My sister recently gave me a book called “Business Boutique – A Woman’s Guide for Making Money Doing What She Loves” by Christy Wright. One of the first things mentioned in the book is to ask yourself Why?
Why did I leave my corporate full-time position with a good salary and great benefits 15 years ago? Why did I want to go it alone from my home? Why did I want to continue working in some capacity?
Well, it was for many reasons. Today is one example! It’s a beautiful, 80-degree day in early April. Flowers are starting to bloom and the trees are beginning to wake up. The grass is green and my allergies are on point! It’s a Wednesday in the middle of the day, and I’m standing on a golf course watching my son play the game he loves! That is my Why!
I started KMC because I didn’t want to have to choose between being a working professional or a mom. I decided I could and wanted to do both! And, I have—for 15 years! What started as a 1-man shop out of my home with a couple small clients has now grown into a staff of 9 in our own office space with multiple clients – both large and small, corporate and non-profit.
As I have enjoyed watching KMC grow, I have also enjoyed the years as my children have grown! I was at home when they got off the school bus every day. Mind you, I might have still been working at my home office desk, but I made a commitment to be there after school for them and to listen to how their day was or drive them to practice. I made a commitment to see them off to school every morning. I made a commitment to go to nearly every sporting event or art show or student council speech they had (home or away) to support them.
But my why is more than being able to be both a business owner and a mom, it’s about why we do what we do for our clients, as well. At the beginning of each year, we get together as a staff and think about the previous year’s accomplishments and what is on the horizon for the upcoming year. This year, we talked about the Why, and not the What, when it comes to our clients. It’s not what we do for our clients but why? For example, we aren’t simply managing the marketing communications needs for the Columbia Public Schools Foundation, we are sharing the Foundation’s story with the community to help them grow and raise funds to enhance our public school system. We are more than the marketing arm of Coil Construction, we are helping them build a better community. We don’t just plan events for Veterans United, we are creating memories for their employees and families.
Thinking of the why and not the what really puts things in perspective for me! As Wright states in her book, “When you remember your why, amazing things start to happen.” It certainly has for me.