent and opportunity.
To give you the confidence you need to step forward with purpose, no matter the size of your organisation, think about:
- What’s your vision?
- How can you bring it to life?
- How can you use it to elevate your business?
- And elevate others?
- What’s your next step?
It’s possible to get there on your own, but easier and faster when you have a coach alongside you. If you feel like you are your own bottleneck or you’re struggling to attract your tribe, talk to us. We can help.
🎧 Listen to the whole conversation here or search for Sparks by Ignium on your favourite podcast platform.
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