Being in business is all about finding a balance between offering something that aligns with your skills, and meeting the needs of your potential customers.

When you are able to build a business that finds the intersection between multiple purposes, you can be sure that it will not only be something that you enjoy running as an entrepreneur but will also be able to create a sustainable impact on the world around you.

You may remember when I talked about entrepreneurs being game changers in the post about Ready Entrepreneur One.  Well, I’m going to be expanding on that point in this post.  Because when you go into business, it’s not just about you making money, delivering your amazing products or services.  It also isn’t solely about your clients or customers either.

Striking the chord of balance is important, and when you are able to do that by following the information I’m going to share with you in this post, you will find that you have more purpose, more clarity, and a better sense of who/what your brand is all about.

1-Dimensional Wins

A one-dimensional win is all about taking care of numero uno.  If you’ve ever seen a movie character who tries to make millions of dollars while turning the city’s water source into a sewage area, then you are familiar with the extreme negative side of this type of win.

While this can be pulled off successfully, it isn’t really the greatest benefit for others.  Successful solopreneurs could make this work but it doesn’t help others.  Think of the teachers who sell online courses, but never responds to student’s questions, and provides outdated information.  It makes the entrepreneur money, but the service to their clients is lacking.

The One Man/Woman Show

A lot of business owners work like they are only focused on themselves.

This is a crucial flaw.

Any entrepreneur who wants to have longevity in his or her work needs to move away from being one-dimensional as quickly as possible.

It can be really easy to fall into this type of pattern, and not make the most of your opportunity as an entrepreneur.

Sometimes, you need more clients, which can make you nearsighted.  You forget to focus on the clients you currently have, and they aren’t as happy as they could be.  This means that they probably won’t be passing along many referrals, and they may not work with you in the future.

This example is also common when a company who services customers with physical or digital products is trying to ramp up production.  The focus is on growing the business, and sometimes shipping times, product availability, and quality control can fall by the wayside.

Overlooking these things may seem like a minor annoyance to some people.  But it can really add up if it goes on too long.

The best way to combat this type of oversight is to hire a coach, outsource some of your current workflow, and commit yourself to examining your client’s needs more carefully.

Letting work pile up and trying to do everything yourself can be an example of not focusing on your needs as a business owner.  Sometimes, micromanaging yourself is a sign of needed growth in your business.

For most entrepreneurs, the one-dimensional phase is just that: a phase of growth.

However, if you are constantly suffering from poor client/customer retention or other similar issues, you may need to adjust your course.

2-Dimensional Win

This concept is a little easier to grapple with because it encompasses the golden rule.  In a two-dimensional win, both the business and the customers are happy.

Maybe you are a consultant and just helped a happy client scale their business, or incorporating your systems into their business structure helped them significantly increase their bottom line.

This is obviously a cut above being a one-dimensional business.  However, it isn’t the ultimate goal of going into business.

Two-dimensional approaches to business seem like the epitome of the golden rule, but they are actually still short of achieving the real goal.  An example of this would be oil tankers.  These ships provide an incredible service shuttling much-needed resources to places where people can use them every day.

The problem?

When one of these tankers crashes in the ocean it kills fish, pollutes our water, and costs millions of dollars in cleanup and restoration. The clients need the fossil fuels to drive, and when they receive the product they are able to live better lives.  However, the harm that it does to the environment can affect numerous people.

Fast food is another great example of a 2-D win. The service is cheap, it makes the business money, and it saves the customer time.  However, it also isn’t a sustainable, healthy solution.  Both the customer and the business are happy, but french fries and hamburgers don’t make for a happy waistline.

Time for A New Perspective: 3-Dimensional Win

Entrepreneurs have a huge responsibility.  The businesses that they are running provide goods and services for people everywhere that typically are doing something better than the normal competition.

With renewed focus, comes more opportunity.

The big opportunity comes in the form of how customers who purchase your products or services will use your products to impact the world around them.  This is where entrepreneurs literally have the power to change the world!

As an entrepreneur the decisions you make when you create your products and services affect the world around you.  If this effect is positive, then it will create the Third Dimensional win.  3-D wins only come from doing good in the world that results in positive change in individual’s lives.

Lots of companies are involved in their client’s experiences and are building products and services that change the way that we work, play, and experience the joys of being human.  Think of WordPress, without it, nearly half the Internet wouldn’t exist.  Okay, maybe not 50% of all websites and blogs are powered by WordPress, but a lot of them are.  And that product was revolutionary in the way that entrepreneurs began launching creative companies that help millions of people.  When your client, the environment, and the world around you are all enhanced by your products or services you’ve changed the world.  You’ve also become the ultimate entrepreneur because what you’ve essentially done was found a way to help create a win-win-win.

You win.

Your customers win.

The world around them wins.

Amazon and Whole Foods

A recent example of a 3D winning decision would be Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods.  Whole Foods is a luxury grocery shop.  They have healthy food but aren’t solely nutritious.  Amazon has the greatest distribution channel in the world–it’s practically bankrupting big-box stores.

By teaming the two together, prices are expected to drop, and the availability of this high-end grocery store will be open to more people.  Instead of getting the moniker of “Whole Paycheck,” maybe they can become the biggest grocer in history.

The fascinating part is that Amazon had no reason to buy Whole Foods. We can only assume that the intent was to create a way to distribute great food, at better prices to more people.  This will help customers to win, Jeff Bezos wins, and if people are feeling more vitalized by healthy food–the whole world will win.

Remember, a three-dimensional win isn’t “necessary” for every brand or company.  Most will do really well and make waves using the 2-D model.  However, when and where it is applicable the world will be changed by innovators like Bezos who are applying the 3-D win in “real life.”

So, what’s next?

You’ve created something that has a lasting impact, and you’ve left your mark on the world.

History will remember you, even if it is just the tiniest footnote because you’ve impacted the way the world runs.  And that is pretty rewarding and extremely powerful.

But once you’ve mastered the game, it’s time to help other people do it as well.  This is what I realized after helping Kimberly Snyder become a bestselling author and seven-figure CEO.  We helped millions of people feel more vibrant, healthier, and more alive.  However, it still wasn’t enough, I wanted to help more people–which is why I continue to help extraordinary entrepreneurs craft their three-dimensional wins.

 

Have a Mission In Life and In Business

Have you ever known anyone who was just on fire for what they did?  They are constantly talking about all of the improvements that they have made to their business or life, and it always seems like he or she is on the rise?

This is the definition of someone who is on a mission.  You see most of us have goals, but having a mission means that you are committed to a journey, a lengthy time-consuming process that will advance you towards multiple goals without getting too bogged down with goals.  Instead of having a checklist, a mission gives you a trajectory.  It’s the pathway to the hero’s journey.

Personally, my mission is to help a billion people be self-expressed, powerful, and fulfilled.  That is what inspires me, that is what fulfills me. Not necessarily reaching that goal, but the process of making that happen.

What is your unique mission?  What is your purpose in helping the world?  Is it to inspire others through your beautiful artwork, to help business owners find their way in the world, or maybe to create new products that help children?

Leave me a comment and let me know what your mission is?

Bonus points if you also explain which stage of your business you are in 1-D, 2-D, or 3-D!