How To Build Your Business With A Clear Vision

Michaelangelo was more than our favorite Ninja Turtle - who knew the infamous artist was also a poet and pretty smart dude? He once said, “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high, and we miss it, but that it is too low, and we reach it.” What does this have to do with business anyway, you’re wondering? It’s all about vision

Going full speed ahead in your business without establishing the fundamentals like your vision statement is a pretty great recipe for disaster. How can you work towards goals that aren’t defined? How can you build a company when you don’t know your end game? Vision needs balance. It needs pacing. It needs focus.

When you’re a business owner, more often than not, you’re the idea. Ideas are great - you need them to A. start a business B. keep it going C. stay fresh and relevant and D. survive. 

But what happens when your brilliant mind is swimming in hundreds of ideas? You drown, that’s what happens. Ideas will fit in your vision, but they don’t all belong in your vision statement. Write your thoughts, goals, and business ideas down so you can really contemplate and organize them, even though you may not be able to put all of them into action.

What is a vision statement?

A vision statement is one impactful statement that encompasses your company’s long-term goals; it’s a great way for employees and other stakeholders to know the purpose of your business in just one statement. They are future-based statements meant to inspire and give direction to stakeholders, not customers.

It’s a pretty lofty ask, we know.

Why should I care?

Research shows that when employees buy into the company’s vision statement and find it meaningful, they’re more engaged and productive. Productive employees become your natural business ambassadors in the community and help your business’ future success. So yeah, we’d say you should definitely care.

How to build your vision

Since the vision statement is meant to inspire your employees, it’s a good idea to build a vision statement committee and include employees in the process. You can host a series of workshops where teams work on brainstorming - you should encourage and be prepared for totally honest feedback. That’s where the magic happens.

Your vision statement needs to be something your employees buy into, and by including them in the process, you’re making them feel heard, important, and included from the get go.

How to write a vision statement

- Consider your purpose, goals, values, and mission; find ways to include these concepts

- Check out what the competition puts out there; don’t copy (of course), but use it as a reference and to think how you differentiate from those businesses

- Keep it concise - your statement should be no longer than one or two sentences

Consider answering these questions:

- What impact do I want my business to have on the community? On the world?

- How will or should my brand interact with customers?

- How will my business’ culture impact my employees’ quality of life?

After a great brainstorming session, you’ll have your roadmap - now you have to distill it down. You can check out this article out with some pretty great examples of vision statements before taking a stab at your own. And don’t forget what Michaelangelo said: “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high, and we miss it, but that it is too low, and we reach it.” Consider that when crafting your vision.