Should you wait to make an impact?

As we continue our series on Conscious Entrepreneurship, I want to dispel a common myth.

And that’s “I can’t focus on impact until I’ve made money.”

Or to be more specific “I’ll wait until after I’ve made millions of dollars to then focus on impact.”

Here’s what I’d say. 

First, you’re right. 

Making an impact starting with capital can help (and often does). 

But there’s an assumption in here that often leads people to sell themselves short.

Which is that “impact has to happen on a large scale.”

This is the classic example of a young founder starting out with the goal of “helping a billion people do [X] better.” 

Scale is exciting. It’s motivating. And often, inspiring. 

But impact isn’t solely measured in scale.

As you’ve likely experienced, some of the biggest impacts in our lives come from the smallest catalysts. 

A conversation with a friend (that prompts you to rethink your career path).

An act of kindness from a stranger (that puts a smile on your face and leads you to compliment someone else later that day). 

Or this story from the early days of Zappos––a company known for prioritizing customer service which inspired the book Delivering Happiness. 

The late founder Tony Hseigh had a relentless focus on customer service. 

One night, Tony and some clients were heading back from a bar after a night out.

Their hotel kitchen was closed, so Tony, confident in his team, told the client to call Zappos customer service to help them out.

Yes––the same customer service of his shoe and retail shop…to help them source a late night pizza.

So they called. And not only did the Zappos operator find an open pizza shop nearby, they ordered the pizza directly!

This example is why Zappos became the gold standard for customer service excellence (and later sold for $1.2 billion).  

Small acts of generosity, compounded day over day, are at the heart of conscious entrepreneurship.

When we start small, we’re already making a difference. 

Which sets the baseline for larger scale impact down the line.

More soon,

Oliver

Founder, The KINN

PS. I’d love to hear about the impact you’re making in people’s lives. Shoot me a reply here to share what comes to mind!