The Crucial Foundation of Business: Mission, Vision, and Values

The Story of the Billion-Dollar Plan

I once shared a business plan with a young man I was mentoring. It was an ambitious blueprint, designed to turn all my ventures into a billion-dollar empire. He looked at me and asked, "Why would you want to do that?"

I simply replied, "Because I think it would be fun."

But he wasn’t satisfied. He asked again, "But why would you want to do that?"

I told him I’d already answered that question. He responded, "No, you didn’t." I realized then that the reason he wasn’t processing my response was because my reason wasn’t compelling enough for him. But here’s the thing: I wasn’t asking him to join me in this endeavor. If I were, I would need a reason, a mission that resonated with him. But this was my journey, my why, and I wasn’t asking him to be a part of it.

This conversation highlighted a key point: When you’re building something with others, your mission, vision, and values must resonate with the people you bring on board. They shouldn’t need to be convinced or taught these principles from scratch. Instead, partner with and hire people whose mission naturally align with yours, who share your values, and who can buy into your vision—whether it’s because they find it meaningful or because they think it would be fun. Having people bought in and aligned with your mission, vison, and values is crucial to success.

My Struggle with Defining Mission, Vision, and Values

For years, I wrestled with defining my mission, vision, and values. I was always questioning and not understanding what’s the difference between a mission and a vision? Which one explains my “why”? Which one describes where I’m going? I often found myself Googling the definitions, only to end up more uncertain, more confused, and more discouraged.

And when I did make progress and did get something down on paper I was always worried that they weren’t good enough, big enough, or inspirational enough.

Why did I feel this way? Probably because I was constantly testing my Mission, Vision and Values with my friends, family and the business next door’s customers rather than my core customer.

I thought if I could just make them big enough, more inspirational, smarter, more prolific, more like the popular business down the street, I would impress everyone watching and then steal away all my competitors’ customers. But every time I tried to redefine them that way, I found myself feeling even more discouraged, less authentic, and more uncertain about the value of my business and what I was offering.  

Understanding the Importance of Mission, Vision, and Values

After years of struggling, I had an epiphany: My mission, vision, and values didn’t have to resonate with or impress everyone. They just needed to serve our core product, our core customer, and our core employee. In other words, much like that young man sitting in my office not buying into my vision for my billion-dollar plan, we didn’t have to convince everyone in the world or impress everyone watching—we just needed to be authentically us in our products and the people and communities we served.

Once I understood what truly mattered—our core offerings and the people who believed in them—everything became clearer. My mission became sharper, my vision more focused, and my values more authentic. Instead of trying to be like the business down the street we focused on who we were and what was important to our target customer and that became the foundation of everything in our business. This clarity shapes what we want our business to be like and what we want to be known for.

Crafting Your Mission, Vision, and Values: A Strategic Approach

Mission, vison, and values are not just some buzz words that giant corporation use to impress their investors and shareholders.  Mission Vision and values is about identifying what matters to you, those you serve, and those who help you in that mission.  These aren’t tools to control others or impress potential clients; they’re the roadmap and playbook for every important decision you make. And when we hire people who align with our Mission, buy into our Vision and share and embody our Values we can be assured they are always honoring them even when no one is watching, because it is what they naturally value too.

1.         Mission: Your Why


This is your "why." It answers the question of why your business exists. What drives you? What impact do you want to make? Your mission should be clear, concise, and directly aligned with your core purpose. For example, my mission for the work I do now is “to empower early-stage entrepreneurs to overcome obstacles and create the life and business they desire”.

2.         Vision: Your Where


This is your "where." It’s the picture of the future you want to create. Your vision should be ambitious yet realistic, giving your team a clear sense of direction. My vision is “to inspire and assist 10,000 entrepreneurs over the next 10 years to integrate business excellence with holistic well-being”.

3.         Values: Your How


These are your "how." They represent what’s important to you, guiding your behavior and decision-making. Your values should be authentic, reflecting who you are and what you stand for, even when no one is watching. Avoid aspirational values that sound good on paper but aren’t lived out in practice. For me, values like Growth & Potential, Resilience & Grit, and Family & Traditions are non-negotiable—they shape how I operate every day.

In the End

Your mission, vision, and values are not just words on a page—they are the foundation of your business. They guide your actions, influence your strategy, and help you make tough decisions. When they are authentic and aligned with who you truly are, they become powerful tools that drive success, inspire loyalty, and shape everything from the products you offer to the people you hire. They determine what you say yes to, when you say no, and set the tone for your marketing and strategy. Embed your mission, vision, and values in every step of your business model and use them in every crucial decision you make and you will build a business that not only achieves its goals but also leaves a lasting impact on everyone involved.