Give Your Brand a Soul: Why Vision, Mission and Values Matter
So you've decided to take the plunge and start your own business. Congratulations! You've joined a unique club of taste-makers, industry disruptors, and risk-takers.
But before you get hung up on brand colors or your social media strategy, you need to take a step back and make sure you have a solid brand strategy in place. Most notably, your company will need vision, mission and value statements that will form the why, what, and how of your organization, and drive decisions -- big and small -- going forward.
Give Your Brand a Soul: Why Vision, Mission and Values Matter
Vision, mission and value (VMV) statements help brands build meaningful connections with their public. It creates an exceptional customer and employee experience that gives your business the stepping stones to increase its profitability while building a strong base of brand promoters.
If you nail these three things down early on, your company stands a greater chance of success. You'll be able to make and execute strategic decisions without having to think twice if they are aligned with your future goals.
A strong vision will guide your decisions
When starting a business, there seems to be a never-ending list of things you need to do and consider. If not managed correctly, you might quickly find yourself overwhelmed and unfocused. A vision statement is one of the best ways to keep you inspired and your business right on track.
Think of your company's vision statement as its compass, which points the way towards what it wants to become. Having one ensures you’re always going in the right direction, and that you never lose sight of your end goal. It is also the outcome that you test any incoming opportunity against.
For instance, you may ask yourself:
- How big do you want the company to get?
- How many employees, if any, do you want to have?
- What kind of legacy do you want the business to have?
With a clear vision statement in place, you can avoid getting lost, and instead make strategic business decisions that will point you in the right direction for the long-term.
A strong mission will inspire community
At the heart of your newly minted business should lie your mission. Your company's purpose, its reason for existence, and the difference it strives to make in the world should all be defined in its mission statement.
Not only does it create strong brand differentiation and inspire both consumer passion and brand engagement, but a strong mission statement also helps your employees figure out if they fit in. This strategic direction aligns your focus, and tells your employees what they need to deliver and why. It is also a key driver of organizational performance and a strong predictor of business success.
At some point in your journey, you might be approached by other brands to form strategic partnerships, or you might want to select key influencers to try your product.
How do you choose?
By making sure the partnership or the influencer aligns with your mission. If your business is committed to promoting responsible tourism in developing countries, for example, it won't make sense to team up with a travel blogger who doesn't promote traveling with a greener footprint.
A strong mission statement helps make sure that anything your brand is investing time and energy into will bring you one step closer to achieving your purpose. When formulating yours, ask yourself: What do you want to achieve, for whom, and by what means?
Strong values will define your company culture
Your values drive how your organization will operate. As an intricate part of your business, it will form your company culture, help attract like-minded employees, and drive the choices you make.
Just as importantly, company culture is now among the top five factors people consider when weighing a job offer, with a positive company culture linked to higher employee retention and increased engagement. So having a core set of values is no longer a "nice to have" option for businesses that want to succeed!
But values must also drive business decisions, which in turn affects how your customers see you. For example, if one of your values is fighting against animal exploitation, and you decide to use an animal-based product because it's the cheaper option, you aren't living up to your brand values.
For your brand's values to be effective, they need to more than just a pretty bulleted list on your company's About page. They need to be genuine. Everything you do needs to relate back to them, and you have to be faithful to them every single day.
Your statements, like the business world, are not stagnant
The decisions you make turn your brand's vision, mission and values into something tangible for your audience. It humanizes your brand and shows your customers what you care about, what your purpose is, and where you are going.
But it's also important to keep in mind that the business world is anything but stagnant. As your new company grows and evolves, so will your objectives and goals. Therefore, don't create your statements and forget about them. Review them as needed to make sure they are honest reflections of what, why and how your business operates.
Military Dad Defends His 4 Little Daughters When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Military Dad of 4 Daughters Defends His Girls When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Austin von Letkemann is the military officer strangers feel "sorry" for — and the reason is infuriating.
Whenever the devoted father leaves the house with his four children, strangers can't help but notice the officer in uniform is holding hands with 4 adorable little girls. They will tell the traditionally "masculine" and "all American" dad they feel sorry for him, because he has no sons. This dad makes one thing very clear: They are his daughters, they aren't a burden.
In a passionate video, von Letkemann took to Instagram to share with his followers that the only thing that's "difficult" about being a girl dad — is clapping back to these sexist remarks over and over again.
They Mock His Daughters To Their Face
When strangers approach Austin von Letkemann and his four daughters, they don't always realize that their comments are being overheard. They seem oblivious to the fact that his girls understand every word. Von Letkemann describes how people will approach him and, without thinking, make remarks like "I'm sorry" or even joke about his lack of sons. What they don't realize is that these comments, intended to be light-hearted or humorous, can be deeply hurtful to his daughters. These strangers are not just disrespecting von Letkemann's choices as a father; they're also sending a message to his daughters that their presence is something to be pitied. It’s a message that von Letkemann won't stand for, and he's speaking out to defend his girls from these insensitive remarksSaying "Get Your Shotgun" Isn't Funny — It's Sexist
Another common comment that Austin von Letkemann encounters is the old "better get your shotgun ready" trope, often delivered with a smirk or a wink. This line is typically intended to suggest that a father with daughters should be on high alert to protect them from potential "suitors," implying that they are objects to be guarded rather than individuals with agency.
Von Letkemann finds this line of thinking outdated and sexist. In his viral Instagram video, he points out that these jokes are not just stale — they're damaging.
By suggesting that his daughters require armed protection, the joke reinforces the idea that women are inherently vulnerable and need to be shielded from men. Von Letkemann argues that instead of promoting this narrative, society should focus on teaching respect and consent, challenging these sexist tropes at their source.
Watch Austin von Letkemann's Video:
"If I Had A Fifth Child, I'd HOPE It Was A Girl" — One Dad's Message For Other Parents
Despite the constant remarks about his lack of sons, Austin von Letkemann is clear: He wouldn't trade his daughters for anything.
In fact, he told his Instagram followers that if he were to have a fifth child, he would hope for another girl. This declaration isn't just about doubling down on his pride in his family — it's a pointed response to those who see fathering daughters as a misfortune.
Von Letkemann's stance is a powerful one, rejecting the notion that a family is incomplete without sons. He encourages others to question the assumptions behind these comments and to appreciate the joy and fulfillment that his daughters bring. By sharing his story, von Letkemann hopes to create a more inclusive perspective on fatherhood, one that values daughters just as much as sons.