
A few years ago, a friend called me and shared she was confused about how to make more money in her business. She knew she wanted to make more money, and made different attempts, but it wasn’t working. She made a little money, but not what she wanted or expected, and wondered if she needed to hustle more or do something else.
I then spoke to her about the idea of giving in business versus getting. What I mean by this is having a value mindset in business. Perhaps her business efforts were thwarted because she was thinking of what she could get versus what she could give.
Not to say making money isn't important in a business, it is, but what separates good or mediocre businesses from great businesses is the value it provides.
“All the great fortunes in the world have been created by men and women who had a greater passion for what they were giving – their product, service or idea – than for what they were getting. And many of those great fortunes have been squandered by others who had a greater passion for what they were getting than what they were giving.”
Pindar in The Go-Giver (Burg & Mann, 2015, p. 28)
Yes, you can make money with a get-mindset, however, according to the authors of The Go-Giver the first law of stratospheric success is: “Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”
“’Does it make money?’ is not a bad question. It’s a great question. It’s just a bad first question. It starts you off pointed in the wrong direction…[t]he first question should be, ‘Does it serve? Does it add value to others?’ If the answer to that question is yes, then you can go ahead and ask, ‘Does it make money?’”
Ernesto in The Go-Giver (p. 27)
One example that comes to mind regarding this and one I shared recently with a client is Spanx’s founder, Sara Blakely. Sara started off by trying to find a solution to her own challenges with hosiery and intimate apparel. She then discovered a solution for intimate apparel she later called Spanx to not only benefit her but other women who were also experiencing those challenges. Suffice to say, Sara after initially investing $5,000 of her own money is a billionaire now. She recently launched a new product called Sneex (a cross between sneakers and high heels) for women to enjoy more comfort when wearing heels.
In Sara’s case, her business ideas came from solving problems for herself, but she knew it could also help others too and there is where her success lies.
Fast forward to today, my friend is doing better in her business. She learned that money comes from value creation and sees how having a value-mindset feels better than having a get one.
Best,

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