Business tips: Writing a mission statement

Do you know WHY your business does what it does? A mission statement can set the best possible foundations for your business.

You’ve had your initial business idea and written a plan. But do you know WHY you’re creating this business, or HOW you’ll deliver your end product/service? What will the company’s underlying purpose be and how will your core values drive the business?

To get these crucial elements ironed out, it’s a good idea to write a ‘mission statement’ for your startup – a short summary of the aims and values of your business.

WHAT does your business do?

The first thing to pin down is what the business actually does – i.e. at the most basic level, what is the output of your new business idea, and what is its purpose.

Defining this ‘WHAT’ element might sound simple, but describing it in a clear and concise way will help you to begin the process of completing your mission statement. A bicycle manufacturer might define their WHAT as ‘making quality bikes at great prices, for adults and kids to enjoy’. Whereas a creative agency might define their WHAT as ‘delivering creative solutions to our business clients’ design problems’.

HOW does your company do what it does?

Next, have a think about HOW you achieve what you do. How do you deliver your product or service to customers, what operations are involved and what makes your way different?

The bicycle manufacturer might have a big focus on making hand-made bikes, so their HOW could be ‘We make our bikes by hand, and to order, using our 25 years’ experience in the industry to deliver the best possible quality’. While the creative agency might say ‘We use the latest design approaches, coupled with cutting-edge design software, to bring our clients’ design to life’. Both of these statements explain the underlying operational processes in the business, and how each business delivers its product/service to the end customer.

WHY does your company do what it does?

Most businesses are great at defining the WHAT and HOW elements of their business model. ‘I make Product A using Process B’. But it can be a lot harder to define WHY you’re doing this.

Ultimately, the WHY is the most important element of your mission statement. In essence, you’re describing what drives you to do what you do. What are your big aspirations for the business, and what do you want to achieve? For the bicycle manufacturer, the WHY statement may be ‘We want to encourage our community to get on their bikes, become more sustainable and stay healthy’. And the agency may define their WHY as ‘We want to build innovation into everything we do, bringing fresh ideas to our clients’ design’.

What are the core values driving your enterprise?

Your personal values as a founder might not sound like a crucial element to think about. But any new startup is a reflection of the ideas, ambition, drive and values of its founders.

The ways in which you behave, the vision you provide for your team and the ways in which you interact with your first customers will all underline the foundation values of your new business. Think about what drives you. Is it profit and money? Or do you want to change the world in positive ways? Or provide employment and opportunities for your local community?

Bring it all together into your mission statement

If you’ve answered those four questions, then you have everything you need to create a comprehensive and useful mission statement for the business.

For example, for the bicycle manufacturer, it may look like this:

Happy Spokes Bicycles Ltd:

  • What we do: We make quality, sustainable bikes at great prices, building a range of city bikes for adults and kids aged 9 to 90 to enjoy.
  • How we do it: We make our bikes by hand, and to order, using sustainable processes and our 25 years’ experience in the industry to deliver the best possible quality.
  • Why we do it: We believe that cycling is the future. We want to encourage our community to get on their bikes, become more sustainable and stay healthy.
  • Our core values: Our 5 core value pillars are:
    • Sustainability – we strive to limit our impact on the planet and environment
    • Health – we aim to make our customers healthier and fitter
    • Craftsmanship – we believe in keeping hand-made production alive and well
    • Value – we want our bikes to be affordable to all
    • Fun – we aim to make Happy Spokes a fun community to be part of.

With your mission statement written, and a business plan under your belt, you have the best possible foundations on which to build your business enterprise.

Your mission statement can set the foundations for your company’s future.

And just in case you wonder how we can assist, check out our list of services here.

The Ultimate Bookkeeping Impact Checklist: The Top 22 Ways To Know If It’s Time To Level-Up Your Bookkeeping Support Team So You Can Achieve More Of Your Purpose

Is your current bookkeeping and finance
team helping you achieve more of your
organisation’s purpose… or are they holding
you back?

With the help of this quick checklist, you can stop
guessing and see for yourself what business could
look like with the right purpose-driven bookkeepers
on your side. Download it now for FREE to get started!

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We’ve Helped These Clients Focus Less On Their Finances, And More On Their Purpose

Here’s what they had to say:

We have had an enduring
relationship because Clare goes
beyond being just a “service
provider”.

The team at Purposely are always
invested in my clients and my own
organisations success. They partner
with their customers, accountants
and auditors to deliver tailored
solutions and they are always
proactive in their approach. If you are
looking for dedication and a long-
term partnership, these are the guys
for you.

Varis K.

VLK Accounting

We engaged with Clare and the
team to bring our organisation
into the cloud and we haven’t
looked back since.

It’s now 4 years down the track and
the Purposely team continue to
provide such an invaluable service to
our business. They understand the
complexities of working with remote
organisations and they handle
everything we need with the greatest
sensitivity. From bookkeeping, to
payroll to assisting us with all our
audit queries. They have changed the
way we operate for the better.

Anna and Steve H.

Noonkanbah Aboriginal Corporation

Purposely has looked after my
business for a long time now and
I am very happy with the service.

They are very professional and I know
things are always up to date. Clare
and her staff are great to deal with
and I trust them, that’s important. I
would not be in business today if I did
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Les R.

Quic Dig (WA) Pty Ltd

Nothing is too much trouble!

I have never felt so supported in
business… Since joining forces with
Purposely, I have become more
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understanding of my own business
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Kellie G.

A* Star Cleanings

Purposely have been 
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Paying our casual workers on time is
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Mistakes and delays are not easy to
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Dirima C.

Dortch & Cuthbert Trading Trust

The integrity of the Purposely
team is beyond question and we
know we can always rely on them
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our organisation.

Marrugeku engaged with Purposely in
2017 to handle all our bookkeeping
and payroll requirements. They
consistently show up, week in week
out with efficiency and good humour.
Even during the challenging times
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Performance. And each year they
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Guy B.

Marrugeku Inc.

The team at Purposely has been
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Purposely did an amazing job at
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We highly recommend them for their
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Holly G.

Cameron Herbert Constructions Pty Ltd

I have been working with
Purposely for a couple of years
now and in this time the team
has shown significant support to
me and my business.

Their technical expertise has helped me get my business in order leaving me to focus on what I do best. They communicate on a weekly basis so I know where things are at and what is yet to be done. Everything is completed and lodged on time and in full. I trust that they handle my data confidentially and would recommend them to anyone who is seeking the “next level” in terms of a bookkeeper.

Luke D.V.

Swat Suspension Wheel & Tyre Pty Ltd

I’m an exercise physiologist,
extremely busy and very
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help of Purposely.

They have saved me a lot of time and
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Chris A.

Chris Anastasios Exercise Physiology

We have been working with Clare
and her team for the last 6 years.

Our initial contact with them came
from the difficulties we faced in
integrating our point of sale system
with our accounting software. We
required someone with technical
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immediately got on with the job. Since
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Vanessa A.

Think Water Broome

We had no second thoughts on choosing Purposely.

My biggest pain point was not having clarity on the business financials from the previous bookkeepers. It was frustrating to try to communicate with them regarding anything. That’s when we found Purposely (Clare), our first impression was she was very professional and knowledgeable on what she does. We now have clarity, trust and good communication whether it comes to processing the payroll or bookkeeping or even sorting out the invoices. Clare and her team are always there to support and help and simplify things for us.

Bikram P.

Dragonfly Cafe

We have been dealing with Clare and Purposely for over 4 years because they handle the bookkeeping for one of our clients.

We can thoroughly recommend them to anyone that needs an efficient, accurate and easy to work with bookkeeper. We have always found their work to be of the highest quality.

Peter W.

Accounting on Tap Pty Ltd

I have nothing but praise for Clare & the team, they have always bent over backwards to help.

Myself & my business have been involved with Purposely for many years now after our internal Book-keeper decided to retire & suggested I look into what was/is Purposely. Purposely are Kimberley locals & understand how difficult it can be working remotely to run a business in this part of Australia. The team adapted to my requests & business style very quickly and I have to admit I haven’t always been the easiest person to work with due to the remote nature of our work & my lack of computer skills. GND will continue to use Purposely for the foreseeable future of our business.

Sam C.

Great Northern Demolition Pty Ltd

Since we started working with Purposely in 2018, we’ve witnessed their unique approach to bookkeeping which sets them apart.

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Desiree M.

Male & Co

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