Why Am I a Business Owner?

Yesterday I attended a viewing service for a long term employee who passed away over the weekend. This dear woman retired a couple years ago after a few decades of serving us and our clients so well. As I tearfully hugged the husband, I could see his eyes were red from crying.  He no doubt was still in the very difficult moment of grieving the loss of his life partner.  He had his children and grandchildren around to comfort him, but each look in the casket would reveal the handmade “good bye” cards written to grandma.  In between tears, we laughed over some funny stories about this wonderful woman and her strong desire to sacrifice self for others (even in her final hours).

 

It was during this moment, that I was reminded why I am a business owner. I know what all the textbooks and Fortune Magazine tell us about profits (yes, profits are important because without them we have no business) but to me it is first about the people.  Without others, success is a lonely and difficult journey.  It is for this reason I have always enjoyed team sports.  The joy of working together for the betterment of the whole is a special joy.  As my grandfather always told me, “You can’t take it with you.”  He no doubt wanted me to focus less on the material treasures here on earth and instead to focus more on others.

 

But as a business owner, I believe this is not only the right thing to do, it is a good business decision as well. I have said it many times, but if you love your employees and their families they in turn will share that love with your customers.  All too often I find business owners miss this key point and first (and sometimes only) focus on profits.  Yet the sweet fruits of success often allude them, why?  I believe it is because they miss the powerful impact of aligning people to a common mission or belief.  It is this unified force that drives success of profits and at the same time the joy of helping and caring for others.  This joy and satisfaction of winning together is a very powerful tasting fruit.

Comments

[Jeffrey D. Reimer, CPA, MBA]

Scott,

I only recently started following your blog. As a fellow CPA and business owner, I appreciate your blogs, which contain an eternal perspective on why we do business as we do it.

[Jackie Martin]

Hi Scott,
Thanks for the reminder of why it is that we do what we do. Sometimes it's easy to get so focused on getting a job done, or looking at the bottom line, that we need a reminder to step back and remember what we are doing it all for.

[Jeri Mulholland]

Well said!

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1018316172]

Scott,

Sorry for the loss. I do agree, even for the price paid sometimes. Sometimes you do it for family, sometimes you do it for the extended 'family' of employees, even when they don't know or understand. In may ways, it's a call to serve that few actually 'get'. No regrets, only the benefit of doing more than providing 'just a job'.

Never forget all the lives you have touched through something like work.